Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1889-03-07
EplroR TELLER.-Sir -:

publish this and | will not charge you
for your trouble. !,
Having kept no log or note book
have to trust to my memory for more
than - years, but if make ary or many
our veteran steamboat captain.
Eph. Bara ahman, aud bis chief engineer,
can correct me, as they are the only
oucs left that can refer you to, the ma
jor portion of the crew having long age |
left this section for pastures moro green,
but the majority Of them have crossed
the dark river, and hope they have
bettered their condition.
In May, 1 think tho 12h,, not 1881
but 1861, the steamer Okanagan, was
launched at the Deschutcs, Oregon; she
was built for the O. S. N. Co., then in
their swaddlins clothes, by Capt. Farm
ham, who, as Sam. Hot: tells me, lives
at or near Baker City, Oregon. The
Okanagan was the first boat built at the
Deschutes, that had any claim to be
! called steamboat. Now comes the
| question; was not the Col. Wright the
first boat? Well, yes; but q steamboat
mans definition of her being steAmboa,
would be that she was an arm full oi
planss spiked together, with small
sized tea-kettlo thrown into her, 80 far
as the comparison: Capt. Len White
was ostcnsibly her captain, jim Boyd,
mate and Eph Bauehman her pilot.
There was new feature in her build and
launch; She was laid on the stocks, land
lubbers would call it side ways, or side.
wise, but those who have seen Mothe,
Careys Chicken 10 the crosstrees or yard
arm, will define my language when l sA..
she was launched broadside to or beam
4 on, for the definition. l refer you gooc
authority, to j. NJ. Silcctt, Geo. Penn,
or Tom. Wordcn, they have all seer
deep water, blue, blue, not red. Nov
for the reason Of her being so bull
many objected going off in her. Capt
White did not take his position, but Eph
Baughmau took the wheel and by hi
skill and nerve, assisted by Jim Boyd
the mate, and few Of bis men on deck
she was launched successfully, not
string parted nor splinter 2ew, suite
to say that Eph. Bauehmun was at tn
, wheel, and Jim Boyd, he had DO pee
was on deck. Everything was done
9 ship.shape aud bristol fashion; nc,
thing was to baptize her, aud that wa
i done by Col. Vic. Trevitt, who, viii
:. your humble subscriber, vent off in hcl
!. The Col. named her the Okanagan, an
as he did 80 he broke bottle, not Of Mi
waukee. bu. G, Heidssiek, over her tov
I Was there, you bet, with my tin diPpe
and lent valuable assistance to the Co
Who now sleeps his lsst sleep On Mem
lose Island, between The Dalles aad Il
Cascades, Peace to his ashes, is tho pra
er but the prayers Of the wicked availe
not Of one who knew him long and VI
and can justly say he was one Of nature
noblcmen. I oeing aboard Of the ne
ship for month or more before b
launch, l had an opportunity to get |
quaintsd with every person who work
on tho new ship, but was familiar vi
h. most Of them on board and ashore
'Is n, years before. Capt. Farnham was
builder Of the hull, Charley Shook sup
intending joiner, Ben. Anderson, T
Pike, Jim Shields, l think Fred Sha
afterwards Of the firm of Shade 4 Hi,
cock, Umatilla Landing Ben. And
son died at Boise City sometime ago :
few days ago l read in, tho Erdpia
the death Of Charley Shook. at San Fr
~ cisco. Poor Ben. has cracked his
joke and played his last hand, . Gle
! couyivisl spirit, who wore his heart o
side his overcoat, Peace to his ashes
was proud Of his acquaintance for m
years. Fred Shade I have lost tho
~. Of, but I hope he is Q. X. Jim shi
hear Of at the Dsschutes, rich in sh
l am glad Of it. Captain Eph. Ba,
: man Is s.in.on deck, hale and hearty
4. handling his boat like boy does
whip top. No aattery, Epb; We
know il; everybody says ne %; the !
boy said ~ to his mother 20 I guss
must be true, mother. Mallory
store At the Descbutss and kept ev
ID. thing from needle 70 an anchor. les
kept dry goods aud some other 8
80 a. N.u III tant heana tha