The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-12-28
Two "f the Ships Crew Killed, and Con-
siderable Damage to both Vessels.

morning near Coffin Rock, about 60
miles inland from here, between the
British ship clan UcKe!azie, Simp-
son master, 1887, from Glasgow, and
the passenger steamship oregon at
tended with deplorable results.
The sacls are as follows: The Clan
-I"He3szia was ~ tow OF the Oc!G-
hama IN ballast 10 Portland, and an
choTed for the night near Coffin Rock,
between that point and Hunters.
The steamship Oregon, which had left
Portland at midnight came along
about 1:15 yesterday morning, and
with her wedge shaped bow crashed
into the Clan Men ellzie, abaft OF the
port bow, smashing the ships
iron sides and cutting an immense
cash, through which the water poured.
/ The crash aroused everyone on both
ship and steamer, and as the frightened
passengers on the Oregon rushed
from their berths, they were met by
the assurance that there was no dan
ger.
Investigation showed that two Of
| the colored crew OF the Clan Mckee
were killed as they lay in their hunks.
A third sailor was seriously injured.
! When the oregon struck the ship she
parted her anchor. and both vessels
! drifted TO the Oregon shore.
The vessels were locked together,
/ the oregon being unable to extricate
herself from the hole her sharp bow
had made in the clan Mckenzie: the
/ jibboom OF the ship lying across the
! steamers deck.
/ When the night boat, the Il. X.
! Thompson came along, on her way to
/ this city, she was hailed and went
alongside. A line was got, out and an
effort made to separate the vessels, but
the line parted, and it was seen
! that all efforts were useless, So,
/ taking on the wounded sailor, the
Thompson proceeded on her way to
! this city. bringing the first news of the
disaster.
At the time the Thompson arrived
at the place where the collision Oc-
Cured, there was considerable snow
and sleet falling; there was no fog, but
the night was exceedingly dark.
At the time the collision occurred
the OckLdh0mG was taking on wood,
When the Thompson left, the half
moon on the clan McRenzjeS stern
was out OF water If she were drawing
Is feet, and was going to load 8 more,
and allowing feet free board, and
three feet further exposure, would
make about 30 feet OF water where the
collision occurred.
OF the cause of the deplorable dis
aster nothing can be said. That will
be the subject of official inquiry and
strict investigation, and the several
rumOrs afloats are not entitled to pres
ent credence.
Nothing but the greatest good luck
/ has prevented similar disasters time
and again, and so long as an effort is
made to sustain aseaport up the creek,
so long viii such catastrophes be immi-
nent. 1t is to be hoped the OTegOnjdH
will not locate this disaster at the
mouth OF the Columbia. 1t was %
miles from the mouth of the VILLAIN
cite.
/ Upon the arrival of the Telephone
yesterday afternoon, it was learned
that the oregon had got off and
steamed back to Portland; she ap-
! peared to have sustained very little
| damage. The I'cIephORe passed slowly
within 60 feet OF the clan Mckenzie.
She was lying, stranded. an immense
Jagged hole in her port bow; the plates
warped outward: her bulwaFks were
above water and she was dry amid
ships, where the sailors were congre-
gated.
A. 4 kcunDraN- ro,,or+ar i,,For1ria-x,od
the wounded sailor at st. Mary's hos
pital yesterday afternoon. He said:
My name is James Joseph; | am
a native OF Demerara. At the time of
the collision l was in my bunk. The
men killed were in the hunks below
me. The ship had a riding light on
The starbOrd side, and was struck on
the port bow. The captain had q
wife and child aboard" The above is
given for what it is worth. 1t will be
seen that he says the ship was
struck on the port bow. One ac-
count alleged that the ship was struck
on the starboard bow.
The question as to whether the
ship had or had not lights out viii be
an important one in the investigation
and the pecuniary results, and moth
ing positive can be stated thereto, at
present.
Additional particulars will be found
in our dispatches.
Talking With an old steamboat
captain. yesterday, man who has
been plying on the lower Columbia
for a dozen years, he said:
Lights are not enough on YES
sci; in darkness, or in fog, a bell
should be kept going in answer to a
whistle. About a month ago 1 was
going up river with my boat; the
night was pitch dark and there was
dense fog. L kept my whistle going,
and thought L was all right, when
suddenly, not q boats length ahead,
loomed up something with four lights.
1t was the government dredge, at
: Walkers Island bar. Had 1 been
20 feet further that way l couldn't
have helped running into it; as it
was l got by all right. The lights
were burning, but I couldn't see them
till L was right ON to the boat.
Further along, a British ship was
!; lying at anchor. She kept her bell
going In answer to my whistles. and
though couldn't see her lights, 1
heard her bell and was able to make
/, her cut and keep out of danger"
. --s
At Corvallis Saturday evening T. S.
Craig. editor of the Corvallis Gazette,
suffered a sympathetic stroke of paral-
ysis or apoplexy The afiliction is a
most peculiar one. Mr. Craig was en-
gagged in conversation with some par
ties, the subject being that Of Attic
tions of this nature. Suddenly he
was seen to totter and fall to the
ground, helpless and unable to move
a muscle Medical assistance was
quickly summoned, and not until after
much hard work and the administer
! ing of stimulants did he regain con-
sciousness and power to move.
Prices For Lots la Rniiway ADJ
litiOM
Will possibly advance January, 1St.
Within the last 10 days over 200 lots
l.. 4 4