The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-06-12
PORTLAND'S FLOOD.
Lively Scenes Among the Boats
on Last Sunday.
"HEAP FUN" FOR CELEsTlALs
MANY Visitors From the Surround
ing Towns and COuntry--News
From other Points.

Never since the lreShSI
have the flooded streets presented sucli
a lively and animated appearance as
thew did Yesterday. 1t was a perfect
Gala day. and people, big and Httle' ola
and young, turned out to enjoy the nov
eltv of boat-riding on the principal thor-
ouqhfares of the city. Every incoming
boat and train was crowded with sight
sears Farmers brought their families
to town in vehicles which are rarei!
seen upon the streets except wheh
circus tent it pitched upon the coniiiioil'
Astorias delegation numbered 10 Ihey
oame I'D on the steamer Telephone
which was held five hours to accomno-
date them, and returned home again on
the evening boat. Hundreds OF people
aoclxed in from the valley towns, NC
Minnville alone sending nearly 100 dele
gates. All were dressed in holiday at
tire. and many brought their lunch pas-
l,ets The visitors thronged the flooded
streets, crowding along the creaKlis
sidewalks and shaking bridges, when
threatened every moment to give way
beneath the unusual weight. The poal-
men were thoroughly alive to the situa-
tion and fully prepared to harvest the
cron of small coins which jingled IN the
visitors pockets. Early in the day every
serviceable craft was loaded to the gun
wales with sightseers. Some of the VS.
itors, particularly those from river
towns. had the foresight to bring their
boots with them, and thus escaped the
avarice of boatmen who wanted all they
could get, without reference to the ac-
tual value of their services. The heaVy
showers that occurred frequently during
the day spoiled the fun to some extent
| During the intervals of sunshine, splash
ing oars and merry shouts or laughter
were heard on all sides, but when the
raindrops commenced to patter upon the
surface of the water, there was gen
eral scramble for cover. The prlncipal
points of embankment for boating par
ties were at Third and Washington, aho
First and Morrison streets. There the
lam of boats was beyond Description
Three deep they lay along the temper
/, ary Wharves, each one containing d yen
ing, gesticulating boatman, who, to DE
ueva his own oft-repeated statement
, possessed the driest and most comloru
able draft on the river. The most popu
! lar route was along Front street to NV
erett. out on the river for a turn alon'
the damaged. wharves, then TO III
Union depot and Southern Paciii
freight wards, through the Park blocK
and flooded cottage district, then pac
to Third street, and up Third to WASH
ington. Third street was the grea
waterway where all boats met ana wa
thronged from washington street to I'll
san all day long with craft of every cor
n ceivable shape and description. Tn
water was kept in perfect foam Z
the churning of thousands of oars an
a paddles. Collisions were frequent, p'
every one was happy. Such trdiing inc
dents were not sufficient to mar II
pleasure of the picnicker. At poin
where the street was spanned by bridg
| the fleet often became so tangled |
and demoralized that movement towal
the centre was simply impossible. +
: lice officers at first attempted to co
troll the movement of boats, so as
avoid such collisions, but soon foui
that their efforts were useless. Car
less oarsmen and.m who seemed
&c have no knowledge whatever OF how
control a boat were continually bloc
IN ing the street, and a mass Of boats col
- ing in from opposite directions so
made the blockade complete.
7 Among the craft were several mar
a tina launches, which sped through |
small boats at a rate that seemed da
. gerously fast, but they were manned
skillful engineers and pilots, and no
cidents occurred. In fact, not a sin
mishap happened among the visitors
n any portion Of the city.