The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-12-14
ON TILLAMOOK ROCK.
The Lighthouse Badly Damaged
By the Storm.
THE KITCHEN WAS WRECKED.
Water Was Four Feet Deep on the
Floor of the Living
Room.
THE KITCHEN WAS WRECKED.

Last evening about o'clock the light
house tender Columbine returned from
Tfllamook Rock where she went yes
terday morning to investigate the re-
port wired over from Candy the day
previous that the lights had not been
seen burning since Sundays hurricane.
The result of the investigation shows
only too plainly that the report was
true, and the story told by Lieutenant
Bllsh, to an Astorlap reporter last even
ing, goes to prove the truth of the
MANY assertions by seafaring men, that
the recent blow was the most severe
ever experienced on the coast The
reporter found Lieutenant Blisli In the
cozy Inspectors apartments on board
the tender a few minutes after her
arrival, and when questioned about the
result of his visit to tfieSlonely sentinel
Off Tillamook Head, replied:
1--WE arrived at the rock about 10
O'Clock, and as expected, found the sea,
too rough to attempt a landing We
steamed around the lighthouse and took
good survey of the storm-beaten
rock, and could easily detect that some
thing unusual had been going on since
our last visit. Keeper Pessonen and
his three assistants were out on the
rock, and apparently hailed our COM
ing with joy. Once or twice we were
within tall1lng distance of the men on
The rock. and managed to arrange with
the keeper for a transfer of his report
to the vessel. This was done by plac-
ing the report in tightly corked bot
tie, secured to a float, which was
thrown far out into the sea. 1t soon
floalted alongside and was easily pick
ed up.
ION steaming around to the south
side of the light decided change in its
appearance was noticeable. Separated
from the main rock by a fissure is
smaller rock, that has always been Pc
culIar for it's exceedingly sharp point.
Strange to say, this familiar feature
had disappeared, showing that the tre-
mendous seas had broken off and car
ned away a piece weighing fully two
tons. Other places on the main rock
showed that numerous ragged points
had been torn off.
'eThe most grlphic account of the
awful storm and its sad pranks about
the Isolated beacon light is found in
the keepers report which l will show
you.
+ lieutenant Bllsh unrolled several
sheets of official paper and spreading
| IL out on a table, under the electric
| lieht. allowed the reporter to scan it's
contents. 1t is thrilling account of
Sundays storm, when for hours, the
brave watchmen on lonely Tillamook
rock, listened to the awful bowling of
the wind and waters. trembling each
moment for fear that the high tower
would tumble over into the sea and
carry every thing with it. Waves rose
all around them like great mountains,
and although the top of the rock is full
| ly 88 feet above extreme high tide, mon
ster seas broke all over it. At one time
| when the hurricane was at its worst
amidst a most awful roaring OF angry
the side of the rock with such force
that 1t trembled as If from violent
shock Of earthquake. AS the mountain
Of water struck the great rock, it shot
upwards, how high the keepers inside
the lighthouse were unable to say, but
ell was darkness for a moment-an aw-
full crash of breaking glass sounded
above, followed instantly by terrible
noise as If the whole ocean had gone
skyward and come down directly on the
roof Of the lighthouse. BY this time
1t seemed to the keepers that their time
had come and they were for moment
unable to make out whether they were
sill on the rock or floating off on the
crest OF the receding wave. The water
in the living room was four feet In
depth and the furniture was floating
about the apartment AS soon as they
recovered themselves a hasty examine
don revealed a sad state Of affairs. In
che siren room mark on the wall
showed that water had entered to a
depth Of six feet. and the big fog-horn
machinery was badly injured. The c1s-
tern pump was rendered useless, and
the fresh water in the tanks made
brackish by the salt water that had
forced its way in.
In the kitchen remarkable state Of
affairs existed. The room was dripping
with water wslHch came through great
hole overhead In the roof, made by