The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-12-11

Bile storm:
I'VE left San Francisco at a. m
Wednesday and on account of the ba,
weather, the services of two staemer.
were necessary to take the vessel ou-
OF the dock. Immediately after get
ting outside we encountered a furious
storm, which continued until Friday
morning At 10 a. m. that day tn,
steamers hawser parted and we sci
three staysails and jib to steady the
ship, as she was rolling very much
and the ballast had shifted. The sails
which were all new, were blown to
ribbons, and everything movable on
deck started About / o'clock we lost
sight of the steamer, but at 8 O'Clock
the weather moderated and alt 11:45 the
steamer was again alongside, and gave
us another hawser the next morning,
Saturday at o'clock. Up to noon the
weather moderated, but at that hour
the barometer fell with alarming ra-
pidlty and we took in the topsails. Al
10 that night it was blowing hurricane
and the Fearless blew two long whis-
Ties for us to starboard helm and heave
to- When we came to we gave her 20
fathoms more chain, making the haw-
ser easy for a few minutes. Then a
heavy squall struck us and the tow
rope again parted, this time ON board
the steamer. We were then lying to
uSder bare poles, and the ballast shift
ed again, the vessel shipping many
heavy seas and several times oareening
as If she were about to capslze. At 2
o'clock Sunday morning the weather
moderated slightly and as we had steam
up in the donkey we hove in the chain.
AS 1t was impossible to get the ring
of the huge hawser on board without
lifting it over the ships rail, DIT was
necessary for someone to go over the
bows and pass line through the haw-
ser ring, for upon that hawser the last
cne the Fearless had, depended our
fate. / was unwilling to order any Of
the men to attempt this perdlous feat
and as none of them volunteered, the
jIrs'f naaIte. Mr. Tollefsen, attached
line to his wadst and went over the
bow, TO what appeared certain death.
went forward to order him aboard,
but when l reached there he had sue
ceeded in making fast four inch line
to the hawser ring and was being haul
ed on board. AS he reached the rail
the ship took heavy plunge, and had
Tollefsen been moment later in get
ting out of his perllous position, he
would undoubtedly have been lost. We
had the hawser all in and coiled at 8
q. m.
The hurricane was raging more fur
ously THAN ever, and as 1t was impossi-
BILE to set any sail the ship was drifting
at the mercy of wind and sea. At q
o'clock the Fearless was about ca
ole's length or two to windward, but
TWO hours later we lost sight of her
At noon that day, we got
peep of the sun in latitude 46 degrees
"A minutes and found we were about
2 miles off the Columbia river. The
ship was still drifting and we We're un-
rble to help ourselves. At 2 the storm
dbated somewhat, and we" hove the
cad, and took soundings in 81 fathoms
# water. The wind was then about
vest southwest, .bnd we set four top
'ails and a foresail, with the aid of
he steam winch, getting the ship
lround on the starboard tack, as she
rad terrible list TO port. The weather
to moderate to a slight ex-
emit, and we spread more sail, but
IT'LL she was drifting shoreward, and
t seemed as If there was no hope OF
Iavlng her Between and o'clock
hat evening we passed the iightship,
itanding to the northward up to mid
light. We then tackled ship, the wealth.
r being comparatively good and the
Wind moderate. More sail was spread,
tut during the night was compelled
o send crew DOWN In the hold to
Afhi D1'Ao-7A - 40 " BOT blccndBe way |
n. Then we reached to about miles |
vest Of the light ship, hove to, put
opsails back, and burned blue lights |
II night for pilot, but saw none. At
o'clock this morning we saw bright
ght to seaward. and upon signaling
ound 1t to belong to the Fear1ess. The
teamer was soon alongside. got the
awser fast again, and towed us over
cry rough bar to safe anchorage in
he harbor at 11:SO."
Captain Arnesen speaks In highly
complimentary terms OF the able man
er in which Captain Haskell handled
he Fearless and looked after the safe
: Of the Breadablik, under circum-
iances which would have appalled,
amy men with less stout hearts. Cap
LIN Arnesen, who has been at sea for
yer S5 years. says that never before
as he encountered such terrible ex-
-rience.
In speaking Of the condition Of his
sssel CAPTAIN Arnesen said that on
1nday when the ship was rolling bad
and the entire crew were down In
e hold shifting ballast, he alone re-
aimed on deck. The situation was
stlcal, and he realized that the chances
ere against them in saving the vessel.
Ding into the cabin he instructed his
lie TO dress In ell skins, over which
e drew on a thin dress. after which