The herald., 1894-12-12
SEAS RUNNING NOUN TAIN HIGH,
Stormy Weather on the North
Pacific Coast.
The Tug Fearless Badly Battered
By the Waves.
Narrow Escsps of the Steamship Oregon
From Shipwreck - Ravagss of
the storm at Astoris.
Coast Notes.

BY the Associa ID Press.
ASTORIA. Ore, Dec. 1.-THE Spreck-
els tug Fearless of San Francisco is in
port, having brought the Norwegian
ship Bredabilk through ono OF the
worst storms that ever ragged On the Pa.
ciic coast. The Fearless cana into
port with her decks sprung and leaking
badly, Her compass cover was blown
away by the terribls force OF the wind,
and everything moveable ON deck -as
washed overheard.
! Sunday afternoon they were ruaning
before the wind, when heavy sea came
over her stern, burying tbs tug 80 that
water. This sea sprung the heavy
| doors 10 the house and completely
wrecked the handsome private apart
ments OF Mr.. Spreckels by deluging the
inside with water. After the tug
righted itself she was hove round to sea
and steamed ahead under slow bell.
Another monster sea went over her
bows, and, striking the forward house,
smashed the lights and sprung the
heavy steel walls so that the water
SiOSct iIatuey lNu IECIioa lIutH L.t0 WILL
@as torn from ts fastonin1s. st times
the pilot house had foot of water OVER
Its tl)or, and the Breidnbilk was no.
where in sight at tnis time, having
parted company with her for the second
time ths night previous. The first ii ne
they let go the ship Was on Friday,
when the hawser had to be cut from the
top OF the tugs house, it being imposs-
bic to remain on deck. The chip WIGS
picked up early Monday morning eff
the mouth OF the river and towed in BY
tue Fearless. The hig vessel was listing
badly to the starboard and several
times Captain Arneson gave up all hope
OF saving his ship.
The tug lost $50 fathoms of 22-inch
heweer. new. and second one is so
badly chaied that it will BIZ total loss.
They cost abou. $500 each.
Captain HASKELL will remain in port
until the wes her moderatss. Fears are
entertained for tho safety OF several
vessels known to be due at this port.
TIE oREGoN's NARROW ESCAPE.
PORTLAND, Or, D.c. 11.-Iast night
the steamship 0 eg IN from San Fan
cisco arrived eafely in port after the
narrowest escape from ehipwreck that
vessel has ever experienced during her
long experience on the Pacific Co.'S
/ ursday morning che lett San Fran
ii lco with only $50 tons ail told. and
was drawing only nine feet forward and
IL feet aft. As the vessel is in the
freight service no passengers wore car
red.
In coming up the coast Captain Pohl-
man gept far out to sea 80 as to take no
-, 1.
countered until the ligh ship wns sght-
ed off the mouth of the Columbia at 10
O'Clock Saturday night. The Oregon
then began to beat off, Captain Pohl-
man intending to croes tho bar early on
Sunday morning. But at Ii O'Clock the
barometer began to fall. Soon tire.
mendous southeast gale get in. Captain
Pohlman stood out to sea, bu. the gaze /
wac go heavy that hs could make bat
little headway. The gale kept increas>
ing in violence until about 2 O'Clock
Sunday morning, when it was almost e
hurricane. The Oregon could not face |
it and began drifting towards the shore. |
So light was the ship forward that she
could not be made to face the storm, !
but would constantly pay off.
TIE vessel was go light that the pipes |
which suuply the condenser with water
did not WORK we'll and the engines ould i
not be worked effectively. The steamer
kept slowly drifting toward shore des
pie every effort that could bs made,
until the lighthouse station at Cape |
Near, g aho7e Tiiamook, was not
more than Blk miles away.
All day Sunday the Oregon made
desperate fight against the fury of the
storm. but che continued to approach I
the line Of breakers. Tni7 struggle con
tinued until 5 80 O'Clock Sunday even.
ing, and just when all on board had
about abandoned hope, Suddenly the |
wind shifted one point in favor OF the
vessel. After q hard ba tie the steamer
passed the danger and stood far out at
sea but was not able to cross he bar
until yesterday morning. Captain pohl- !
man and all the crew say it was a mirhc.
ulous escape. The captain today was
the recipient OF many warm congratula-
tiOna.