The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-26
LONG WHISTLES FOR HELP.
Many Hours Motionless on the
Waves,
BUT SHE WAS NOT IN DANGER.
Suspense While Efforts Were Being
Made to Get Towboat Crew
in Town.

A dispatch was received at the Mer-
chants Exchange last night that the
steamer Columbia had broken down off
foint Reyes and was lying several miles
OF the coast in distress
NO further particulars excepting mat
tiers OF detail could be gathered up to an
early hour this morning regarding the
steamer, and as unusual delay was ex-
perlenced In getting a towhoat ont to sea.
definite information as TO the nature of
the accident cannot be obtained before
some time to-day.
The Columbia left this port yesterday at
10 A. NJ. for Astoria and Portland. She
had large list of passengers and mixed
cargo of merchandise.
All went well as far as Point Reves
which was passed early in the afternoon.
She was seen steaming up the coast on her
customary course, but shortly afterward
the observer Of the United States Weather
Bureau at the point noticed she had
stopped. Very soon she began blowing
ner whistle All the afternoon and even
Ing the Columbia lay to, miles off shore In
nOrthwesterly direction with her head
against the seas. Her whistle kept blow
ing continuously. 1t is believed, for assist
ance from some tugs. A little before s
p. NJ. she either began to drift or sail
down the coast. but the observer could not
distinguish which.
The steamer Willamette passed her off
Point Reyes and saw her lying to, but as
no signals OF distress were shown no Office
was taken of the dlsa bled steamer The
Wlllamette's captain thought that some
trivial break in the machinery had caused
the Columbia to stop and tnat the break
was merely OF temporary nature.
Seamen gave it as their opinion last night
hat Captain Bolles of the Columbia
deemed his position quite safe and con-
sequently decided not TO seek assistance
from the other steamer If taken in tow
by the Willamette his company would
nave to pay heavy bill for salvage.
From this 1t was inferred that Bodies de-
teTmlned to beat about in The open sea
with his sails that are just big enough to
make The rudder manage the ship until
tu1 went TO him from San Francisco. The
weather Bureau reported at 4:30 p NJ. a
cloudy sky with an east wind blowing
thirty miles an hour at Point Reyes. This
pretty stiff breeze was in favor of the CO.
lumbia, as II would keep her we'll off shore
In safe place.
The steamer George W. Elder sailed
from here at 4 P. NJ. and would have
reached the Coumbi in time to be of as
slstance after dark should there be any
imminent danger
The towboat people were notified early
in the evening If the Columbia's condition.
but 1t was 10 O'Clock at night before tug
could be got ready to start. The red-stack
boats were al the cOmpany's wharf, but
the crews were scattered round town en-
1oylng Christmas dinner with their
friends. By dint of hard work mixed
crew was got together on Spreckels' wharf
ana the Fearless was taken out while her
regular crew knew nothing of her sailing,
The Columbia was quite recently over
hauled thoroughly at the PotrerO She is
stanch and "lucky" vessel buiis by the
Cramps in 1880 for the Oregon Railway
and Navigation Company. She Is built
with fiat bottom for light draugbt over
the bar of the Columbia River, though her
net tonnage is 1746 tons. At present she
makes alternate trips with the State of
California every five days between this
port and Portland.
No fears were entertained for her safety
last night. and it is likely she will be
eltherin port or on the drydock to-day.