The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-08-15

The fOgs OF the last few days along the
lower river have rendered navigation ex-
tremely difficult, but thanks to the care
exercised by steamboat managers, there
have been no collisions or accidents or
any kind.
The Robarts crossed in over the bar
today from Marshfield, says the West,
where she loaded with 30 tons of coal
for the cannery. After she discharges
freight, she will leave for Yaqulna on
Sunday afternoon, about o'clock.
From all outward appearances, no work
of propagating salmon will be done in our
hatchery this year, says the Florence
West. Notwithstanding there is $500 ap-
propriated and the season is nearly on,
no move has been made to catch fish.
A dense smoke obscured the mouth of
the river all day yesterday until about
4:3O in the afternoon, when thirty mile
breeze blew it away, and enabled the
observers at the Cape 20 take look
around. There were no vessels in sight.
Just before the arrival of the steamer
Columbia in the city from San Fran
cisco, yesterday morning, Mrs. II. o.
Thayer, of Portland, gave birth to a
healthy boy. AS soon as the boat reach
ed her dock, DR.. ]. A. Fulton was sent
for and pronounced both mother and
child getting along nicely, and quite able
to bear the trip up the river to Port
land.
Two weeks before the Damson Hill
reach:d port the ships carpenter fell
down the forward hold, breaking one of
his ribs. The next day one Of the seamen,
George Caswell, fell from aloft onto the
deck and seriously injured his back ana
right leg. Clswell was taken TO the hos
pital yesterday. The carpenter is i'm
proving and is In quarters aboard the
vessel.
When the battle ship Indiana is COM
missioned she will be the most formidable
vessel in the navy. Last spring Capt.
Bobby d. Evans preferred a request to
command her, but intimated that he
would like to remain on the New York
until after the Kiel celebration. AS
Fighting Bob" is a friend of the presi-
dent sufficiently intimate to go duck
shooting with him, there is a strong prob
ability that he will get what he asks for.
Myers cannery began operations for
the season yesterday, and presented
busy appearance says the Seattle Post
lntelligencer. The expert packers, some
of them employed by Mr.. Myers for 18
years, were rushing here and there, and
the fishermen were busy unloading their
queer, fat-bottomed boats, which were
well filled with the first catch of salmon,
amounting to over 100, caught near Mu-
kilteo. The outlook is fair for a good
catch, and the fishermen are authority
for the statement that this is the year
for it. These hardy fellows have made
all preparations, and for the next three
months will be up and about late and
early. Mr.. Myers and his assistant Will
liam Stewart, were both on hand when
the wheels started, and later in the day
the former went down the Sound to LOOK
after some of the boats.
The p. 1. says oscar Lawrence, keeper
Of the Clark & Bartlett boathouse, at the
foot of Union street, had thrilling en-
counter with gang of water front pi-
rates at 2 o'clock yesterday morning and
rescued two of the thieves from drowning.
Mr.. Lawrence sleeps in the loft of the
boathouse, and has faithful dog which
the slightest sound is aroused and awak-
ems his master. A loud splashiug in the
direction of a sealing boat which was
near the railroad tres.le, soon
told the story that in trying to steal the
boat, one of the thieves had failen into
the water. Lawrence; in a boat, started
In pursuit, and soon picked up man,
helping him to tlcat, from which he
soon made shore and escaped. There |
SEEMS to have been four Of The men. |
two having escaped in the boat in which |
they came The fog was dense and Law |
renee thought he heard a cry for help. |
He rowed around among the piles for |
half an hour, and finally found another
man clinging to a pile. He pulled the |
& How aboard the boat and landed him 1t |
the boathouse. The man appeared to be |
well dressed but was much fatigucd with |
his drenching. He asked for whisky, !
but while Lawrence was unlocking door |
10 get it, he escaped silently, probably |
going ashore. His silence while hanging |
to the pile was probably for fear Of being |
shot"
The steamer Columbia came in from |
San Francisco yesterday morning with |
forty passengers and at 1:3O In the after
noon left up the river for Portland She |
has been entirely renovated and is prac-
tically new and very greatly improved. |
Eighty new steel plates have been laid |
along her keel and both forward and aft |
where before ratings ran round the lower |
iecks everything has BEEN covered In. |
The boilers are entirely new, and the en- |
CINE contains a new high pressure cylin- |
DER. Everything below Is now worked |
v ft1l forced draught. A complete cleo
ric light plant has been put aboard which |
besides running several hundred incandes-
cent lamps, operates a large searchlight |
which runs on a-series Of riilroad tracks
forward Of the captains bridge. The |
main deck Is laid IN beautiful white csdar, |
showing a perfect grain, AMI bordered
he whole way along by strips OF black
polished walnut. A magnificent set OF
ayatories and bathrooms has taken thu ]