The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-29

wharf at the back OF the hotel at day.
light, and leaving his two assistants to
take care OF the fisb. started up town 20
make Homs sales He had been gone an
hour when both his helpers decided 10
run up 10 n saloon and "see a man"
They strayed away an hour and when
their employer returned he found the
boat empty OF both FISH and men. Know
Ing the propensity OF the latter for beer
he was not much surprised at their alb
sence. but he was puzzled 10 account for
tho disappearance Of the smelts. Look
Ing over the river. however, he noticed
an enormous flock OF seagulls floating on
the stream. and seeming perfectly con-
tent. The Bmelts were inside the gulls,
and the fisherman sorrowfully wandered
away and revoked four or Ave contracts
he had made for the sale OF his fish.
Almost every vessel that arrives In port
has a tale OF disaster TO tell, says the
Examiner II Il has not been a battle
with the elements. II is one OF man or
men lost overheard or killed by falling
from aloft. The steam schooner Alcazar
was caught in Sundays southeaster, and
the captain says he never had such a
terrible time OF II. The vessel was sew
eral times In danger. but finally managed
10 weather the storm and reach port in
safety The bark General Fairchild was
also caught In the storm. While the
crew was aloft furllng sail Thomas Brad
burn fell from the main topsail yard to
the deck and was instantly killed. He
was buried at sea.
The British ship Falls Of lIalladaie.
which arrived from Swansea yesterday.
says the Call, has made the quickest run
in years. and II the time was reckoned
from land TO land IL would be the quick
est on record. Capain Fordyce says his
ship made the run In ninety-nine days,
and that is only twenty-four hours be-
hind the voyage OF the Eudora two years
ago. and two days behind the record made
by the Merloneth five years ago. The
Halladale had remarkable streak OF
luck from the Horn TO San Francisco. as
she was only thirty-nine days in getting
here. which is equal TO steamer time.
From 80 deg latitude In the Atlantic to
70 in the Pacific only occupied ten days.
30 that the ship had all her bad weather
in the Atlantic
THE Puget Sound Tugboat Company has
threatened TO move its headquarters from
Port Townsend TO some other down
Sound city unless the Key City grants
reduction OF taxes on the company's
boats. The tugboat company is said to
dlsburse from 5000 to $4,000 month at
Port Townsend. which is OF necessity the
home OF the company's employees. The
city and county taxes there have been
-. h..
past year. The city fathers at Townsend
we're recently put on the qui vive by
the offer OF the Port Angeles chamber OF
commerce to pay the company's taxes
for FIVE years providing they would To-
cate there. Captain Libby, OF the tug
boat company. said:
our payroll alone Is $500 n month.
In addition the company has its repair
work done at Port Townsend. and in re-
turn for all this are allowed 20 Tie up
at the wharves provided we pay for IL
and have our taxes doubled on property
that deprecated fully five per cent each
year according 10 the underwriters.
THE Fort Angeles proposition means
10000 TO US. and that Is not 10 be con-
sidered lightly these times.
'''rhe directors OF the company win
meet next month. and unless Port Town
send can do as much as other cities can
for us We may move"
William A. Kjellman, OF Madison, Wis.
Is endeavOring to organize a colony of
Norwegians to settle on Seal island. the
most northerly OF the Aleutian archi-
pelago. of the northwestern coast OF
Alaska, says the New York Sun. The
purpose Of this settlement is to organize
4 fishing station to consist OF several
hundred families. Mr.. Kjellman has
written articles on the matter in both
American and Norwegian newspapers.
In this way the idea has been laid before
he public here and in Surope and has
been discussed by scholars as well as
merchants, Many persons have already
'ignitied desire to Join the colony, and
is promoter is now reasonably sure of
he success of the project, These per-
'Cns are willing to contribute pecuniary
I'd 10 the undertaking, too. but Mr..
< Imam says that more than dollars
nd cents are required. The people must
, hardy to stand the rigorous weather;
'ey must be practical fishermen and
10y must be able to govern themselves.
Nr. kiellman believes that a station
'culd be successfully established on Seal
sland only by Norsemen, direct from the
northern coast OF Norway. Mr.. Kjell-
nan is himself a practical fisherman.
He was born in Norway. and for many
iears worked in the famous fish market
II Christiania, and later was travelling
salesman in Lapland, He came to the
United States in 1852. Mr., Kjellman has
ecently returned from Alaska. He says
he waters about Seal island abound in
he best kind of Goldfish, and that while
here the past summer he caught num-
ser Of large fat specimens.