The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-10-31
HOW THE ARACO
WAS WRECKED
Thomas Quinn, an Eye-NitneSS, Gives
an Account of the Loss OF
the Steamer,
THE FIRST MATE WAS A HERO
Twice He Righted His CapslEed Boat
and Then. Exhausted, Swan to An.
other--Captain McGee, OF the
Columbia, EXonerated.

Columbia, ESonerated.
MIR Thomas Quinn returned Thurs.
day evening on the steamer Arata
from Coos Bay In conversation with
an Astorian reporter Mr., Quinn rclat.
ed some interesting facts concerning
the wreck " the steamer Arago. which
went ashore at Coos Ray Mr. Quinn
makes a hero out ~ the first mate. who
was censurcd by Captain Reed. OF the
wrecked steamer. and gave the prob.
able causes OF the disaster He said;
The Arago should never have at
tempted 70 cross out that day, The
weather was very rough and Captain
McGee, OF the tug Columbia. which
had been outside, warned Captain Reed
OF the danger, The Arago had lively
competition. and | suppose Captain
Reed wanted to score a point over his
business rivals, A heavy southwest
wind was blowing Rt the time and the
tide was hooding,
Captain Reed probably did not real.
lac his danger until his vessel was In
peril, He stopped the steamer and this
caused the disaster, Why he did SO he
alone knows, but his idea was, no
doubt, TO dodge a sea; that Is. slow
down until the sea had passed him and
then make a run until the next heavy
sea was encountered. The Arago was
a bad vessel TO steer and this added to
her distress In the storm. when Reed
rang TO reverse the engines the steamer
came to sudden stop and. losing her
steering power. was soon drifting back |
ward by the force OF the wind and !
tide. Another sea struck her swinging |
her bow toward the spit. and In few
moments she was piled up on the jetty. |
Il notice in the papers that Reed
the first mate for not staying
by his boat Now. | was there when
the steamer went ashore and can state
positively that the mate acted like a
hero. In his boat were five persons
II capsized once. throwing all five into
the water, but the mate righted H. No
sooner had he done so than another
sea overturned the craft. Again the
brave mate rlghted IL. doing all In his
power TO save the lives OF his compan-
ions, but again the boat was capsized.
Then the mate. almost exhausted.
swan 10 the second mates boat Cap
tain Reed states that. II he had stayed
by his boat, several lives might have
been saved, This criticism Is great
injustice TO the brave man who so no.
bly, tried to save the HIVES OF those In
his charge. Ne behaved only as a hero
can. In which respect he differed some
what from Reed who was Clinging to
the steamers rigging.
Reed also charges that CaptaiA Nc
sSse Of the tug Colsmbia. steamed by
while tn Arsss vas pounding TO pieces
and her passengers ana crew drown
Ing Captain Mc4ee. who is well known
all over the coVls did MIA, vas right
Had he steamed to where the Arago
ay che Columbia would also have been
piled up on the jetty. 1t was certain
ieath. and Captdin MCGEE wisely de-
,ided TO not add to the magnitude OF the
lisstster He lent all the aid in his
power Had Captain Reed taken his
advice in the first place the Arago
would have been ahoat today and the
persons who were drowned
.livS an2well.
our trip up the coast was very un-
When the Arcata arrived of
he Columbia the captain made two at
empts to cross in, but put back each
lme. The glass was falling and, max
ng everything fast, We came in. We
,ame in a-nylng, too.
THE salmon pack has been good
but at Sluslaw and Co ]
Iuille. At those places the pack has
,een very light A strange thing hap
'ened at Ten-Mile Creek. The stream
lad been open for five years. but the
Ieavy breakers from far-off storms In
he Pacific have completely filled the $
mouth Of the stream with sand. Forty
shermen were thrown out Of work by S
his condition.
while below / saw John Bergman.
ormerly OF Astoria, but now captain
( the Umpqua 'llfe-saving crew. He
ends his regards TO his friends here.
also saw Bergmans medals for brav-
ry displayed in saving the crew Of a
b him by the government and are OF
xcellent design"