The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-11-21
SAVING LIFE
And PROPERTY
Lighthouse Tender COlumbine Has 40
Exciting Voyage.
THE AUGUSTA IN DISTRESS
And Two schooners Fly Distress Sig
mails TO All OF Which the Col
umblne Responded.

The lighthouse tender ColUmblne re-
turned yesterday afternoon from an ex-
citing and eventful trip to Destruction
Island and Shoalwater bay. Heavy
easterly gales prevailed during the en-
tire voyage. but the Columbine not only
did her appointed work. but saved one
mans life. rescued a steamer in distress
and attempted to float a steamer beach
cd In Willapa Harbor. In speaking OF
the voyage. Captain Richardson said
yesterday afternoon TO an Astorian rep
resentatiye:
Early Thursday morning we sighted
the schooner Charles Hansen which
had her ensign at half mast and union
down. The schooner had just come
from Gray's Harbor and was proceed
ing in the gale to San Francisco. We
answered the signal Of distress. pulled
up under the schooner's stern, and were
then told by the captain that he had a
man on board with broken leg. AS 1t
was impossible for the schooner to
make Gray's Harbor In the face Of the
heavy east wind. they asked me IL we
would take the man in that he might
be attended by doctor This readily
consented to do as It was case OF life
or death. 1t transpired that the unfor-
tunate man was the mate Of the
arhoanar ard fhaf a. a. ,,n.,.t -, .
crossing the bar from Gray's Harbor,
in making sail, his leg became entan-
gled in the main sheet, causing a severg
fracture Of the leg. Upon arriving in
Gray's Harbor we turned the unfortu-
nate man over to the hospital at Ho-
quiam. and then proceeded to sea again
We had made but a short distance
when we sighted another schooner iy.
ing hroadside on the beach, and flying
distress signals. She was the San
Buena Ventura. We went over to her
as near as We dared to approach the
shore. and learned that she wanted to
be towed OF the sands. Although very
busy we took a line from him and pull
ed on the schooner for a long time, but
unfortunately the line broke and as we
could not wait to rig up another. we
had to give it up. The schooner, how
ever, was in no danger, as she was in
side the harbor
From Gray's Harbor we proceeded
to Destruction Island, arriving there at
s o'clock Thursday night. Here we
landed Lightkeeper Zauner, his wife
and child, and two tons Of provisions.
We sailed south for Astoria at o'clock
this morning. and on the way down set
a whistling buoy of Gray's Harbor. We
arrived or the Columbia River at 11:4O
this morning, having experienced heavy
gales all the way. We sighted the
steamer Augusta just of the mouth of
the river, laboring heavily, having in
tow five large fish boats. / saw that
she was not making any headway, and
asked the skipper IL we could be of any
assistance to him. He said he would
be glad to have us give him a tow into
the harbor, and threw out line to us.
We towed him as far as the bar buoy
when the line broke. We then put out
another line and started again. Be
-ween Buoys No. and No. the Es-
'ort came along and took the Augusta
up the harbor, relieving us of cur
'harge. The Augusta lost two of the
ish boats coming into the mouth of
he river. We arrived at our dock
It 2;4O this afternoon"
Captain Richardson's experience On
his trip was certainly an exciting one
md fun of interest, The men and Off
ers were as much interested as their
aptain in rescuing life and property. |