The San Francisco call., 1897-07-27
THE GRADY'S
PERILOUS TRIP
A Small Stern : Wheel
Steamer That Came Here
From Portland.
To Run as an Opposition Boat
Between Oakland and
Sacramento.
Arrival of the 0rizaba Was Delayed
by the Suicide of ]. Edward
Reed.

The little stern-wheel steamer III. G.
Grady arrived from Astoria yesterday
after one OF the most rerilous voyages
ever attempted on the Pacific Coast. Sne
Is 275 tons burden, is only 125 feet long
and draws 26 inches of water. 1t Is nc
wonder that experienced mariners pre-
dicted that she would never reach port
Still she is here, and next week will see
her carrying freight between Sacramento
River points and Oakland.
The Grady left Astoria last Tuesday
about $50 P NJ, and since that time has
been the sport of the waves. On several
occasions she had to drift with the wind
and tide. Speaking of the voyage, Cap
tain Denny said:
Son the river the old boat can make IA
knots an hour, but of course on the ocean
we did not average knots. The boats
bows were boarded over, and thus the
waves could not flood the engine-room.
Off Cape Blanco we ran into heavy sea
and were blown back to Crescent City
The waves broke over the stern, and as
the paddle would not work l had to put
the Grady bout. She rolled good deal
and the deckhouses became loose, but 1t
will not take much to put her in good
shape again.
when off Mendocino a big sea broke
aboard and not only broke several stan
chions but also broke some OF the plank
ing. That sea cost the vessel at least $l00.
| had a composite crew. Captain p.
Edwards, teacher of navigation in Port
land, came along with me, and for chief
engineer l had E. Talman, who was on
watch continuously for three days. He
was ably assisted by First Assistan;
Engineer Grundell. Then we had cook
and e steward and five deckhands. OF
the latter one was an opera singer. another
a fiddler, a t ird banjo player, the fourth
a bootbIac and the fifth an ali-round
fraud. The fiddler was the only worker in
the crowd and he earned his wages. Dur
ing calm nights We had all the music we
wanted, but as the gang pines for the
Alaskan gold fields l don't suppose they
will ever make a trip up the Sacramento
with me-"
The Grady will go on the Merchants
drydock for an overhauling, after which
she will be put in the fruit trade on the
Oakland Sacramento River route.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Company's
Orizaba arrived FROM NJ xican ports
yesterday. The vessel was DELAYED at
Ensenada owing to the suicide OF + ward
Reed, q com M eTcial traveller. The deceased
joined the vessel at Guaynas, and when
nearing Ensenada became very nervous.
In the same room with him was a man
named Greevy who is partially deaf and a
very heavy sleeper. The latter did not
hear any movement from his berth-mate,
and was nearly paralyzed with terror when
he awoke in the morning and saw Reed
hanging from the crossbeam in the state
room.
When the steamer reached Ensenada
the remains were turned over TO the rela-
tives of the dead man, but Mr.. Greeyy was
held, because the authorities could not
understand how man could hang him.
self and his roommate know nothing
about it. Captain Won Helms went into
court and explained the circumstances, a t
the sa me time poin ting out that the trag-
edy took place on the high seas on an
American ship and that, therefore, the
Mexican courts had no jurisdiction. The
Mexicans gave way and Greevy was re-
leased and arrived here on the Orizaba.
Captain L. Olson, late chief officer of the
Umatilla, has been appointed master OF
the steamer Alexander Duncan.
John Morris, an EN- ploye of The creosote
works, fell into one of the vats yesterday
and was badly burned about the left side
and arm. He was treated at the City,
front Receiving Hospital and later on
was ahle to ke moved to his home