The San Francisco call., 1897-12-16
After Many Days Storm
Tossed Craft Get
Into Port.
Thrilling Stories of Shippers
Who Fina ally Reach
Astoria.
Pilot Powers Never Experienced
Such a Rough TrIp-M any
Signs of Wrecks.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL

ASTORIA, Or, Dec. 15.-To-day was
one of The calm days after a lengthy
storm, and while the weather at the
mouth of the Columbia River was not
smooth, several of the ships outside were
enabled to get into port. The first vessel
to cross in vas the French ship Pacifique,
! Captain J. Goulett with a crew of thirty
three, seventeen days from San Francisco.
| The captain says that he was only six
days in transit from San Francisco to the
mouth of the river, but on account of the
terribly rough weather was obliged to beat
around for eleven days Saturday there
were eight ships in company with him
when he saw the lightship for the last
time. After that she was conspicuous by
! her absence.
He brought with him from San Fran
cisco the well-known coast pilot. Thomas
j. Powers, the man who took out the ILL
fated z liza Anderson, having on board a
number of Astorians and PortIanders,
bound for the KIondike. The captain
says that when about forty-five miles
south of the Colum bia he noticed a large
lot of new lum ber, which had been thrown
upon the beach, indicating that some lum-
| ber-ship had either been wrecked or lost
ner deckload.
The last storm, Pilot Powers says, was
| one of the worst he ever experienced on
| this coast. Decem ber 10 ne passed through
| a lot of new lum ber. scantling and planks
4 by 6, twenty to thirty feet long, and by
| s, forty feet long, about thirty-hve miles
norJh-northwest from Cape Dissppoint-
ment.
The second ship in was the British
steamer Omba, Cap ain John Munro from
| Nladivostok. She brought no bill Of
health, as that port is a Russian port and
has no American consulate. Captain
Munro reports that he could not find the
| lightship or the whistlins buoy, which, it
is thought has also gone adrift in the
storm. The Omb ba left up the river imme-
! d!ately.
| The third ship to arrive in was the
| Britt sher, NerbeDa, Captain Judd. in bal
! last from Wallaroo, South Australia. He
| reports fine passage until he reached the
| North Pac ific, 700 mile, from this port.
! From tne1e 1t took him eighteen days to
7 each harbor. a series of ugly gales SEEM
! ing determined 10 keep him outside. On
! Sunday, I e 9th, a heavy blow came up
| from the southwest.
From that time UP to last Saturday the
| weather was extremely rough. On Satur-
day Cape Hancock was sighted, as well as
! the lightshlp, and ne was then in COM
! pany with eight other large ships. No
| pilot could be had on account OF the gale,
and for twelve days he cruised about
within $50 miles OF port, unable 10 find the
| harbor. Saturday night the wind was
variable, lasting all night. At daylight it
| came up from the southeast again. and by
! evening it was blowing another gale. ac-
| companied by terrific fall of rain. AT 4
O'Clock Monday morning the wind was to
! the south ward, incr asing in force until 8
! O clock, when 1t veeFed TO the southwest.
The captain shortened sail to close
reefed topsau, but at 9 o'clock that blew
away, leaving the vessel for Two hours
without any sails set rolling and pitching
/ fearfullv. In the afternoon the storm
eased off, and at night the wind was more
| from the northwest. Sail was set ana tue
course set for Hancock, which was sighted
| Tuesday morning at IL o clock. The ship
was hove to all nigGt. and this morning a
| run was made for the mouth of the river
and pilot was secured off the tug Relief,
which towed her into port this evening.