The herald., 1897-12-13
A STRAYING LIGHTSHIP
CAUGHT WHILE TRYING TO GET
AWAY
Vessels Collide In the Fog-The Lum-
ber Schooner Witzemann Safely
Towed into Port

ASTORIA, Or, Dec. 12.-Lightship
No. 81. for the second time in three
weeks, was towed into the harbor this
evening by the lighthouse tender Man
zanita. She had a very narrow escape
from wrecking on north beach during a
heavy blow last night, and both vessels
were driven dangerously near Clatsop
Spit this afternoon. The tug Relief
went down early this morning and with
the Manzanita beat about until daylight.
1t was II o'clock before they could cross
out, the Relief getting out first. The
lightship was then ten miles north Of her
station and four miles off the cape. She
was under steam and slowly making her
own way to the harbor. The Manzanita
passed her a hawser and took her in
tow. At / o'clock. while crossing In, the
hawser snapped, throwing the Manzan-
ita into the trough of nasty sea. The
parted hawser became tangled in the
wheel Of the Lightship, rendering her
helpless For a few minutes 1t seemed
that both vessels must be thrown on
Clatsop Spit near the jetty.
work on the part of the crew Of both ves-
sells the hawser Of the lightship was
passed to the Manzanita and the dan
gerous voyage again commenced. They
slowly made their way into the lower
harbor, when again the hawser broke,
near Fort Stevens. Once more towline
was patched up and at 5:46 the lightship
dropped one of her small anchors
abreast Of Smiths point, where she now
lies in safety.
VESSELS IN COLLISION
SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 12-The fer
ry boat Bay City came into collision
with the barkentine Bay City at S:25 this
morning. There was a heavy fog and
strong tide at the time. The ferry boat
missed her slip and went In toward ME-
sion street dock. Her bow merely scraped
the stern of the barkentine, but her
guard struck 1t heavily on the starboard
quarter, tearing the timbers and open
Ing all the seams above the water. The
barkentine was to have sailed tomorrow
for Honolulu with general cargo, but
1t will take considerable time to repair
the damage.
ALMOST DISMANTLED
PORT TOWNSEND, Wash, Dec. 12.-
The American four-masted schooner
VIM. F. Witzeman, Capt. Olsen, was
towed into harbor here this morning In
a badly dilapidated condition. The
schooner left the Sound November &c
with lumber from Tacoma for San Fran
cisco. From the time the schooner left
Cape Flattery on December 1st, she en-
countered heavy weather. On the night
of the 9Th and when off the mouth OF the
Columbia river the gale increased to a
hurricane and the entire night the storm
ragged without cessation, breaking of
and carrying away the main and mizzen
masts, leaving only the mast and stump
and ten feet Of the jigger mast. During
the night the schooner shipped all the
water she would hold and her lumber
cargo was all that prevented her from
sinking.
The next morning the few sails re-
naming were rugged on the foremast
and the schooner headed back to the
Straits Of Fuca, where she was picked
up by the tug Tyee. Not door remains
in the schooner's house, every one hav-
ing been broken off and washed away.
The exact amount of damage sustained
by the schooner cannot be learned until
she is hauled out