The Dickinson press., 1901-10-05
. STORMY VOYAGE
The Dickinson People Who Came
out on the Oregon Had an
Experience They Will
Never Forget.

children, Eva, LLOYD and Eugene, Robert
Neil, Mr.. and Mr.. ]. w. Dodd arrived in
Seattle from Alaska, and according to all
accounts their trip down on the Oregon
was anything but pleasant.
Will c. Russell gave the Seattle Times
an account of the tip and according to
his statement the rudder which was lost
was not in the best condition on leav-
ing Nome. His diary reads:
"On the night of the 9TH one Of the
officers and the Storage passengers en-
gagged in a brawl. A butchers steel and
a cleaver were used freely, and as a
consequence n of the men was carry
ing his arm in a sling shortly after.
"The 9th was the most exciting day,
for it was then that the rudder shifted.
There was fair weather. The rudder
had to be cut loose and at a o'clock we
were drifting helpless. on board a dere-
lict, tossing about in the fury of the ris-
ing storm. The passengers became
alarmed. although they were well be-
haved. To add to the confusion that
was then raging on board, fire broke out
during the night in the pantry room, but
i was finally put out by the night watch.
man.
"On September 10, Dan O'Brien, a we'll
known sport, and a former associate of
the famous "Soapy Smith," died on
board, and at 10 a. m. was launched over
board. On that day a notice was posted
in the main saloon, informing us that we
were to be cut to two meals a day. The
crew worked sill night on the Jury rud-
der, and the boat was drifting on her
course at the rate OF three miles an hour.
During the 10th the rudder was put into
shape and sent overheard and we were
enabled to move off at about five miles
an hour.
"On the nth a heavy storm, which had
been brewing through the night, broke
about noon, and the rudder became use
less. We were again at the mercy of
the storm. We had two meals served
that day, one at 9 a.. m. and the other at
| IN the afternoon.
"On the 18th we we're put to one e
lar meal a day. We had a cup of coffee
at $3.50 and Goldfish hash at 2:36. We
had the rudder working again, after
hauling it up on board and rigging it
over.
"For breakfast on the 13th we had cof-
fee and bareback.
"On the I4th we sighted the Empress
Of China and ran up a signal of distress.
She hove to and Capt. Seeley boarded
her. He returned shortly with a little
-four, meat, potatoes and rice. The pas
sengers were very anxious to get aboard
Of her, and many told the captain they
would be willing to pay their passage to
China if he would allow them to leave
the Oregon. Going up the ladder t the
bridge, the captain turned and said: 1T
is not a question of passage, money or
anything else and then a little group of
men gathered at the the rail and watched
the Empress steam off, and more than
one eye was wei and more than one heart
beat heavily. Meetings were instantly
held, and there was strong talk for a
time of mutiny.
1.-THE l5th," said Mr.. Russell, twas
stormy all day. We were rolling in the
trough Of the sea, and the jury was still
IN deck. Coffee that was absolutely
bum was served at $3.50, and coffee only.
The steerage passengers stole a vessel
of prunes that afternoon and we were
consequently without dessert for dinner.
Neither did we have any soup. Shortly
after dinner some steerage man stole the
hindquarter Of a sheep and disappeared
in the glory hole pursued by a hundred
hungry men. For dinner that night we
had a spoonful of rice, a little parsnip,
aud half a pigs foot. The passengers
were now becoming faint from their long
fast. The women and children were not
given any more than any one else, and it
was the most pititul sight l ever saw
when little children, almost babies, went
running about the deck crying for some
thing to eat.
"On the 10th the sailors launched the
jury rudder and at II a m. we started
off at a rate of six knots an hour. Shortly
after we started a quantity of dog meat,
consisting of bones and the like, was
taken from the galley and put in a yes
sci to cool. Immediately the Storage
passengers began to struggle to get it. l
saw n man have a shank of bone
nearly as long as. his arm, and he was
eagerly sucking it for what little nourish-
ment it might contain.
"A heavy wind ushered in the nth,
and the captain was forced to stop the
propeller as the rudder refused to work.
In the afternoon the rudder broke loose
its position aft, and came up alongside
the vessel, smashing violently into the
side of the vessel, and the pounding rud-
der broke off one of the blades of the
propeller. Things looked serious for us
then tell you, and about 200 passengers
lined up along side ship, and assisted in
pulling the rudder forward out of harms
way.
ION the 18th, we were served with
mush and coffee in the. morning and
given the poorest meal of the trip in the
afternoon. At 1890 in the evening the
women and children werk lined up and
each was given two crackers and two
sweet cakes.
"On the 10Th, the heaviest sea of the
voyage was running and but few slept
that night. At 10 o'clock the wind went
down, and the jury rudder rugged in a
different way, was launched anew and
this time worked well. At 9 at night the
sea was as smooth as glass and we made
about nine knots an hour. 1t began to