The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-10-14
Columbine Comes Home From
Her Alaskan Trip.
STOOD BY THE LOST OREGON
Captain Richardson Talks Modestly Of
OF the Work Done by His Ship, OF.
ficers and Men--Site for Hin.
chinbrook Light Surveyed.

| The handsome light house tender Co
lumhine is lying snug ut her pier a,
the foot Of Ninth street, Just home from
a forty'one days cruise in Alaskan
waters all hands well aud happy, from
Captain Charles Richardson down. and
glad to get in the home port,
A reporter OF the Morning Astorian
boarded the steamer yesterday and en-,
ioyed long talk with Captain Rich.
ardson and his officers and among other
things touched upon. was the expe.
lsence undergone by all hands in the
saving of the ll4 passengers of the
grounded steamship Oregon, one month
ago this morning, or the seafront Of
Cape Hinehinbrook. The Columbine's
master, in this relation said In part
"of course you know that the main
object Of our cruise to the north was
the fixing surveying and mapping Of
a site for the new light house on the
westerly extremity of Cape Hinchln.
brook and when We left here we had on
board the surveying party detailed for
that purpose, consisting of U. $. Assist.
ant Engineer Warrack, Architect Carl
Leick, OF Colonel Roessler's staff at
Portland. and Superintendent OF Con.
struction Hcadley. of the same stat aud
Office, and il Is needless to say those
gentlemen did all they were dispatched
TO do, In good season; but most hap.
PLY and again most unhappily there
was an interruption in the work, where.
by we were enabled to be OF very ma.
terial service to large group OF peo.
pie in distress; | refer, Of course. to /
the wreck of the Oregon. on the sunk.
en- reef on the south side of the cape
named, at II o'clock on the night Of |
September IS, last.
"The Oregon. with he's usual crew and |
a good list OF passengers, was bound |
north, for Valdez and was well in.
shore. The night was foggy. raw. cold |
and sqnaIiy, and tapts;Ha :Ssenle was
feeling his way gingerly up the rugged
coast. without anything to guide him
in the way of light or landmark. and
the first thing he knew his steamer
slipped up on ragged reef and set.
lied there. the tide making at the time
IN such way as to permit her to
mount the nocks without any violence,
md when she settled, they penetrated
Ter sheathing and held her for all time
when this happened, the Columbinc
yas about FIVE mile away. living snug
n the shelter Of Port Etches Just
Iround the eape.head Along toward
aylight the passengers and part OF
he crew in five Of her boats, lett the
tranded steamship and slowly made
heir way to, and around, the cape,
Fhere the Columhine met them, just as
he was making her way to the head
ands to put the surveying party ashore. !
we took them on board at once and 4
onveyed them 10 Port Etches. They 4
Tere Is miserable plight and cold 10 I
he bone, and in three minutes after
oarding us, the last one Of them had I
united out a warm corner somewhere I
bout the Columbine and was soon 4
warm and assuredly safe, a
ual condition that afforded them as
luch comfort as it did us. We soon 4
ad them housed at Port Etches and I
nioying life to the limitations of The
lraway and benighted village; and I
rem with such OF the crew OF the Ore. 4
On as was with the party. we steamed =
nt and around the cape to the dis =
-essed ship below. There were still I
ore than fifty people on the steamer, .
nd she was fast breaking up. Captain
oule and his officers had gathered all r
sr valuables, including the ships in n
.ruments and papers. and such move. i
,les as were essential and these were o
ansferred to the Columbine by Chief :,
fficer Warmer and Second Officer q
eadbetter, of our ship, and the poor {,
d Oregon was abandoned to her fate, {,
ut not until formal board Of survey |,
I'd assembled and declared her con- h
and abandonment. This II