The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-25

Astoria, Ore, July 4-AH night long an
eager throng awaited on the docks for
the arrival of the steamer George F. e.
der. which had on board many OF the
survivors Of the i'll fated Columbia, which
was sunk i'm collision with the steam
schooner San Pedro. near Shelter Cove.
Cal, early Sunday morning Hundreds
of people, relatives and friends of the
survivors. came from Portland and vari-
Gus towns in Oregon and Washington TO
greet their loved ones. Patiently they
waited on the docks throughout the night
huddied in groups. their faces illumined
with happiness and chatting happily of
| the reunion of the morrow.
The scene, however. was not without
/ its sorrow. Here and there an expec-
| tant wife, Il loving father. a brother or
a sister hoping against hope, sat huddled
and dIsconsolate- They were waiting for
news of the missing. perhaps of the dead.
| 1t was the presence of the bereaved that
| held the thrCngs in check, and here and
| there some man or woman, more thought
/ ful of the rest, endeavOred to console
| those poor folks whose eyes scanned the
sea so anxiously for a glimpse of the FL
I der
Sighted Amid Cheers.
/ At last the lookout at Hammond tele-
! phoned in to Astoria that the Elder was
/ off the bar. and at AS O'Clock another
! message came that the Elder was almost
I inside A great cheer greeted the news
and the watchers began pacing up and
down the pier. nervously scanning the
/ harbOr to catch a glimpse OF the steamer.
/ When at last the Elder finally was dis
cerned in the glow of the early morn
/ ing there was cheer after cheer Hun
/ dreds of people from all parts of the
| city were added to the expectant crowds.
/ Long before the Elder was within ear
shot people on the docks besan a fusiI-
/ lade of questions. but il was useless.
/ It was not long, however. before people
/ on the dock recognized. or thought they
/ could recognize, their loved ones, and the
/ excitement grew more tense and demon
/ strative.
The scene on the Elder was perhaps
| even more animated. Crowds Of eager
( people were gathered on the decks and
/ a long TOW of happy facs showed over the
| rail Hats were waved and the cheers
/ of the rescued mingled with those of the
watchers on shore.
Joy and Grief Mingled.
Shots of greeting went back and forth
/ as the Elder came Bp TO her dock, and
/ cries of How are yOu?' and Are you
/ all Tight?' were punCtUated now and then
/ with the cry of a mother or father ap-
/ pealing for news of "A loved one.
! There were pitiful scenes when il was
/ learned that the Elder had picked up
/ none of the COlumbia's lifeboats or ats.
/ All hope had departed for some and they
/ slipped away from the meTrymakers to
| hide their sorrow as best they might
| 1t was only too true-tho Elder had not
sighted any of the missing RATS or boats
and had picked up none of the victims
after leaving Eureka.
Mad Rush to Get on Board.
As the gang plank of the Elder was
| swung out on the dock there was a mad
I rush TO get on board the vessel but Cap
! tain Jessen, reluctant as he was to re-
/ strain the union Of his passengers and
| friends and relatives on shore. was
| obliged to maintain discipline. When all
was ready, the survivors were. permitted
| and others to go to Portland by train
| and some to remain on shore for a few
| hours before the Elder proceeded to Port
/ land t was a curious crowd that
| thrOnged down the gang plank. Attired
/ in all sorts of misfit garments. the pas
| sengers presented an odd appearance
! There were some who had fitted out in
| Eureka. but it was not difficult to rec
| Ognize the survivors of the Columbia dis
| aster.- The scene on the dock was almost
| beyond words Every possible demonstra-
| ton of joy was unpent and the hugging
| and kissing continued for many minutes
| Some few were overcome by the excite
] ncnt and some women tainted but were
| soon revived. Some of the rescued were
carried off by their friends. and those
| among the rescued who were not greeted
by friends were taken care of and made
welcome by the good people of Astoria
! Flowers were distributed and hot coffee
and other good things were there for those
| who needed them.
statement OF captain lessen.
Captain lessen of the Elder made the
following statement TO the Associated
Press concerning his part in the Column
/ bia-San Pedro disaster:
| ''When the Elder arrived on the scene
| of the disaster the Columbia had already
gone down and the deck of the San Pc
dro was awash our first work was TO
pick up as many of the survivors as We
could from the RATS and boats of the
| Columbia The water was pretty smooth
| and the fog was just lifting. This was
about o'clock in the morning.
we did all we could for the poor peO-
pie and succeeded in saving many lives.
! as you already know. When we had
done all we could for the shipwrecked
passengers we made ready to take the
San Pedro in tow. This was a difficult
task and once the San Pedro broke away
from US. Finally everything was made
fast and we tOwed her into Eureka.
| THE San Pedro had as many people
| on board as she safely could carry"
| The representatives Of the Associated
| Press made a careful canvass among the
| survivors and without exception the res
cued say the officers and crew of the
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