Douglas Island news., 1918-12-20
HISTORIC DORA
 MISSED FROM RUN
Brief History of Old Boat That Has Made History in Western
 Alaska


 sent Co Seattle, her run hag been taken by Che Eloisc. a small, yacht like gasboat from Portland. Ore. On her first trip north the Eloise proved her worth and also got a taste of her future when she run into an elcvcu-day gale and was forced 70 put into Netcb.kon.
 But stauuch as the Eloise may be, Alaskans Co Che westward will miss The Dora. for during these many years they have come Co look Co her for almost everything The hundreds she has carried back and forth will regret Co learn or her passing from Che run
 To Che fisherman, canneryman' prospector and natives of ,ho west ward thc Dora was the newspaper Che grocery boy the mail carrier the supply bearer and even santa Claus Every year, just before Christmas she made it point Co leave Seward u time to get the Christmas mail and packages west before che holidays.
 Children of the westward were named after Che boat their parents had come Co love. It Is said there is hardly a town or fishing village on Che run that can not boast of at least one girl chrlstened Dora.
 For over thirty-dye years the Dora's run has been In northern wa t,rs 10 has been claimed she oper- ated on the moost northerly winter route in Che world. che 10th Of each month leaving Seward on a 2.2OC mile trip to Dutch Harbor, Unimak pass and other points and back Once iu while she would venture north into Boring sea with supplies.
 The log of che Dora was one thrill- ing event after another. Occasionally in the winter she would pull into Seward with ice from her topmast |to her water line. Gales drove her ashorc scores of times, frequently forced her Co run for shelter but never sent her down. She bore but few sears of her many battles with ! Che elements.
 Once the Dora was lost for eighty Javs. and nearly Che entire world watched the progress Of the search .or her. It happened in 1906. Gales |blcw her off her run and carried her south over the Pacific nearly to |Honolulu. Ultimately she limped into Puget sound after what was ! said Co have been one or the most remarkable experiences Of the brave ships Of the North Pacific.
 When the top Of Mount KatmaL ! IAlaska's great volcano, blew off In 1912. the Dora was calling at vii. larcs along sherikof island. She was caught in smothering cloud of dust and volcano ash. In Stygian darkness she fought a gale for two days Go get away from danger. Her path was nc by lightning and Che noise of her engines was drowned by the mountains roar Ashes covered l her decks and penetrated into every part of her hold.
 Asa lifc-savcr Che Dora had a rec ord higher than any other boat in western Alaska waters. In 1906 she picked mp passengers of Che wrecked ship st. Paul. who had been maroon cd six weeks on Semedi island. In 1909 she rescued passengers Of the caunery ship Columbia, and in 1912 she brought back Che men and wom- en from off the wrecked Olympia. In an she has saved hundreds Of lives.
 And now the Dora has gone south for good. Her owners the Alaska steamship Company it is said, took her off the westward run when the government abolished Che Alaska mail contracts. one Of the big items l in the Dora scarnlngs. Reports from Seattle said Chreans were looking at her with view of buying her for a South American coast route.
 Economic conditions westward were disrupted when the Dora left Before Che Eloise came the people Of Che Neutiau islands ran short Of food. An official report said the shortage was caused by the with drawal of Che Dora.
 Capt c. B. BcMullen has been master of the Dora on the westward run for many years. The Dora was built by the old Alaska Commercial Company Of san Francisco, and was one of Che pioneer passenger steam ships running north. She was ll2 feet long and built of wood.
 Alex Gair and family are moving fo inc house formerly occupied by