SUMMER

VOLUME IX1974

the SOU'WESTER

75¢

Published Quarterly By

The Pacific County Historical Society

State of Washington

NUMBER 2

ENERNIfth

SOU'WESTERA Quarterly Publication of the Pacific County Historical Society, Inc .

A Non-profit OrganizationSubscription Rates $3.00 Annually - Payable in Advance

Address : P .O. Box 384, Raymond, Washington 98577

Entered as second class matter at the Post Officeof Raymond, Washington 98577Mrs . Harold C . Dixon, Editor

"Any person interested in the history of Pacific County may be enrolled as a member ofthe Society upon receipt by the secretary of the first payment of dues ." ($1 .00 per calendaryear .)MEMBERS : dues are due if you do not have a 1974 card .

1974 OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY

DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT

D . C . "Chet" King

Raymond

Mrs . Ruby Wilson Hawkes

5 Year Term

Bay Center

VICE-PRESIDENT

Arthur McAninch

Bay Center

A Douglas King

4 Years Remaining

Ocean Park

SECRETARY

Miss Lucile R . Smith

Ocean Park

Joe Rothlin

3 Years Remaining

Menlo

TREASURER

W. W. Evavold

Raymond

Mrs. Harold C. Dixon

2 Years Remaining

Raymond

Herman Felber

1 Year Remaining

South Bend

OUR COVER PHOTO

This photograph came to us from the Estate of Kenneth Inman, a member of theLife Saving Service at Fort Canby in 1909 .

The photographer was H . J . Brown, the father of the children seen in pursuit of thewily razor clam . The little fellow is George "Buster" Brown, and his sister's name isMabel.

For more than 20 years, pictures taken with the ALICE as a background form avisual history of her reluctant surrender to the sea . And even at low tides this summer,she has resurfaced to remind us of her fate . This tall ship was built at Bordeaux in1901, and one of the largest of the sailing vessels to fly the French Tricolor . Whileattempting to enter the Columbia river with her cargo of cement, she became anothervictim of the sands in the Graveyard of the Pacific .

22

By Richard G. Montgomery

Biographical Sketch : Richard G. Mont-gomery was born in Portland about theturn of the century, and became associatedwith the family business, The J . K. GillCompany . He was assistant managerunder his father, W . A. Montgomery, whowas president of the firm . In 1942, Mr .Montgomery left the firm in order to serveas Oregon's District director for the officeof Price Administration during WorldWar II. Following this service, he enteredthe advertising agency business . He is nowChairman of the Board of Montgomery &Associates, of which his son, Bill, ispresident. Mr. Montgomery is the authorof three books, Pechuck, The White-Head-ed Eagle and Young Northwest, allconcerned with Pacific Northwest history .

Now that he is semi-retired, his hobby iswriting and doing book reviews for theOregonian and Oregon Journal. He alsohas a ten minute book review programover Station KEX each Sunday evening .

Old Times atOcean Park

Naturally, I have no recollection of my first visit to Ocean Park, since I was butsix months old, but I do recall vividly the junkets to this lovely resort for as far back asI can remember anything .

My grandfather, J .K. Gill, was an ardent Methodist and one of the group whofounded Ocean Park as a camp meeting site in the late eighties . Prior to this, the Gillfamily of whom my mother, Georgia, was one, always spent their summers at Seaview .But after the establishment of Ocean Park, they transferred their allegiance to thatcommunity, and members of our family have been going there ever since .

It always struck me as curious that my grandfather, in spite of his longassociation with Ocean Park, did not own a house there until around 1902 and then,after only a few years, sold it to the Howell family of Spokane . Originally this housewas located at Sunshine ; grandfather had it knocked down, transported across thebay by barge, and then reassembled . Known as the Howell House, it was located-

2 3

• x .Splattt> a

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7-Montgomery Photo

and still is- just one block away from the main street, Bay Avenue . On J.K . Gill's80th birthday, in 1921, the Howells "loaned" the house to my family for the day . Wehad a big celebration with some twenty-five members of the Gill "tribe" present .

J.E. Haseltine, a pioneer Portland merchant and a close friend of mygrandfather, was one of the other men involved in the establishment of Ocean Park .His grandson, William, was one of my boyhood friends . One day, on a dare, wewalked all the way from Ocean Park to North Head and back . We were only sixteen,and we've never ceased bragging about this accomplishment; the other two boys onthis famous hike- we have forgotten their names .

When I was six years old, I had a bad case of scarlet fever, after which seriouscomplications developed . The doctor thought the mild climate of Ocean Park wouldhelp me, so my mother took me down to the Gill Cottage for the better part of thewinter of 1903-4 . My sister, now Mrs . William L. Brewster, was just a baby at thetime. It was a daring experience for a young woman and her two little children . I'llnever forget it, sick as I was . My mother tried putting me in the school at Nahcotta,but I lasted only one day : I was too ill to take it . Well, gradually I got better and wasable to get out and around the town . I'll always remember those winter storms . Irecall one that was especially severe . I really thought the angry ocean was going topush right over the ridge and inundate all of Ocean Park!

After the Gill cottage was sold, we lived in the "Door Cottage" and the "NorthCottage", both owned by the Campbells, a kindly old couple . Old timers may alsorecall Captain Powell, who owned several cottages . We rented one of his, later calledthe "Betsy-B" . This must have been in 1909, because it was the summer after theAlice piled up on the beach with her heavy cargo of cement .

2 4

Even earlier, in 1907, I remember riding my bicycle up to see the Solano which hadbeen wrecked the previous winter . The crew members were still aboard that summerafter many futile efforts to float the ship . It was not long thereafter that the attempt tosalvage the Solano was abandoned . Seeing her so tall and straight on the sandremains one of my most vivid boyhood memories .

One thing in this connection comes to mind very clearly over the mist of years .Willie Taylor, one of the sons of the Taylors who ran the hotel at Ocean Park, was aplaymate of mine. It was he, by the way, who fell heir to a dog which came in on theSolano, appropriately named for the ship . It was this dog who discovered the Alice inthe surf two years later and came barking this information to her master. And it wasWillie Taylor who spread the news of the wreck and got the life savers on the job .

In those days the service was called the "United States Life Saving Service", theterm Coast Guard not coming into use until later . The young men of this service-stationed at Klipsan- were the heroes of that era to the young ladies from Portlandand elsewhere. I had two aunts- Frances and Dorothy Gill- who were just at theage to be impressed by these daring young fellows who used to take their boat out overthe breakers during their life saving drills . These were great events for the summerpeople in those far-away years. Frances Gill, long a teacher in the Portland schools,passed away in 1937, but my other aunt, Mrs . Dorothy Montgomery, is still living atthe age of 85 .

I can't remember exactly when the wooden tennis courts were built south of town,but I did have a small part in it along with the other summer kids . It seems to methat Judge MacMaster, of Vancouver, was one of the prime movers . He was himself atennis player and taught me the game which I have enjoyed through the years . I'vealways remembered that it was in Ocean Park where I learned to play .

2 5 -Montgomery Photo

The Depot at Ocean Park 1905 .-Montgomery Photo

In 1914, I started Ocean Park's first lending library in Harry Haseltine's store, justacross from the railroad station . My father was general manager at Gill's, and so Iwas able to buy my books at a favorable price. Mr. Haseltine very kindly gave me thespace and so- as my first business venture- I had a busy season renting books to theStearns, the Howells, the Claytons, the Wiegardts and others who came to "thePark." It was a most interesting experience. It was just then that war in Europebroke out -World War I- and the excitement was very great .

Although my parents, Mr . and Mrs. W.A. Montgomery, never owned a house inOcean Park, my wife, Dorothy, and I finally bought one in 1946 . It was a roomy oldhouse just a block north of the main street and quite near the ocean . It had belongedto "Preacher Matthews", we were told . We had the Kriegers, who then lived atKlipsan, rehabilitate it for us, and they made it into a very liveable place . We werevery proud of it, and our two sons, Bill and Dick, enjoyed their boyhood summersthere and often brought their friends from the city .

As time went on, Dorothy insisted that there was no point in owning a house at thebeach unless one could see the ocean . I couldn't quarrel with this. Accordingly, wesold the old house and bought some property on the ridge between Ocean Park andKlipsan. Here, in 1950, we built our summer home which is still in the family and stillused by us, our sons, and by numerous grandchildren . Perry Mills built this house forus and we have had the Mills family as pleasant neighbors ever since .

So much has been written about the narrow gauge railroad and the steamboats thatmy own recollections would add little . Suffice it to say that- along with hundreds ofother "oldsters" - I cherish the memory of those happy days on the Hassalo, theHarvest Queen, and the T. J. Potter, as well as the thrilling but bumpy ride on the

26

The Last Run - September 9, 1930 .-Montgomery Photo

2 7

Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company trains which were later taken over by theUnion Pacific .

Ever so often, on the streets of Portland, I'll run into someone of my vintage with anOcean Park background . One or the other of us will usually ask "Have you been tothe beach lately?" Oddly enough, there is never any question as to what beach we aretalking about . It is always Ocean Park!

Ernest Warner LillyBorn March 2, 1866 in Linn County, Iowa

Died February 13, 1947 in Menlo, Washington

Schools came early in the Willapa Valley, for while it was still a part of Chehaliscounty, W . T., on July 14, 1856, John Giesy of the Keil Colony, was elected CountySuperintendent .

The first school sessions were informal and irregular . When the Lilly Family arrivedthey became an active part of the educational system of the area .

Much has been written about the custom of teachers to "board around" but less isknown about the students who also boarded around, or were exchanged, to takeadvantage of education offered in the scattered communities . Ernest W. Lilly becameeighteen years of age while attending an advanced class in Bay Center . We areprinting some excerpts from his Journal for a glimpse at the world of 90 years ago asrevealed by his boyish observations :

"January 1, 1884 This is a new year, the best time to begin in new business . Ihave begun to learn how to keep a Journal, a new line of business for me. It has been araw, cold day. It would snow if it were in a country that it snowed enough to knowhow .

"January 2, 1884 Today I have commenced compound numbers in Arithmetic .I think that I will go faster than I have been . If I don't try hard, I will not get throughmy book this winter .

"January 3, 1884 There has been considerable water fallen in the lasttwenty-four hours. If it keeps on raining long enough there will be a run of sawlogs onthe upper Willapa. There are about nine million feet of them waiting for a rise thatshall be high enough to float them where the river is so small . There has not beenwater enough for two years past .

"January 4, 1884 The wind still blows as hard as ever, but the rain has ceased .There is hardly any boating . I went out to the beach at noon, and I could not see asingle sail on the bay. It was a waste of water in a troubled state . It was foaming on thebeach and farther out it was a mass of crested billows . I wish I could go to the oceanbeach this afternoon. There must be a heavy surf. I have not seen the ocean for tenyears. It must be a grand day for anyone that likes the excitement of a storm .

2 8

4

"January 7, 1884 I had the pleasure of a hunt on the tidelands . I did not mindthe travelling if I could get anything when I was at it . I can hunt for game in the woodswith a great deal better success, for I wasted more ammunition than I ever did in oneday before, and got as little game . I seldom fail to get a pheasant or so when shootinghalf as much .

"January 8, 1884 One week of the new year has past. The old saying seems to becoming true : "as goes New Years Day, so goes the year." It has been continuallystormy, and if it keeps on the oystermen will have the best of it, for the oysters willgrow but cattle have a hard time .

"January 9, 1884 It is a very pleasant day! The bay is as smooth as a mirrormost of the time . Sometimes the lazy breeze ruffles it for a time, and then all is calmagain .

"January 10, 1884

It is hazing in for another storm . The Willapa river is so highthat I did not hear from home, and I am getting hungry for news from there .

"January 11, 1884

It is storming again . I have had a chance to show my skilland knowledge in general history .

"January 14, 1884 Again it is as pleasant as it gets in the winter in this latitude .It freezes a little in the night and thaws in the day so that the mud is as sticky as it canbe. But I like a little frost in the air to make it bracing enough for heavy work .

"January 18, 1884 Peanuts are something that I don't know much about, andhave never seen many. I do know they are good to eat (Editor's note : skipped datesare generally essays on assigned topics, such as amber, rice, paper . On the subject of"Oranges", young Lilly wrote : `Oranges are something that I know very little about .')

"February 4, 1884 For want of a subject, I will write about the weather again . Ithas been changing, as it always does excepting when it is too dry or too wet forcomfort ; then, it will keep at it until everyone is tired of it.

"February 6, 1884 Whew! What a norther it is blowing. In the Mississippivalley it sometimes gets so cold that there is no fun in it . My Grandfather says that hehas thrown scalding hot water into the air and it came down in icicles . That was in theState of Iowa. One of my cousins living there wrote to me that the thermometer wasdown to 40 degrees below zero . He said that he froze his nose, ears, toes and heels oneday .

"February 11, 1884 It is a fine day, although cold enough to make theoystermen blue. The tides are out in the morning and in the evening, so that the frostwill have a chance to freeze them . I have no oysters, but I do not like it very well for allthat, as it takes lots of wood to keep fire night and day as I have to do .

"February 21, 1884 I have had a fine time since I have been here until lately,but now my joy is overshadowed with a dark cloud that seems likely to be the worstthat could be . Death has been approaching for the past three weeks with its visiblemark becoming more and more distinct until now it is almost at the bedside of my

2 9

Gertrude Lilly Bloomhardt . Ernest WarnerLilly and May Belle Lilly .

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Grandfather . It can not be long until he will pass from the known to the unknown.But this he knows : he has a hope beyond the cold, dark grave . It will be a lonely timefor Grandma, who has lived in his love for fifty years, but she will not have long to waitbefore she will go to meet him on the other side of the grave, where they will meet topart no more .

(Reuben Lilly died February 25, 1884 ; Rachel Lilly August 19, 1887)

"February 26, 1884 Yesterday it was my sad lot to be one of the mourners in afuneral train for the first time since I can remember, save once, and that was when mycousin died 13 years ago .

"March 1, 1884 Spring has come, it seems, but it may become winter again, asI have known it to do before . That was the only time we were short of feed We thoughtwe would have an early spring . Then it commenced to snow and the feed gave outentirely, and we had to drive the cattle in to the green timber to find the elk break tolive on. There were so many that we took the young stock off onto another range abouta mile away . It snowed for four weeks almost every day and thawed as much as it fell .When it did come fine weather again, the grass that had grown before the snow waskilled, and the roots were left so weak that there was scarcely any grass for three weeksor more. That was three years ago . We have never lost any stock of any kind fromwant of feed or care, and they are generally as fat as there is any use in having them .Last spring some of them were too fat to do well as dairy cows .

"March 3, 1884 It has been so foggy that you could not see anything at adistance of ten rods part of the time . It was so thick that the mail steamer did notcome in at all . That is especially provoking because the Eastern Mail has beenstopped ; it was due Saturday, and we expected some special news, if not a passenger .Well, I don't care much what the weather does so long as school keeps ; after that, Iwant it to stay pleasant until I can get some work done on the farm .

"March 4, 1884 It is fine fun for boys who know how to play ball if they havehalf a chance, but here the playground is too small . There are windows on almostevery side of it, and if not, there is a swamp or the bay to take and devour the ball, orso it seems . I like to play ball anywhere that I can find a place, but I don't like to havetoo many little boys in it at once, for they cannot keep pace with the larger ones, andthen it is sure to make trouble .

"March 6, 1884 Grasses are known all over the United States and over most ofthe Temperate and Torrid zones . There are many kinds of grass growing in thisregion. I know of about 50 kinds of grasses, besides six or seven kinds of clover . I haveseen several kinds more this winter that do not grow up the Willapa river where welive .

"March 13, 1884 School is almost out and I hardly know whether to be glad orsorry. I have had a chance to spend the winter here, and have had a fine time . I thinkthat my time has not been wasted, either . I have hopes of being here another winter, ifthere is a school that it would be worth an extra effort to come to . I sometimes thinkthat there has been too much fun and play in school for my best good, but I believe Ican stand the spoiling if the teacher can stand the fun .

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"I do not expect to go to school more than one winter more, and that may not bevery soon, but I hope it will be next winter for then there will be a chance for theyounger ones to have a good time and get an education . But now I am restless, like afish out of water, wanting to get home and be doing something, for there is workenough for five men to do, and only one and a half to do it, and that ONE not verystrong. When I get there, my muscles will be so soft that I will not do more than halfthe work that I can when used to it."

Along with the farm work and two seasons of logging to earn needed money, forimprovements, Ernest Lilly found time to court and win Nettie E . Munson for hisbride. She was teaching at Riverside (now the Riverdale section of Raymond) whenthey met . As the custom was, she was boarding around, in this case two weeks at thehome of each pupil . Since there were many children of school age in the Parsellfamily, she spent the greater part of one term at their home . Martha Parsell Wheaton,born in Oregon in 1880 and coming to Riverside in 1886, remembers that Ernest Lillyspent a great deal of time with them ; it was a long way for him to come to visit Nettie,and he usually stayed for several days .

From her teaching position at Sunshine, his sister, May Belle, wrote on August 13,1890: "I don't wonder that one old maid schoolma'am (Nettie) is about to follow theexample of another (Maggie), but I am not quite willing to do that yet-have notpicked out the fellow, being rather hard to suit! Are Mr . and Mrs. Munson to be outfor the wedding? When is the happy event to occur?" Probably having received ateasing letter in reply, May Belle answered on August 25th : "I am not at all anxious toknow the exact date. I am not ALL curiosity, even if it does get the ascendancysometimes!"

The wedding took place on the 12th day of October, 1890, at Willapa City, with theReverend James Matthews performing the ceremony. Ernest built a fine new home onthe hillside above the Willapa river, according to plans made earlier, about whichMay Belle had written: "Nettie pointed out a house in Sealand that she said was aboutwhat you two intended to have-but it's big, isn't it?"

Though Nettie E. Munson Lilly lived only until 1903, the large home was theresidence of all the family, after the W . W. Lillys sold their farm, as long as there were"Lillys of the Valley ." Still standing, it continues to provide comfortable and graciousliving for the present farm owners .

During his long and useful career, he played a prominent part in community affairsand development, being known throughout the state for his aggressive spirit andinterest in governmental affairs . He voted on the adoption of the constitution for theState, and in every election thereafter, until claimed by death on Friday, February 13,1947 .

But he was best known in his own Pacific county . Fern Hill Cemetery stands as amonument to his service, as does the Community Church in Menlo . He was in theMenlo Creamery Company as one of its directors ; one of the incorporators of theWillapa Valley Telephone Company in 1913 ; one of the sponsors of the firstChautauqua on July 22,1914 ; a member of the Grange since the organization came tothe county; worked on the Good Roads committees ; a member of the Taxpayers

33

Ernest Lilly standing on a load of hay .

League ; and, he went to Chehalis to hear Theodore Roosevelt when he spoke from the"McKinley stump" on his western tour .

One cannot conclude a story of the life of Ernest Lilly without some mention of hisautomobile adventures, which are legion . He was sixty years old when he bought hisfirst car. It was no easy task in those days to crank up a Ford so, once started, Ernestconcentrated all his faculties on keeping the engine running . The few other cars onthe road gave him the right of way when they saw him coming . But one day heventured out of Pacific county on a business trip to Chehalis . Pluvius hill was

Menlo Hotel .

3 5

impassable most of the time, but he thought he could make it- if only he could keepthe motor going . With his usual concentration, he was half way up, when suddenly heran into a car ahead . It resulted in a lawsuit .

The trial was held above Hense's store, in Menlo ., before Justice of the Peace,Frank Atkinson. It lasted all day . The farmers, after bringing their milk to theDarigold Cheese factory, stayed to observe. The ladies of the Royal Neighbors lodgeserved lunch at noon . The Civil Government class of the Willapa Valley High Schoolattended in a body. After school was dismissed, teachers dropped in to hear the finalverdict: Ernest Lilly was sentenced to pay for damages to the other car .

When he was well into his seventies, he was still driving his Ford, although he wasstone deaf and his eyesight not the best . The highway through Menlo was in goodshape with a strip of pavement and a graveled road along the side for turnoffs. But theaccess roads left much to be desired . At Giesy's Crossing, there was a short steep hillup from the railroad track, with poor visibility of highway traffic . He knew, if he killedhis engine, he would have to roll back across the tracks and start again . So he shot upthe hill and out onto the highway just in time to turn quickly in behind a bigtransport, not realizing it was a double rig and he was in between them . TomBrigham, at the Menlo store and post office used to tell the story :

"It was a lucky thing that the transport truck stopped for gas at Menlo . I don'tknow who was more surprised, myself, Lilly, or the truck driver . With his engine stillchugging away, Ernest pulled out around the first transport and noticed the onebehind for the first time . We agreed the Almighty must have been looking after E . W.that day."

3 6

Census of the Inhabitants inWillapa Valley as of April 1892County of Pacific, State of Washington

3 7

By R . S. Van Tuyl, County Assessor

Enumerated the 1st day of July, 1892

Name AgeMarried

Sex Occupation Single Birthplace

SHAY, Thomas, Jr . 36 M Farmer M New York

E . 28 F Housewife M IowaT. F . 11 M S Washington

Z. B . 9 M S "

W. J . 7 M S "

P. B . 4 F S "

L. M. 1 F S "

BROWN, H. L . 35 M Saloonist S Pennsylvania

MORRILL, Austin 53 M Saloonist S VermontFITZELL, Lincoln 25 M Druggist S Iowa

GILLIAM, George 7 M S Indiana

AXFORD, Julia 35 F Farmer S Indiana

Thomas 26 M M Missouri

Lizzie 24 F M Michigan

Willie 5 M S WashingtonMyrtle G . 1 F S "

HEATH, Frank M . 22 M Farmer S Missouri

WILSON, F. S . 33 M M WashingtonL. J . 27 F " M England

John 7 M S Washington

GILBERT, L . C . 56 M Merchant M Iowa

Meriam 31 F M Washington

Myrtle E . 6 F S WashingtonL. C . 3 M S "

3 8

ALEXANDER, A . 42 M Farmer M Scotland

Maggie 31 F M Scotland

Andy 4 M S Washington

Anthony 2 M S "

LUM, A. S . 66 M Farmer S Iowa

GRAY, James 44 M Logger S New Brunswick

DYER, John E . 44 M Laborer S „

SCOTT, Elizabeth 65 F Housewife S

Nina M . 24 F Housekeeper S

G. F . 16 M Hotel Keeper S "

SIMMONS, Edward 54 M M Indiana

Elizabeth 50 F M England

Florence 23 F S Washington

Jerome 17 M S Oregon

Nevia 7 F S Washington

GOODELL, Jos. W . 42 M Farmer M Ohio

Julia B . 28 F M Kansas

Grace B . 9 F S Washington,,

Mabel 5 F S„Forest L . 1 M S

McDONALD, J. W . 60 M Farmer S Massachusetts

FARLEY, Chas . 32 M S New York

HANDY, R. D . 54 M Carpenter M Massachusetts

M. C . 45 F Housewife M California77Fred A . 22 M S15Chas. B . 20 M S

Arthur W. 18 M S

Ethel M . 9 F S

FARRER, Elmer 30 M Laborer M Maine

Rachel 20 F Housewife M Washington

Sumner 3 M S "

Claude 1 M S "

WOODRUFF, W . N . 40 M Blacksmith M "

4

POSTMASTERS

Theodore H . Myers

Lindley M . Preston

Reuben V. McCash

Fred Reed

Reuben V. McCash

Charles A . Dunsmore

Van Marion Bullard

James D. O'Neil

Elmer W. Brigham

William Gordon Gillespie

Janet Gillespie (Mrs . Wm. Gordon)

80 Years Old

Established September 5, 1894

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Post Office at Menlo

DATE OF APPOINTMENT

September 5, 1894

July 30, 1895

December 14, 1899

June 21, 1904

July 14, 1905

January 21, 1910

April 21, 1910

December 13, 1910

March 9, 1914

July 1, 1946

March 3, 1948 (Still serving]

MEEKAN, Thos .P. E .

6657

MF

FarmerHousewife

MM

New York"

Jennie 16 F S California

ARMSTRONG, Geo. M. 61 M Farmer New YorkGlenroy 16 M WashingtonColvil 11 MCora

BROWN, J. M .1337

FM Farmer M "

M. F .Bessie

224

FF

Housekeeper M OregonWashington

JOHNSON, J. A .OLSON, 0 .

3135

MM

Farmer MS

Norway"

FINSTAD, Ola 35 F Housekeeper S

Able-bodied Seaman DeReugemond's Account of

After 176 days passage the French shipAlice found a sudden, solid end to hersailing days a short distance north ofOcean Park, January 15, 1909 .The next day people from Chinook took

advantage of excursion rates via the local"Clamshell Railroad" to view the wreck .A week after her demise she rested in

about a fathom of water at low tide withher bow running down into the sand andher aft section elevated. From amidshipsaft she was nearly at beach level. At highwater her fore'ard section was awash .Listing slightly to port with her

foretopmast gone and her canvas shred-ded, the rest of her rigging was in faircondition .The worst of her predicament rested in

her belly -- 2,200 tons of English cement, orabout two-thirds of a full load which thesalt water had catalyzed into hard packets .Plans of saving the wreck weren't even

entertained .Several trips were made to the vessel

with the help of the North Beach LifeSaving Crew to salvage all live animalsand portable articles of any value .Able-bodied Seaman Louis DeReuge-

mond gave this account of the packet'sgrounding :

"We left London a little over six monthsago, partly loaded with this dried up andpulverized mud in barrels, bound for theColumbia River. We were full handed andhad average weather most of the way,dropping our mud hooks and taking incanvas at but one port on the way out .

"Reaching the Columbia River we ran into'ards the bar, but had to stand to seaagain as we could raise no tug boat . For anumber of days it was just the same -- inand off and hove to . It kept blowing prettystiff, mostly from ENE, and it was chillyand disagreeable . It was often difficult

The AliceBy Dan'l Markham

making in on account of these winds ."On Thursday, the wind changed more

to the south'ard and we stood in to'ardShoalwater Bay entrance . Thursday nightthe glass dropped and sail was shortenedas we moved down the coast, close hauled .It was blowing strong from SE, kicking upquite a lumpy sea .

"About 3 : 00 on Friday morning the windstiffened into a gale and veered suddenlyto the SW, making the ocean beach a leeshore for us . We had 15 fathom by the leadat this time, but almost before we knew itthe water had shoaled to 6 fathom and aheavy sea, coming with the gale and on ourbeam, prevented our ship from beingproperly managed. She would come up inthe wind, shake, and fall back . In allowinga little freedom for steerage she madethrough the outer break and struck ; and asher nose swung, a sea, taking her underthe counter, carried us half-way throughthe surf and landed us hard and fast . Themorning was dark and the air almost a fogwith sea mist . The shore line appeared tobe miles away . Her stern swung slightlyafter striking the last time and nearly allthe canvas was caught aback and tornloose. Some of the heavy rigging camedown at that time too ."At first signs of daylight we made

ready to quit the ship . One of the longBoats was swung clear on the lee side andall hands went on board . We pushed off alittle too late on the swell and when itreceded we were carried out beyond theship, but catching the next one, fortunatelyright after it broke, we went like a torpedoboat almost up to dry sand .

"We've been living royally here on shoreand feel fine, but it seems too bad to seethat fine steel packet out there digging herown grave in the sand ."