THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2016
COMMUNITY
1B
NINE TIMES FOR 90th
SAFE RETURN?
DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME
was riding up to the Column several times a week and aim-
ing to do a longer distance like a 100 miles in a day to mark
my 69th birthday,” local cyclist Peter Marsh explained, inspired
by the Trans Am Bike Race which left Astoria June 4. “Then, on
Thursday July 21, I read in the Astorian that the next day was the
90th anniversary of the opening of the Astoria Column. So there
was my goal: ride up the Column nine times over the weekend!
“On Friday evening, I started out as usual from the Riverwalk,
and tried to go really slow, which wasn’t easy. On the way down
from the Column, I realized I needed to include a ride or two up
Williamsport Road, which is much quieter and easier on the legs.
But my inal tally was only two down, and seven to go!
“Saturday I had other things to do, but managed three laps. The
parking lot around the Column was full most of the day, I spoke to
a few visitors, but none were aware of the 90th anniversary. That
left me with 41/2 laps on Sunday, so I started out in the morning. I
managed two laps before lunch, then came back later to inish up.”
“Nearing the column for the ninth time,” he recalled, “I stopped
to pick up model planes that had been thrown off the top. I carried
them up the spiral staircase on wobbly legs and launched them all
myself to celebrate!”
‘I
TICKET TO RIDE
he Ear spotted an unusual item in the Chamber of Commerce
newsletter saying that a Diebold safe from the Union Fisher-
man’s Co-op Packing Company needs a new home, and to contact
Mike Stowell at 360-692-8963 for more information.
Curious, the Ear contacted Mike. “ … Our antique safe was once
in the cannery where the Cannery Pier Hotel is located now,” he
wrote in reply. “Because the patent registration on the safe is dated
1871, it may have been in the cannery as early as the late 1890s. The
safe is approximately 6 feet tall, 4.5 feet wide, and a little less than 3
feet deep.” His photos of the safe are shown.
There are painted scenes on the exterior as well as inner doors.
Describing it as a “beautiful antique,” he added that there is another
combination safe and wooden compartments inside (pictured inset),
as well as the name John E. Davis of Portland inscribed. The safe is
functional, but not secure like a modern safe, as Mike noted that this
type of design had to be changed once power tools were invented.
“My wife, Jennifer, inherited this safe from her late father, Ed
Sherwood, who had it in his oyster cannery, Associated Seafoods
(in Markham, Washington),” Mike explained. “He bought it from
the Bumble Bee cannery in Astoria in 1980.”
Interesting history tidbit: Jennifer says her family’s “roots run
deep” on the Long Beach (Washington) Peninsula. Her father had
the irst oyster opening room in Oysterville, Washington, and a can-
nery across the street from it in his garage.
Back to the safe. Mike said it took a big truck and two small
fork lifts on one end, and a big fork lift on the other to move it, as
it weighs “a ton.” Possibly literally. Right now, it’s located in his
garage in Silverdale, Washington.
“We would very much like to have this safe return to its historic
roots in the Astoria area, and hope that someone can arrange for the
trip from our area to its former home,” he wrote. “I hope someone
can help us make this happen.” Any takers?
T
ild Cucumber, aka Marah Oreganus, aka Coastal
manroot, grows all over the place, but you rarely see
a root as big as the one Fred Randall (pictured) dug up on
West Exchange Street,” Jack Harris wrote. “It weighed in at
about 60 pounds.”
As it turns out, Marah Oreganus has some fairly exotic
uses. Mr. Wikipedia says (http://tinyurl.com/bigcuke),
“Marah oreganus was used by the Native Americans for
various health problems. The Chinook made a poultice
from the gourd. The Squaxin mashed the upper stalk in
water to dip aching hands. The Chehalis people burned
the root and mixed the resulting powder with bear grease
to apply to scrofula sores. The Coast Salish made a decoc-
tion to treat venereal disease, kidney trouble and scrofula
sores.”
And, ishing enthusiasts might be interested to know that
according to www.academia.edu, prehistoric Native Ameri-
cans in North-Central California used the seeds “as a means
of ishing by introducing the prepared toxic plant part into
the water and stupefying the ish for easy capture.” However,
the Ear suspects the modern Department of Fish and Wildlife
would not approve.
‘W
SAD END
SADDLE UP
hawnAnn Hope brought in her childhood scrapbook this week,
and one of the little treasures it contained was a ticket for the
very last Astoria ferry ride. A photo of it is shown. She also col-
lected a few wood slivers from the ferry dock on the Megler, Wash-
ington, side.
ShawnAnn wasn’t sure what the actual date was, and it’s not
on the ticket, but she did know that she took that last ride some-
time in 1966. A little Internet sleuthing revealed that the inal Asto-
ria-Megler ferry run was made by the M.R. Chessman on July 28,
1966, as reported in The Oregonian on July 29 (http://tinyurl.com/
lastferry).
By the way, no one knows what inally happened to the Chess-
man. It was sold in 1966 and sent to a facility in Cat Lai, Vietnam,
where it is presumed to have been destroyed when the facility was
bulldozed after the war (www.evergreenleet.com/chessman.html).
S
BAKE ON THE LAKE
ince Astoria no longer has a sauna on Marine Drive, how about a
loating sauna, or two, instead? Yes, really, there is one, created
by goCstudio (www.gocstudio.com) and it can be seen regularly on
Seattle’s Lake Union and Lake Washington, according to Seattle.
Curbed.com (http://tinyurl.com/baysauna). It is pictured, courtesy of
Kevin Scott.
Up to six people at a time can use the 14-foot high, 24 square foot
sauna, which is heated by a wood-burning stove, and also has a deck
and diving board. No lightweight, it comes in at 4,500 pounds, cost
$25,000 to build, and is powered by an electric trolling motor with
three 12-volt batteries.
But here’s the deal: You can’t access the sauna by land — you
can only get to it by water, a nod to Seattle’s history of loating
architecture.
S
oor Larry the Lobster. The 15-pound crustacean (touted as
being 110 years old) was saved from a cauldron of boiling water
and a quart of drawn butter in a Florida restaurant by an animal res-
cue group. They convinced the restaurant owner to donate Larry
(who was worth $300) so he could be shipped to the Maine Aquar-
ium — to either stay on as an exhibit or be released into the wild.
Larry is pictured, courtesy of a still shot from a CBC News
video, as he was being readied for his journey.
Tessa VanDyke wrote in to alert the Ear that alas, Larry’s new
lease on life was not to be. He arrived in one piece, but NPR reports
he died in transit (http://tinyurl.com/larrylob1). RIP, Larry.
P
ocal equestrians Donna Hammond and Linda Brim
completed the 2016 Washington County 4-H Wagon
Train July 9-16, retracing the steps of mid-1800s Ore-
gon Trail pioneers. The pair traveled along with almost 80
other hearty souls, ranging from 9 to 78 years old; some
walked, some rode horseback, and others were teamsters or
‘swampers’ with wagons. Pictured, Linda’s photo of Joyce
Sharp and her draft team.
A support team of drivers and cooks made camp every day
while the group traveled 60 miles along the back roads of the
Sisters area. They had lunch on the shores of Dugout Lake,
toured Skylight Cave, swam in Scout Lake and slept under
the stars. It wasn’t unusual to hear coyotes singing in reply
after the bugler’s 10 p.m. taps — which Linda was relieved
she slept through.
The Wagon Train is a unique opportunity to learn more
about history, survival — and especially, teamwork — all the
while totally cut off from the Internet and cell phones (gasp!).
“The neat thing about this is that it is a 4-H group that is open
to adults,” Linda says, who can sponsor kids who would oth-
erwise be unable to have the experience. Anyone who can
pass a background check and physically handle the trek is
welcome, and students must be 9 or older to participate.
The kids who receive scholarships have to write essays
about the Oregon Trail, or the characters who traveled on
it, and present them in camp each night — a feature of the
Wagon Train Linda especially enjoyed.
Interested in participating? Go to www.4hwagontrain.org
or call Pat Willis at 503-821-1120.
“It’s the most fun you’ll have on a working vacation, but
it’s not for sissies,” Linda noted. “It’s not for whiners. You
have to be lexible — it’s a group mentality in a family way.
We call it our trail family.”
“We are always looking for new ‘pioneers’ who want to
learn more about the Oregon Train in person,” she added.
“Why should we have all the fun?”
L
SHOW THE LOVE
ot a stack of thank you notes today!” the Astoria Police
Department posted on their Facebook page July 27. “A
woman who did not wish to be identiied dropped off thank you
notes she has been passing around town. How very awesome!”
The woman’s note accompanying the stack of accolades for a job
well done said: “Dear Astoria PD, enclosed are letters of apprecia-
tion from community members who recognize your service and sac-
riice. We hope this demonstrates our love and support for the APD.
Thank you!”
“Wow, we really want to say thank you for the wonderful batch
of cards we received today!” APD posted. “Our hearts are still heal-
ing from the tremendous loss of Seaside Police Sgt. Jason Goodding,
and the rest of the oficers killed in the line of duty across our nation.
Gifts like these cards help us heal! We have hung each and every one
in our lunch room ... Thanks again!”
‘G