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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 27, 2017)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017 COMMUNITY 1B GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN TRUTH AND TRADITION T THE WRECK OF THE CARRIE B. S tacey McKenney stopped by to tell the Ear that an interest- ing discovery was made by the new Astoria Library director, Jimmy Pearson, in the basement of the library’s Flag Room: a Purple Heart citation for Staff. Sgt. Everett J. Salvon. But who was he? Fortunately, the library has Astoria Budget newspaper archives on microfiche, so Jimmy asked staff member Meghann Lynch to do a little research, and this is what she found: A native Astorian, and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jalmar H. Salvon, he was born Sept. 20, 1923. In 1940, he graduated from Astoria High School, where he was on the track team. His Ore- gon National Guard unit was inducted into the Army (Company L, 186th infantry, 41st Division) a few months after graduation, and they served 26 months in combat areas in Australia and New Guinea during World War II. Unfortunately, he was killed in action on Biak Island on June 20, 1944. He was only 20 years old. “This is the fourth death and the seventh casualty among the small contingent of local boys remaining in Astoria’s former National Guard company, and all have occurred in the bitter fighting on the little island off the coast of Dutch New Guinea,” the July 10, 1944 Astoria Budget reports. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously in August 1944, “for military merit and for wounds received.” Sadly, he was an only child, and the family died out years ago, according to Mike Phillips of Clatsop Post 12 American Legion, who was a neighbor. Staff Sgt. Salvon’s body stayed on Biak Island until 1948, when it was finally returned to Astoria. “I located his grave in Greenwood Cemetery on Veteran’s Day last year,” Jimmy wrote. “His name is also engraved on the bench outside of the Heritage Museum with other members of his unit who gave their lives during World War II.” Gone, but not forgotten. REMAINS OF THE DAY T iffany Boothe of the Sea- side Aquarium provided an update on the whale skull some beach walkers discov- ered, which was mentioned in last week’s column. Here’s the deal: A humpback whale carcass washed ashore on Short Sands Beach sometime in September. The aquarium did a necropsy just in time, as it washed back out the next day, leaving only a kidney behind. Apparently, it came back. “We have been tracking the decom- position rate of this whale,” Tiffany said (her photo is shown), “so I am sure this is the same skull.” Mystery solved. W hile browsing through The Daily Morning Asto- rian, dated Wednesday, Jan. 27, 1886, the Ear came across a notice: “At 1:30 to-morrow afternoon E. C. Holden will sell at auction the wrecked (fishing) schooner Carrie B. Lake, the hull, furniture and tackle, as she lies.” The “Annual Report of the Operations of the U.S. Life-saving Service” for that year revealed what happened. The night of Jan. 3, 1886, the Carrie B., with a crew of five, was waiting off the coast about 10 miles north of Cape Dis- appointment to resume work the next day. Soon the weather turned ugly, with a stiff gale, rain and fog (pictured, “Ship in a Storm” by Ivan Aivazovsky, 1895). Everyone was below deck having supper except the man at the helm, who suddenly realized they were in shallow water. He called below to warn the captain, but was ignored. A few minutes later, the boat slammed into a shoal. A boat was lowered, and all hands got in. They were only about 40 yards from the Carrie B. when the boat capsized, and the captain, the mate and cook drowned in the breakers. Crewman James Dunn, a strong swimmer, made it back to the Carrie B. and climbed aboard. Seaman Rob- ert Robenson clung to the bottom of the capsized boat and made it to the beach. He was found by farmer E. B. Stone, who dispatched his son on horseback to Cape Disappoint- ment with news of the wreck. A rescue team was summoned, and in the still-raging storm, brought a medicine chest and gear up Baker’s Bay to Ilwaco, Washington, where a treacherous mass of drift logs made landing and unloading difficult. A horse-drawn wagon hauled the men and gear up to the expected location of the Carrie B. — but they soon realized they were a mile short of their target. After moving north, the intrepid rescue team could hear Dunn’s cries for help from the wreck. Two brave souls waded out into the water, narrowly missing being swept away by the surf, and managed to bring the crewman back to shore safely. With only two survivors, the conclusion of the U.S. Life-saving Service was terse: “Had the people remained by their vessel, they would all have been saved.” TERRIBLE TILLY, READY FOR HER CLOSEUP FISH FIGHT hursday was the 317th anniversary of the last time the Cascadia Subduction Zone slipped, causing a massive 9.0 earthquake and tidal wave. Dia- rist James Swan (pictured), the first school teacher at the Makah Reservation at Neah Bay, Washington, wrote down what is believed to be a nar- rative of the event — as told by Native American Billy Balch — in his July 12, 1864 diary entry (http://tinyurl.com/ Swan1864): “… (He says that) the water flowed from Neah Bay through the Waatch prairie, and Cape Flattery (on the Olympic Peninsula) was an island. That the water receded and left Neah Bay dry for four days and became very warm. It then rose again without any swell or waves, and submerged the whole of the cape, and in fact the whole country, except the mountains back of Clayoquot (on the west coast of Vancouver Island). “As the water rose, those who had canoes put their effects into them and floated off with the current, which set strong to the north. Some drifted one way and some another, and when the waters again resumed their accustomed level, a portion of the tribe found themselves beyond Noothu (Nookta, also on Vancou- ver Island) where their descendants now reside and are known by the same name as the Makah or Quinaitchechat. “Many canoes came down in the trees and were destroyed and numerous lives were lost. The same thing happened at Quillehu- yte and a portion of that tribe went off either in canoes or by land and found the Chimahcum tribe at Port Townsend.” “There is no doubt in my mind,” Swan noted, “of the truth of this tradition.” HOLD THAT THOUGHT W hat if tsunamis could be weakened before they slam into the coast? Phys.org reports that scientist Usama Kadri, of Cardiff University’s School of Mathematics in Wales, thinks if a way can be found to generate deep ocean acoustic-grav- ity waves (AGWs), and fire them at an incoming tsunami, the AGWs could interact with the wave to reduce its height and dissi- pate its energy over a wide area. A photo of the devastating 2011 Japanese tsunami is shown, courtesy of www.sej.org. However, Kadri’s idea would be a tricky business to accom- plish. “In practice, generating the appropriate acoustic-grav- ity waves introduces serious challenges due to the high energy required for an effective interaction with a tsunami,” he noted. “However, this study has provided proof-of-concept that dev- astating tsunamis could be mitigated by using acoustic-gravity waves to redistribute the huge amounts of energy stored within the wave, potentially saving lives and billions of (dollars) worth of damage.” SMOOTH TRAWLING F irst ran Sept. 17, 2010: Devoted genealogist Robbie Wright of Eugene found a story about Astoria in the Friday, July 5, 1889 Pittsburg Dispatch. “Since I am a life-long Oregonian who grew up in a family that liked to fish, I felt compelled to pass this along,” she wrote. Here’s the story: “Astoria, Ore., July 4. — John Boldt, a fish- erman who came here recently from Gloucester, Mass., and John W. Lucas, a Canadian, quarreled over some salmon Tuesday. They agreed to settle their dispute with bare knuckles under Queens- berry rules. “After fighting seven rounds, Lucas was knocked out by a blow which broke his jaw. When he regained consciousness he expressed his willingness to continue the contest with either pis- tols or knives. Boldt preferred pistols, and they took positions 20 paces apart. Four shots were exchanged. One of the bullets lodged in Boldt’s forearm, breaking the bone, and another in Lucas’ neck. Lucas’ wound proved to be fatal, and Boldt has been arrested.” So who wound up with the salmon after all that sturm und drang — the sheriff? O ne of the most intriguing things on the North Coast is Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, about a mile offshore from Tillamook Head. Want a closeup look? Geist View sent his Phantom 4Pro drone out to film Terrible Tilly from every angle in 4K. The result is a stunning 21-min- ute video you can watch (and pause) on his YouTube chan- nel at http://tinyurl.com/GeistTilly. A screen shot is shown. In its days of operation, Terrible Tilly received con- stant maintenance because of the endless battering it took from wind and waves, not to mention the brutal storms that flooded the bottom floor with seawater, and the large rocks the ocean hurled at the lighthouse, even sending them crashing into the lantern room. But little upkeep has been done since the lighthouse was essentially abandoned on Sept. 1, 1957, when the light was turned out forever. With Geist View’s video, you can see how badly the lighthouse has deteriorated over the years. Although it’s a sad sight, at the same time it’s comforting to know there is now a visual historical record to remember her by. After all, one day Terrible Tilly will be gone. D utch company Trondheim Trawlers is developing a met- al-hulled electric fishing trawler, the Trondheim 40, that sleeps six and is designed to handle rough seas, according to NewAtlas.com (http://tinyurl.com/ssshTrawl). Featuring two 1,400 rpm electric motors powered by battery packs, the 40-foot vessel will also have diesel-powered generators on board to pro- duce electricity and recharge the batteries. The vessel is pictured, courtesy of Trondheim Trawlers. The generators have acoustic shielding, so they’re expected to be 40 percent less noisy than a diesel engine, and smaller — so in addition, there’s more storage room. Added bonus: the trawler will have a 30 percent longer range (up to 2,500 nautical miles) than nonelectric boats the same size. There doesn’t seem to be a down side — except, perhaps, the cost. COMMUNITY NOTES SATURDAY Sit and Stitch Group — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Custom Threads, 1282 Commercial St. Knitting, cro- cheting and needle work. For infor- mation, call 503-325-7780. Columbia Northwestern Mod- el Railroading Club — 1 p.m., in Hammond. Group runs trains on HO-scale layout. For information, call Don Carter at 503-325-0757. Spinning Circle — 1 to 3 p.m., Astoria Fiber Arts Academy, 1296 Duane St. Bring a spinning wheel. For information, call 503- 325-5598 or go to http://astoriafib- erarts.com SUNDAY Line Dancing — 5:30 to 8 p.m., Seaside American Legion, 1315 Broadway. For information, call 503-738-5111. No cost; suggested $5 tip to the instructor. MONDAY Chair Exercises for Seniors — 9 to 9:45 a.m., Astoria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange St. For in- formation, call 503-325-3231. Scandinavian Workshop — 10 a.m., First Lutheran Church, 725 33rd St. Needlework, hardanger, knitting, crocheting, embroidery and quilting. All are welcome. For information, call 503-325-1364 or 503-325-7960. Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m., Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do- nation $3 for those older than 60; $6.75 for those younger than 60. For information, call Michelle Lew- is at 503-861-4200. Columbia Senior Diners — 11:30 a.m., 1111 Exchange St. Cost is $6. For information, or to have a meal delivered, call 503- 325-9693. Warrenton Senior Lunch Program — noon, Warrenton Community Center, 170 S.W. Third St. Suggested donation of $5 for seniors and $7 for those younger than 60. For information, or to vol- unteer, call 503-861-3502 Monday or Thursday. Astoria Rotary Club — noon, second floor of the Astoria Elks Lodge, 453 11th St. Guests always welcome. For information, go to www.AstoriaRotary.org Knochlers Pinochle Group — 1 p.m., Bob Chisholm Community Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Cost is $1 per regular session per person. Players with highest and second highest scores split the prize. Game is designed for play- ers 55 and older, but all ages are welcome. Mahjong for Experienced Players — 1 p.m., Astoria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange St. For in- formation, call 503-325-3231. Line Dancing for Seniors — 3 to 4:30 p.m., Astoria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange St. Not for begin- ners. For information, call 503-325- 3231. Astoria Toastmasters — 6:30 p.m., Hotel Elliot conference room, 357 12th St. Visitors welcome. For information, go to www.toastmas- ters.org or call Christa Svensson at 206-790-2869. TUESDAY Do Nothing Club — 10 a.m. to noon, 24002 U St., Ocean Park, Wash. Men’s group. For informa- tion, call Jack McBride at 360-665- 2721. Senior Lunch — 11:30 a.m., Bob Chisholm Senior Center, 1225 Avenue A, Seaside. Suggested do- nation of $3 for those older than 60; $6.75 for those younger than 60. For information, call Michelle Lew- is at 503-861-4200. Columbia Senior Diners — 11:30 a.m., 1111 Exchange St. The cost is $6. For information, or to have a meal delivered, call 503- 325-9693. Astoria Lions Club — noon, Astoria Elks Lodge, 453 11th St. Prospective members welcome. For information, contact Charlene Larsen at 503-325-0590. Astoria-Warrenton Duplicate Bridge Club — 12:30 to 4 p.m., As- toria Senior Center, 1111 Exchange St. Anyone may play if they have a partner; to request a bridge partner, call 503-325-0029. North Coast Chorale Practice — 6:45 to 9 p.m., Performing Arts Center, 588 16th St. New members welcome. For information, call 503- 791-5681 or 503-338-8403. WEDNESDAY Warrenton Sunrise Rotary Club — 7 a.m., Dooger’s Seafood & Grill, Youngs Bay Plaza, 103 S. U.S. Highway 101, Warrenton. For information, call 503-325-4030. See NOTES, Page 2B
