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THE ASTORIAN • THuRSdAy, OcTObER 24, 2019
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IN ONE EAR • ELLEDA WILSON
‘WATERSHED MOMENTS’
‘I
’m a photographer, artist, and writer,” Claire Dibble
(clairedibble.com) wrote. “Prior to embracing these
labels, I often defined myself as a kayaker.”
Starting on July 1, she rolled all those labels together to
make a solo paddling journey from the Columbia River’s
source, near her home in Golden, British Columbia, to the
ocean. “2,000 kilometers. 112 days. 14 dams. 1 kayak.”
That’s about 1,242 miles, and that kayak — skin-on-
frame, made from watershed-sourced wood — is one she
made herself. Referring to this adventure as a “social-en-
gagement art project,” she named it “Watershed
Moments.”
“I am using this time to engage and connect with com-
munities and landscapes as I travel,” she wrote, “allowing
my artistic works to form an inclusive portrait of the river
and its people in 2019 (watershedmoments.art).”
“She survived 1,200 miles!” Dibble posted — referring
to the kayak — Oct. 15 on her Facebook page. “And so
did I. We pulled out of the water on the east edge of Clat-
sop Spit this morning after a few extra long days of pad-
dling …. pretty glad to be on shore at the moment, and for
the foreseeable future.”
“Feeling so good!” she added. “Well, mentally at least.”
(Photos courtesy of Claire Dibble)
PROJECT INDEX
AROUND TOWN
F
rom The Daily Morning Astorian, Saturday, Oct. 24,
1885:
• The boat shop and stable of Charles Shagren, in Oyster-
ville, was burned on Sunday last. Loss, $1,500 (about $39,000
now).
Note: In 1871, Carl Sjogren (later Charles Shagren), came
to Nahcotta, Washington Territory, where his uncle owned land
and farmed. Eventually, he leased the Sealand Hotel there, and
built his own windmill to supply the place with water.
Unfortunately, the hotel later burned down, and it was quite
a setback, but not enough to keep him from becoming Seal-
and’s postmaster in 1898. The Shagren family was also known
for its clam canneries, and had a boat building business, as
well.(bit.ly/CShagren)
• A neat thing in the way of ornament and use is a gas stove
at the residence of C. S. Wright; it is believed to be the first of
the kind in the city.
Note: Gas stoves originated in the early 1800s, but didn’t
catch on until Englishman James Sharp patented one in 1826,
then opened a gas stove factory in 1836. A gas stove wasn’t
considered a “must have” in England until the 1880s, and
didn’t catch on in the U.S. until the early 1900s. Mr. Wright
was way ahead of his time. (bit.ly/gastoria)
• The Nehalem coal discoveries excite considerable interest.
Note: The item is probably referring to the Upper Nehalem
coal field in Columbia County, near Vernonia, which was
mined in the late 1800s and early 1900s. A coal bed was also
found in the lower Nehalem River area, but was only 22 inches
deep at its thickest. (bit.ly/nehcoal)
• Men of considerable experience say that when completed,
the new residence of Capt. Geo. Flavel will be second to none
in the state in point of elegance and finish.
Note: There was a living room, parlor, music room, dining
room, the kitchen and pantries, and, originally, a bathroom,
on the first floor; five bedrooms, a linen room and bathroom
on the second floor; and two bedrooms and a bathroom in the
attic for the servants. Capt. Flavel only enjoyed the house for
eight years; he died in 1893. (bit.ly/Capt8th)
istory buffs, rejoice: The Oregon Index of
the Oregon State Library is now online at
bit.ly/OrLibIndex after more than 700,000 index cards
were scanned. The index card shown points to an arti-
cle about one of the many John Jacob Astors contrib-
uting $10,000 (about $270,000 now) to Astoria’s 1911
Centennial.
Unfortunately the cards don’t link to anything — they
just point the way, and cite an article or book, should you
want to go hunting — but are fascinating all by themselves.
A press release says: “The oldest entry is from 1877
but most are from 1915 to 1986. The index of one-sided
3x5 cards is housed in 657 drawers. Each drawer contains
1,000 to 1,250 cards.”
Not surprisingly, the project took five years.
H
ow much does a living, swimming whale
weigh? Until recently, no one knew. However,
researchers from the Aarhus Institute of Advanced
Studies in Denmark and Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution in the U.S. tackled the question by using
drones.
Pictured, a mother and calf, with a drone at work, cour-
tesy of Fredrik Christiansen of the Aarhus Institute, taken
under research permits.
“By measuring the body length, width and height
of free-living southern right whales photographed by
drones,” a WHOI report (bit.ly/whalelbs) says, “research-
ers were able to develop a model that accurately calcu-
lated the body volume and mass of the whales.” Problem
solved.
rom the same edition of The Daily Morning Astorian:
“Everybody knows the virtues of Wild Cherry and
Tar as a relief and cure for any affections of the throat and
lungs … Dr. Bosanko’s Cough and Lung Syrup (is) just
the article you should have in the house for coughs, colds,
croup and bronchitis. Price 50 cents ($13.24 now) and $1.
Samples free. Sold by J.W. Conn.”
This sounded like a pretty heinous combination, so a
little research was in order. A 1910 agricultural bulletin
provided some answers (bit.ly/Bozanko).
A 5.6 fluid ounce bottle of the concoction, manufac-
tured by Dr. Bosanko’s Medicine Co. of Piqua, Ohio, was
analyzed for content.
The appearance was that of a “turbid, brown syrup,
with odor of tar and chloroform.” Not a good start. Other
ingredients included ash, alcohol, morphine and a trace of
ammonia.
They were not able to determine the amount of mor-
phine, but did note the presence of a dead fly in the bottle.
Its contribution to the mix was not noted. Prof. Putt’s con-
clusion is as follows:
“Thin preparation appears to be made from an inferior
grade of honey. … It is interesting to note that practically
all of the alkaloid was found not in the solution but in the
sediment which had deposited upon the sides and in the
bottom of the bottle.
“No physician or pharmacist would dispense each a
product without a “Shake” label. This product, however,
bears no such warning. The dead fly found in the prepara-
tion would hardly warrant the approval of physicians and
pharmacists, which is claimed in the circular accompany-
ing this remedy.”
Folks would have been wise to steer clear of Dr. Bosan-
ko’s pile cure, as well.
ere’s a novel approach to dealing with ocean plas-
tic debris: British singer-songwriter Nick Mulvey
released his newest work, a catchy ditty called “In the
Anthropocene — Ocean Vinyl,” on a record made from
recycled ocean plastic that was picked up on the coast of
Cornwall, England, Billboard.com reports. The record
cover is pictured, courtesy of Mulvey, via Billboard.
UNMOVED
F
‘IN THE ANTHROPOCENE’
H
riday is the 113th anniversary of the commercial sail-
ing vessel Peter Iredale (pictured in its prime) run-
ning aground on Clatsop Spit. It’s a well-known landmark,
but how much do you know about the man it was named
for? The Iredale family website, iredale.de, provided some
insight, and his photo.
Business magnate Peter Iredale (1823-1899), of ship-
owners P. Iredale & Porter of Liverpool, England, started
his career at age 17 working on ships. One obituary said
that while he was super cargo and coast master on the West
African coast … “he was a man of great vigour and pos-
sessed an iron constitution.
“He fought down fearlessly, almost scornfully, attacks
of all kinds, recovering from Yellow Jack, coast fevers,
and other troubles, until he became almost immured from
decease.”
A less savory aspect of Mr. Iredale’s West African
adventures was the accusation by Capt. Frank H. Shaw,
in his biography, that Iredale made his fortune in the slave
trade; he also referred to Iredale as a “shameless opportun-
ist” and a “flint-hearted miser.”
No one knows if the slave trade accusation is true …
but some wondered how Iredale financed his fleet of wind-
jammers so speedily during that period.
“… He was a great individualist with a wide knowledge
of humanity,” A. Leon Marsh, an executive at P. Iredale
& Porter, wrote in his memoir.
Iredale’s memory was “astonishing,” Marsh recalled, as
he could remember exactly what ships were carrying, even
those that had been away from home port for over a year.
Marsh also noted the shipowner’s “Spartan nature,” evi-
denced by refusing to cancel an appointment in London,
even though he was “crippled with gout, his leg swathed
up in bandages,” and having to prop his leg up on the train
ride into town.
“He was non-conformist ... a man of the old type,”
Marsh concluded, “straight as an arrow, open hearted, and
always had a cheerful word to say.”
F
HEINOUS CONCOCTION
H
WEIGHTY WHALES
‘A MAN OF THE OLD TYPE’
In case you’re wondering (as the Ear was), the Anthro-
pocene is the geological age we’re in right now. You can
hear the song here: bit.ly/nickvinyl
Only 105 records were pressed, and they sold out in four
hours. The proceeds went to a U.K. marine charity with
a name that viscerally evokes swimming horrors, Surfers
Against Sewage.
bit of Iredale shipwreck trivia: In June 1960, a
reporter for the Oregon City Enterprise-Courier
named Cliff Hendricks wrote an article laying claim
to the wreck, insisting he inherited it from his father,
Robert Hendricks, who allegedly bought it in the early
1900s.
Since his stated plan was to remove and salvage the
ship, a furor immediately arose in Clatsop County. He
was threatened with: arrest for abandoning a vehicle on
a public highway (the beach); 54 years worth of rent
for leaving it on Clatsop County property; 54 years of
delinquent personal property taxes (if he could prove he
owned the Iredale); and imminent bodily harm.
Plus, the Astoria Clowns, Royal Chinooks, Clatsop
Historical Society and others were ready to stand guard
and defend the Iredale physically, if it came down to it
(bit.ly/irehend).
As it turns out, all that sturm und drang was totally
unnecessary. “What seemed like a joke to my uncle at
the time,” Hendrick’s niece, Karen McGuffin noted,
“turned into much more than anyone had expected!”
The Iredale was utterly unmoved by all the drama at
the time, and still is.
A