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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (July 13, 2018)
July 13, 2018 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 3A Portion of Nehalem River may become ‘scenic’ Decision could come by November By Mateusz Perkowski Capital Press SALEM — Oregon parks officials believe a portion of the Nehalem River qualifies as “scenic,” but potential restric- tions have met with consterna- tion from agriculture and local government representatives. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has completed a study conclud- ing that 17.5 miles of the river meets the criteria for scenic designation, such as free-flow- ing water, outstanding views and recreational opportunities. The report was submitted in June to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission, which oversees the agency and plans to vote on a “scenic” recommendation as early as November. Restrictions meant to pro- tect the natural features of scenic waterways can be prob- lematic for landowners, par- ticularly the requirement they notify state parks at least one year before making certain changes to their property with- in a quarter-mile of the river. During that time, the land- owner can negotiate with the agency over possible alter- native plans or a sale of the property. In the forested areas sur- rounding the Nehalem River, the primary concern would be delayed timber harvesting, which is already regulated un- der the Oregon Forest Practic- es Act, said Mary Anne Coo- per, public policy counsel for the Oregon Farm Bureau. “It’s a complicated struc- ture that’s on top of anything else,” she said. Changes to roads or farm buildings may also be hin- dered by the requirement, Cooper said. Though the rules for scenic rivers do make allowances for agriculture, the construction or modification of a structure — such as a pumphouse — must be compatible with the sur- rounding aesthetics, she said. Whether a design is visual- ly obtrusive is a highly subjec- tive question that could prove problematic for landowners, she said. The scenic designation is also meant to protect river COLIN MURPHEY/THE DAILY ASTORIAN The Nehalem River passes near the Nehalem Falls Camp- ground southeast of Manzanita. flows, potentially interfering with the development or trans- fer of new water rights, Coo- per said. The protections may have implications for water quality, which is already reg- ulated under other laws for ag- riculture and forestry. The Farm Bureau is also skeptical whether the 17.5 mile stretch actually meets the criteria for a scenic designa- tion, since the landscape has long been managed, she said. “There are homes and roads throughout the area, so it’s not really undisturbed,” she said. Tillamook County’s Board of Commissioners has also come out against the scenic designation, arguing that re- strictions on logging will vi- olate the state government’s duty to generate revenues from property donated by the county. “Although we support pub- lic uses on the Nehalem River … we cannot support the pro- posed designation as it fails to take into account the primacy of timber production on prop- erties which the county deed- ed to the state decades ago,” according to a letter sent by the board. Journal explores a nautical tale from the 17th century A local mystery lives on By Edward Stratton The Daily Astorian The Beeswax shipwreck, a local mystery born from blocks of beeswax and shards of Chinese porcelain found along the shores of the Ne- halem Spit, is the subject of the Oregon Historical Soci- ety’s newest quarterly journal, “Oregon’s Manila Galleon.” The first article, by author Cameron La Follette and a team of archivists, takes a deep dive into the Santo Cristo de Burgos. The Spanish galle- on left Manila in 1693 loaded with Asian trade goods headed for Acapulco, Mexico. Re- searchers have long theorized the ship, which disappeared, is the wreck near Nehalem Spit. La Follette had been searching the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum’s website for something else in 2015 when she came across a talk about the Beeswax wreck and looked it up. She later connected with the Beeswax Wreck Project, an archaeo- logical study of more than 10 years looking for the ship- wreck. Fascinated by the Spanish galleon trade and the peo- ple who risked their lives to OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY Researchers have linked the markings from blocks of beeswax found near Manzanita to ship- pers in the Philippines that were part of the Spanish galleon trade across the Pacific Ocean. bring goods across the Pacific Ocean, she started an archi- val study of records in Spain, Mexico and the Philippines related to the Santo Cristo de Burgos. “Archives often have the most surprising things,” she said. “Documents get deposit- ed there, and then all knowl- edge gets lost over time.” Her team’s research un- covered information about the captain, Don Bernardo Iniguez del Bayo, from the Basque region of Spain. The General Archive of the Indies in Seville, Spain, had a com- plete manifest of the estimat- ed 235 passengers and crew aboard the ship. Researchers also found a partial cargo manifest, includ- ing 2.5 tons of mercury that may help with identification of the wreck, and were able to link the markings on some of the beeswax blocks found in Oregon to shippers in the Philippines part of the galleon trade. “I hope that our archival research will help the archae- ological team in locating the wreck,” La Follette said. “I would also like other people to do genealogical research of the people on the passenger and crew list.” Other articles in the quar- terly recap the Santo Cristo de Burgos’ crew and cargo, along with the Spanish galleon trade across the Pacific Ocean and the tradition of treasure hunting around Neahkahnie Mountain and the Nehalem Spit. One recaps the research by the Beeswax Wreck Proj- ect, started in 2006 to ascer- tain the nationality, port of origin, destination, name and final resting place of the ship. The Beeswax Wreck Proj- ect has since been folded into the Maritime Archaeological Society, a nonprofit based in Astoria and focused on doc- umenting shipwrecks in the Pacific Northwest. The group last searched for the ship- wreck last summer, deploying side-scan sonar and an under- water robot to explore rocky outcroppings along Oswald West State Park. Scott Williams, lead re- searcher with the Beeswax project, said the archaeolog- ical society is hampered by a lack of money for the expen- sive underwater archaeology equipment. The group will dive near the Beeswax search area this summer in search of an unrelated anchor chain, but needs a new magnetometer to help find metal deposits from artifacts such as the cannons the Santo Cristo de Burgos would have been carrying, he said. But Williams is excited about the potential interest La Follette’s work could gener- ate. “I think it kind of kicks it up to another level of schol- arship,” he said. “Having this out will really raise aware- ness.” La Follette, who is active with the Oregon Coast Alli- ance, will present her team’s findings July 8 at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland. Copies of the Oregon Histor- ical Quarterly are available at the historical society’s mu- seum store, and starting next week at the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Want a fresh look for summer? Call your local, neighborhood experts! Call now for your free In-Home Consultation! % 20 OFF Select Signature Series* Free Cordless on select Signature Series We’re Budget Blinds, and we’re North America’s #1 provider of custom window coverings. We do it all for you; design, measure and install — because we think everyone, at every budget, deserves style, service, and the peace-of-mind of the best warranty in the business. 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