The Logging Logjam: A Close Call on the Seattle Waterfront

A Dutchman once informed a Missourian that the greatest trouble with his countrymen is that their forethought comes afterward. That is just the trouble with a great many men in this country whose enterprise and go-ahead-itiveness Josh Billings puts it is, unfortunately, a quite common vice. This was practically illustrated here last night. A river tug was towing logs up the bay, alongside a long boom of them in tow. She had run a column of logs onto the north side of Yesler’s wharf when the logs broke loose, and the tug hurried away with a much smaller charter. The logs floated away toward the city wharf. About this time, the Annie Stewart attempted to back out from her landing as usual, and the captain, not knowing that the logs had left in this reckless manner, and not being able to see them on account of the dense darkness, ran full upon them, breaking an iron and two buckets out of the wheel. Fortunately, Captain Brown saw the logs in time to stop the speed of the boat sufficiently to save the rudder. The damage is considerable, and it should serve to teach a wholesome lesson to the erratic in such careless habits, which is of too frequent occurrence here, and will be guarded against in the future. Haste makes waste, and that is what’s the matter—too much haste.