The Eastern Oregon Burned at Percival’s Wharf

Burned and charred beyond recognition, the body of one of the crew of the steamship Eastern Oregon, which was burned to the hull last night, was taken from the forward part of the boat this morning. The Eastern Oregon was the property of the Oregon Improvement Company and arrived here at 4 o’clock yesterday from the repair shops at Seattle, to go on the gridiron for the purpose of being painted. In the forward part of the boat were stored 400 pounds of paint. The boat had been placed on the gridiron, and as the tide was out the crew of about 26 men were at work on the hull while the remainder, to the number of a dozen, had turned in.

The origin of the fire is attributed by some to the boiling over of paint in the galley, and by others to an explosion. At any rate, when the flames were first discovered the captain was superintending the work on the hull. He with others rushed aboard to arouse the crew. One man frantically rushed toward the flames, but the captain followed to his rescue. The wildest excitement prevailed and a regular panic ensued. Already the heat was intense, the flames eating everything in their way and blocking passages of exit. The men were terrified. To make matters worse, before half the number had got ashore the gangplank gave way. There was no means of escape from the burning ship, and had there been the men were too excited to find it. As a last resort many of them jumped to the mud flats forty feet below, and ten minutes from the time of the alarm the wharf contained a half dozen men with not a stitch of clothing on beyond a shirt. They were taken to Percival’s office on the dock, and Hugh Kempler, George Thompson and Mr. Percival each contributed from their wardrobes. Such outfits as a straw hat, white shirt and a rubber coat were the only garments many could secure until they were taken to Young’s hotel.

In the meantime, the flame-swept ship illumined the sky and brought crowds and crowds from all parts of the city. The alarm was turned in from Third and Main and it was not long before three streams of water were playing on the burning mass. The open condition of the boat, however, gave the wind full sway. The heat was so intense that it got up steam in the boiler and the fog horn blew continuously in a most doleful tone.

The captain and crew lost all their personal effects. For a while it was thought that one of the crew was missing, but the captain felt sure that all were out. This morning’s find, however, revealed the fatal result. The body is supposed to be that of the third cook, who went by the name of Charles. He was a German about 31 years of age.

The flames spread fore and aft, and finally the house gave way. Aft was stored a little over 30 tons of coal, and the strongest efforts were made to keep the flames from this, which were partially successful.

At midnight the firemen were working vigorously, when the house fell in and started the flames afresh, at the same time causing the paint to burn more vigorously. Fears were entertained for the safety of Percival’s wharf, valued at $30,000, but a heavy rain set in and the fire was finally got under control. The breaking of the gangplank, the rapidity of the spreading flames and the fact that most of the crew were at the hull prevented the utilization of the boat’s fire brigade, and the men were forced to stand and see the ship and their effects swept away.

The Eastern Oregon was built at Chester, Pa., in 1883, was 200 feet over all, and her burden was 1,400 tons. She was formerly the City of Palatka, and plied along the Atlantic coast from New York City to Florida. She was purchased by the Oregon Improvement Company, and has been on the Tacoma-Whatcom run. She had just been thoroughly repaired.

At 3 o’clock this morning the fire engine was withdrawn and two streams from the hydrant on Percival’s dock played on the ruins all night. This morning a stream was kept going forward in order to decrease the intense heat.

The scene last night was a beautiful though thrilling one. The upper portion of the boat had yielded to the flames and fallen in a shapeless mass. On the bridge was an officer directing the movements of several men who held the hose. The wind whistled and the flames roared, but above the din could be heard the voices of the officers and men who were working so valiantly to save the ship.

The members of the fire department worked long and courageously. Nearly 5,000 feet of hose were brought into use. When the flames abated somewhat the firemen gathered in Percival’s office to get warm. They were drenched and soaked, some of them with but the scanty clothing on that they had grabbed at the sound of the alarm. The Gold Bar restaurant furnished cans of hot coffee, and the men were cheered internally by a donation from W. A. Botkin.

Not a stitch of clothing on many of the firemen was fit to wear today, and this is evidence enough of why the city council should provide for the department complete outfits of rubber clothing. Efforts will be made to remove the damaged machinery as soon as the mass is cooled. The body of the burned man was removed to the undertaking establishment of Earnest & Bates. Captain Greene, who commanded the boat, is well known here, and has been on the Sound for seventeen years. The pilot, F. K. Layton, lost valuable papers. He has been with the boat during the past sixteen months. The total loss to the boat is about $125,000. She is well insured.