Gazelle (sidewheeler 1854)

"Gazelle" was an early sidewheeler on the Willamette River. She did not operate long, suffering a catastrophic boiler explosion less than a month after her trial voyage.

Design and construction

"Gazelle" was built at the now vanished town of Linn City, Oregon, which was located on the west side of the Willamette River across from Oregon City. She was driven by two steam engines, each one turning one of her sidewheels. "Gazelle"'s builders were doing business as the Willamette Falls Canal, Milling and Transportation Company.

Reaching the upper river

Built below Willamette Falls, "Gazelle" was intended to run on the Willamette River above the falls, to serve the growing population in the Willamette Valley. To reach the upper river, "Gazelle" was lifted above the falls and launched on the upper Willamette at Canemah.

Operations

"Gazelle" made her her trial run above the falls on March 18, 1854. Her first captain was Robert Hereford. The Oregon City newspaper was enthusiastic about the new steamer:During the voyage, "Gazelle" stood by as "Oregon" was sinking after hitting a snag just below Salem. Cargo from the "Oregon" was loaded onto "Gazelle" to lighten "Oregon" to better allow her salvaging. Suddenly "Oregon" broke free of the snag, drifted downstream, ran up on a sandbar and sank so deeply that only a part of her upperworks visible above water. "Oregon", also a new steamer, was a total loss. On the way back down, "Gazelle" ran over a log and broke some paddle buckets, which however was not serious damage, and in fact was one of the strengths of the paddlewheel design over the propeller on inland waters.

Destruction

On April 8, 1854, at 6:30 a.m., "Gazelle" had come over to Canemah from the long wharf built above the Falls on the western side of the river above Linn City. This was to be her first regular run after the trip up river where she'd attempted to assist the "Oregon". That morning, she was bound for Corvallis. "Gazelle" had been at the Canemah dock for about ten minutes. To make a speedy departure, the engineer had tied down the safety valve to build up steam. About 60 people were on board at 6:40 a.m. when "Gazelle"'s engineer, Moses Toner, jumped off the boat, on to dock, and took off running. About a minute later both boilers exploded. At least twenty people [Mills gives the casualties as twenty-eight killed.] were instantly killed, and everyone else was injured, including four people who died later. The sidewheeler "Wallamet" had been lying alongside "Gazelle", her works were seriously damaged, and her pilot J.M. Pudge was killed in the explosion. The whole town of Canemah came running to the rescue, and boats had to be launched to rescue the living people and recover the bodies floating in the river. Captain Hereford was injured but survived. The coroner's jury blamed the engineer's "gross and culpable' negligence in keeping too much steam, and allowing the water level in the boilers to get too low.

Partial salvage

The hull sank at the dock, but was later sold. Her new owners raised the hull, lined it over the Falls, and rebuilt it to become first the "Sarah Hoyt" and then the "Senorita" The engines were salvaged and installed in "Senorita".

Memorial

Many years later a memorial plaque was placed on a rock outcropping overlooking the Willamette River and the long-abandoned Canemah landing, which stated::cquote|600 yards south of this point
Explosion of Steamer Gazelle, April 8, 1854.
Loss of twenty-four lives.
Marked May 18th, 1933 by Multnomah Chapter D.A.R.Timmen, Fritz,"Blow for the Landing -- A Hundred Years of Steam Navigation on the Waters of the West", at 69, Caxton Printers, Caldwell, ID 1973 ISBN 0-87004-221-1]

ee also

* "Senorita"

Notes