V7 N2 Summer 1979 Schooner 'Tango' (ex Bark 'Molly Dollar', ex 'Hans') off Columbia City

QUARTERDECK

REVIEW SUMMER 1979

VOL. 7

16TH & EXCHANGE STREET, ASTORIA, OREGON 97103

N0.2

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SCHOONER TANGO (ex BARK MARY DOLLAR, ex HANS) OFF COLUMBIA CITY, MAY, 1942 On the morning of May 2, 1942, the six-masted schoon er Tango towed past Astoria and out over the bar, where she set sail for Cape Town, South Africa, by way of Cape Horn.

Her steel hull was deeply laden with a cargo of 3,000,000 board feet of lumber, taken on at St. Helens in the preceeding weeks. This was the last cargo to leave the Columbia River in a merchant sailing vessel. For the Tango, it was the first time under canvas in twenty-eight years .

The Tango was built for German owners in 1904 as the four-masted bark Hans, by William Hamilton & Co. Of Port Glasgow, Scotland. Designed for the nitrate trade (coal from European ports to the west coast of South Amer ica; nitrates back), she and her almost -exact sister, the Kurt, were, at 3100 gross tons, among the largest sailing

vessels afloat. They were also among the most beautiful.

The Hans served successfully under the house flag of G.J.H. Siemers & Co. of Hamburg until 1914, when, at the outbreak of World War I, she and ten other German sailing vessels were interned at the neutral port of Santa Rosalia, Mexico. For the next seven years she swung to her anchor in that sunbaked roadstead.

In 1921, having been turned over to the Allies as war reparation, the Hans was purchased by The Robert Dollar Co., of San Francisco, who renamed her Mary Dollar and planned to use her in the lumber trade to the Orient. Towed to San Francisco Bay, the bark was laid up at Sausalito to await employment. It never came. She spent the next fourteen years in layup, gradually deteriorating. (continued inside)

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TANGO, ex HANS (continued from front page

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FROM THE QUARTERDECK This mid-summer is seeing much activity at the new Museum building. The contractors of the successful bidding group are hard at work. It is a pleasure to see their trucks parked outside open doors on the south side of the building and know that the electrical, sprinkler system, plumbing and insulation is under way.

From an estimated $152,450 the important "Mechanical" (Heating & Ventilation) spiraled into a bid of $346,000 presented to a startled Executive Committee! As a result, plans for heating and ventilation are under revision by the Building Committee in an effort to cut costs and still have a satisfactory system.

Financially the decision to proceed with four of the five contracts was a good one we feel. Of these four, two were below the estimated price - a welcome surprise.

Troubled times are not the happiest in which to hunt for the funds needed to complete this great project. The importance of this educational nautical edifice to the Northwest is the challenge we know we must bear in mind.

Frustrating as a lack of funds always is, the search for them must not falter. In the action to date we have cause to be proud of what has been acquired, what we have completed, and what we plan to complete. Were we to start anew today it would be impossible to duplicate properties or the building under construction for at least twice the outlay of funds.

A number of our staunch and most generous supporters have recently viewed the interior of the new building and all have been of a unanimous and decided opinion: the Museum must be finished! We appeal to you for help.

Rolf Klep, Director

In 1936 she was purchased by Nevada interests, who converted her to an offshore gambling barge. Her masts were cut away, as were her bulwarks and midship house. A barn-like casino was built on the main deck. Renamed Tango, she was anchored outside the three-mile limit off Long Beach, California, until State and Federal authorities closed the gambling operation down . By 1941 she seemed a prime prospect for the scrapper's torch. Her reprieve came in the form of the wartime shipping boom . Refitted at San Pedro and rigged as a six-masted, bald-headed schooner by the Transatlantic Navigation Co., of New York, she was towed to the Columbia River in early 1942 to load lumber for Cape Town.

The Tangos 103-day Cape Horn passage was relatively uneventful. She made a small profit for her owners, but in the face of dimming prospects for sailing ships, they sold her to a Portuguese shipowner who renamed the vessel Cidade Do Porto. After a series of short, problem-ridden voyages under the Portuguese flag, she was finally towed to Lisbon and dismantled in 1948.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Volunteer docents are needed to participate m the Museum's growing educational program. Anyone who is comfortable with small groups of people (especially children), who enjoys learning as well as teaching, and who can devote a half-day or more per week to conducting tours in the Museum should contact Education Coordinator Richard Fencsak at 325-2323. Training sessions will be scheduled early in September.

SHIP WESTERN SHORE Among the artifacts acquired in recent months is a fine oil painting of the ship Western Shore by Australian artist John Allcot, donated to the Museum by Mr. Edmund Hayes of Portland. It depicts the vessel running before a gale, with hands furling canvas on the fore upper topsail yard.

The Western Shore was built for the Simpson lumber and shipping family in North Bend in 1874, at a cost of $80,000. With a registered tonnage of 1188, she was the largest sailing vessel yet launched on the West Coast, and she remains the only full-rigged ship ever built in Oregon.

She was known for her fast passages. In 1875 she made the run from San Francisco to the Columbia River in just over 48 hours, beating the steamer Oriflamme by two and onehalf hours. The following year she was 101 days from the Columbia River to Liverpool, a near record.

Her brief career came to an abrupt end on July 11, 1878. Outbound from Puget ,Sound with coal, logging twelve knots, she struck Duxbury Reef, becoming a total loss.

NEUBAUER WINS SHIP MODEL COMPETITION A superb, planked model of the propeller Iralda of 1906, built by Edward K. Neubauer of Milwaukie, Oregon, took the Grand Prize at the Sixth Annual Ship Model Com petition, held at the Museum on May 12th. Neubauer's replica of the popular Columbia River steamer was among several dozen entries submitted by amateur ship modellers from throughout the Northwest. Others whose models took first prizes in their categories were Mary Martin, for her plastic kit model of a shrimper hauled out on a marine rail way; Robert Dybas, of Mercer Island, WA, for a wood, kitbuilt model of a 17th Century trading ketch; Captain George Phebus, for his bottle-ship model of the 4-masted bark, Peter Iredale; Ray Hakala, for his scratch-built, radio control model of a double-ended troller; and Dick Prouse, for his fanciful driftwood model. Prize winners in the junior category were Peter Ferrero, Ron Brewer, and Paddy Durkin.

NEW MEMBERS, INCREASED MEMBERSHIPS(*) LIFE Rear Admiral David L. Roscoe,Jr., U.S.N. (Ret.) SUSTAINING Mr. & Mrs.John Blake Hering, Portland* Mr. & Mrs. John P. Syvanen * SUPPORTING Mr. & Mrs. F. Richard Schroeder, Gearhart* Mr. Richard T. Schroeder, Eugene*

CONTRIBUTING Mr. Michael]. Adams, Seaside* Mr. & Mrs. Donald H. Aten, Beaverton Mr. & Mrs. William L. Bader, Portland* Mr. & Mrs. Howard]. Budlong, Portland* Mr. & Mrs. Amos Burg, Juneau, AK Captain & Mrs. Frank R. Gillard, Warrenton* Mr. Edward F. Hargreaves, Portland* Captain & Mrs. Eugene Harrower, Portland* Mr. & Mrs. Raymond G. Jubitz, Portland* Mr. & Mrs. Ed Lundholm Mr. & Mrs. Ken W. Luthe, Manzanita Mr. Henry McCall, Jr., Portland *

ANNUAL Mr. & Mrs. Oren Chambers, Milwaukie Mr. Richard E. Clark, Portland Mr. Vic Crosby, San Diego, CA Mr. & Mrs. Larry H. Davis Mr. & Mrs. Robert Ekstrom, Portland Mr. William R. Howell, Edmonds, WA Mr. & Mrs. Neil A. Jaeger, Portland Mr. & Mrs. Oliver M. Knode,Jr., Clatskanie Mr. & Mrs. A.R. Lofstedt, Bremerton, WA Duncan A. McLauchlan, M.D., Portland Mr. & Mrs. Donald F. Seebach, Hillsboro

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS HILDA ALSOS Mrs. Blanche Mjelde MERVIN ANDERSON Mr. & Mrs. Fred Bowers & Irene Mr. & Mrs. Earl B. Schenk WILMA BALDRIDGE Mr. & Mrs. Lauren H. Conley LLOYD BYERLY Mr. P.L. Nock RONALD N. COCHRAN Mr. & Mrs. James Cadd Mr. & Mrs. Ed Fearey Mr. & Mrs. Trophy Hughes Mr. & Mrs. Ted Johnson Mrs. Aili Kary Mr. & Mrs. G.D. Kohler Mr. & Mrs. Alfred]. L'Amie Mr. & Mrs. Ferris Saunders

MARSH M. CORBITT Western Transportation Co.

FRANK FOWLER Mr. & Mrs. Rolf Klep Mr. & Mrs. F. Richard Schroeder

VINCENT DEMASE Bumble Bee Seafood, Alaska Dept.

Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Bugas Mr. & Mrs. Trygve Duoos Mr. & Mrs. John Gizdavich Mr. & Mrs. Alfred]. L'Amie Mr. & Mrs. Howard Lovvold Mr. & Mrs. Ole J. Luoma Mr. & Mrs. Harry Swanson, Jr.

VERNONE E. FOWLER Mrs. Joseph M. Dyer Dr. & Mrs. Blair Henningsgaard Mr. & Mrs. Rolf Klep Mr. & Mrs. Neil Morfitt Mr. & Mrs. Orvo Nikula Mr. & Mrs. Harry Swanson, Jr. Miss Dorothy Wootton

STEPHEN T. EIDE Mr. & Mrs. Allen Johnson Mrs. FransJohnson Mrs. Aili Kary Mr. & Mrs. Alfred]. L'Amie Mr. & Mrs. Ferris Saunders

ELMER GOULD Mr. & Mrs. Earl B. Schenk H.Q.HALL Mrs. Aili Kary Mr. & Mrs. Alfred]. L'Amie Mr. & Mrs. Ferris Saunders

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS, CONTINUED ANNIE D . HAGLUND Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Dugan ROBERT J. HANSON Mr. & Mrs. George Fulton Ms. AlmaJacobson Mr. & Mrs. Alfred]. L'Amie Mr. & Mrs . Frank E. Ross Mr. & Mrs . J. Dan Webster EDNA I. HOWERTON Mr. & Mrs. Rolf Klep RAYMOND H. JONES Mrs. Marie Engberg Mr. & Mrs. Earl B. Schenk GERTRAUD KAMPFER Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Cox NANCY KLOSTERMAN Mr. & Mrs. William Blitz MARSHALL LEATHERS Miss Dorothy Wootton EMMA LINSTROM Mrs. Aili Kary Mr. & Mrs . Ferris Saunders NICHOLAS MARDESICH Mr. & Mrs. Rolf Klep

CHESTER MATTSON Mr. & Mrs . C. Delmer Boman Mr. Al Hansen Mr. & Mrs . Fred Lindstrom Mr. & Mrs. Don McHughs Mr. & Mrs . R .A. Mund EDWARD L. MCKEON Mr. & Mrs . Ed Fearey Mr. & Mrs . Rolf Klep Mr. & Mrs . Neil Morfitt BETTY NELSON Mr. & Mrs. Albert Grimberg Ms. Nyda Kary Mr. & Mrs. Alfred]. L'Amie Mrs. Marie Loken Mr. & Mrs. Howard Lovvold Mrs. Mildred Malchow Mr. Paul Moyer Mrs. Iver Olson Mr. Henry Ramvick Mr. & Mrs. George Siverson Mr. & Mrs. Deauard M. Swindler Mr. & Mrs. Robert Vinson MATHIAS J. OLSEN Mrs. Hilda Andersen Mr. & Mrs. Frederick C. Bradshaw Mr. & Mrs. Evan Davies Englund Marine Supply Co .

Mr. & Mrs. John R. Gilbertson Gilbertson, Brownstein, Sweeney & Kerr Mrs. Francis]. Kern Mr. & Mrs. Sven Lund Mrs. Mary Wainamo

QUARTERDECK REVIEW OF THE

COLUMBIA RIVER MARITIME MUSEUM ASTORIA, OREGON 97103

CATHERINE B . PIPER Mr. & Mrs. William B. Feldenheimer Mrs. Lyle Kingery Mr. & Mrs. Rolf Klep Mr. & Mrs. Robert Latta Ms . Elizabeth Lory Mrs. Herbert Malarkey AUDREY SCHROEDER The Herman M. Haggren Family CHRISTIAN A. SIVERSON Mrs . Betty Irwin Mr. & Mrs. Rolf Klep Mr. & Mrs. Ruben A. Mund Mr. & Mrs. Frank E. Ross WILLIAM SNOW Mr. & Mrs. Ruben A . Mund NELS SWEDBERG Mrs. Berenice Baker Thompson & Taylor Realtors CHESTER J. VINCENT Mrs. Ragna M. Brown Mr. & Mrs. Alf Dahl Mr. & Mrs . Ragnar 0. Johnson Mrs. Julie Johnson Lloyd & Family MYRTLE WEBSTER Mr. V. William Seeborg

Non-Profit Organization

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PA ID Astoria, Oregon Permit No. 209