Olga and Andrew Anderson Photo Album

The new steam tug that has been in the process of construction for the past few weeks, was successfully launched at 5 p.m. yesterday.

This boat was built under the direction of Major T.J. Handbury, the United States engineer, officer in charge of the work of improving the mouth of the Columbia river. It is to do the towing necessary to this work between Astoria and Fort Stevens and in the vicinity of the jetty. The heavy stone barges are towed between Astoria and the contractor's quarry above Fisher's landing, by the government steam Cascades. This new boat will be a valuable and necessary adjunct to the plant belonging to the work at the mouth of the river. The rock and other material used in the construction of the jetty will now be moved with regularity and dispatch.

The boat is named after Colonel George H. Mendell, corps of engineers, United States army, an officer well known throughout the country, and especially on the Pacific coast, where he has been identified professionaly for many years with all the government engineering projects, both civil and military, and with many private and corporate engineering enterprises. It is 90 feet, 6 inches in length over all, 18 feet beam and 7 feet depth of hold. The hull and cabin are built of the very best selected material. ..."

Source:    "The Daily Morning Astorian", May 12, 1889, courtesy Historic Oregon Newspapers Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, 2013."

**Photo of the "Sanborn & Sons" Building at the foot of 9th Street...the government dredge "Clatsop" was often docked here. 

**Photos of the government dredge "Clatsop" and many pictures of men with their heads in a circular life preserver that says "Clatsop" at the top and "U.S. E.D." on the bottom. This boat was part of the United States Engineering Department. 

**Photo of army camp (Spruce Division? Fort Stevens? Engineering Department?)

**Photo of the water tower at the Astoria Box Company (near modern Mill Pond area)

**Andrew and Olga Anderson lived at 385 27th Street according the 1925 Astoria City Directory, and it says "pilot" beside his name as occupation. It makes sense he was a river pilot since so many of these photos have to do with activity on the river. 

**There are also many photos of Alaska and dog sled teams.