November can be a turbulent and deadly time in local waters as it was 115 years ago as recounted in two stories from the pages of the Aberdeen Herald. One is of near disaster on the jetty. The other is a truly sad story about the death of a member of one of Hoquiam’s founding families on the eve of his wedding.

STEAM SCHOONER WRECKED — The steam schooner South Bay left Hoquiam Thursday morning, with 400,000 feet of lumber from Grays Harbor Lumber Co.’s mill, having in tow the Rodondo, a new tug boat, built at the Hoquiam shipyard for California parties. The Rodondo was also lumber laden and was going in tow to San Francisco to receive her machinery.

For some unknown reason the captain of the South Bay took the south instead of the north channel after crossing the bar, and as his vessel was soon pounding on top of the jetty. The rudder was damaged and a hole stove in the side, and would soon have been a total wreck but for the appearance of the tug Daring. The tug was cruising in the vicinity and Capt. Stream heard the South Bay whistle for help, and went at once to her assistance. The Daring soon got a line on board the South Bay and pulled her from the perilous position and towed the damaged vessel to Aberdeen, where she unloaded at the Market mill, and will be hauled up on the Lindstrom marine railway for repairs.

When the steamer struck the jetty, her tow, the tug Rodondo, broke loose and drifted off to sea, and was picked up the next day by the tug Traveler and returned to Hoquiam, nothing the worse for the experience. — Aberdeen Herald, November 28, 1904

Announcement is made of the wedding of Miss Hadassah Knapp, of South Aberdeen, and Mr. Hay Karr, of Hoquiam, at the residence of the bride’s mother, next Wednesday. The Herald extends congratulations. — Aberdeen Herald, November 7, 1904

A SAD DROWNING — W.H. Karr a Popular Young Man of Hoquiam, is Lost on the Eve of Wedding Day — W.H. Karr, a young man who has spent his whole life at Hoquiam, is believed to have been drowned near North Beach Tuesday evening. On that morning Mr. Karr, Dr. Wells, and A.G. Rockwell left Hoquiam for a day’s hunting on the bar in Mr. Karr’s launch. At Sand Island, they landed to spend the day. One of the party shot a goose which fell at a distance from shore, and Mr. Karr started in a skiff to get the bird. When a half a mile out, the skiff overturned, and Karr was seen climbing onto the bottom of the boat and try to reach a fish trap, but, being without oars, he was unable to do anything but drift with a strong east wind that was driving him in the direction of the sea.

Dr. Wells and Rockwell tried to swim to his aid when the boat upset, but the great distance and strong flood tide prevented them from making much headway, and they were so exhausted as to be almost unable to regain the launch. When they reached the launch, they at once put out in search of Karr, who had now disappeared, but were unable to find any trace of him or the boat, and returned to Hoquiam for assistance.

Searching parties went out and examined the bay closely, but found no trace of the missing man. Yesterday the tug Pilot started out early in the morning with a party of men including Dr. Wells and Mr. Rockwell, and made a careful search of the ocean beach as far north as Oyehut, but finding no trace of either the man or boat. The tug returned to Hoquiam in the afternoon, leaving four men well provisioned to search the beach between Oyehut and the mouth of the Humptulips River, and but little hope is had of finding Karr alive.

The loss of the estimable young man is particularly distressing in view of the fact that he was to have been married last evening to Miss Hadassah Knapp, of South Aberdeen who is prostrated over the sad loss of her fiancée. — Aberdeen Herald, November 10, 1904

Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Karr, of Hoquiam, whose son, W. Hay, was drowned last week, are having more than their share of trouble. Another son, his wife and child are all down with typhoid fever, at their home in Seattle. — Aberdeen Herald, November 14, 1904

Elmer Page and Jim Avey left Tuesday for North Beach to take up the hunt for Hay Karr’s body. — Aberdeen Herald, November 24, 1904

BODY FOUND — The body of W. Hay Karr, who was drowned on the lower harbor, on the evening of the 8th, was found yesterday morning, about half way between Oyehut and Damon’s Point. Since the drowning, patrols have been kept on the beach, and the watchers were rewarded by finding the body almost as soon as it floated ashore.

The body was found face down, and head onto the beach. There was no disfigurement, and his keys, money, etc., were in the clothing, so that there was no trouble in identifying the body.

The funeral will take place Wednesday afternoon, from the Presbyterian Church at Hoquiam, under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity, Rev. C. McDermoth, of this city, officiating. — Aberdeen Herald, November 28, 1904

Roy Vataja is the son of Finnish immigrants and shows great respect to the waterways of Grays Harbor.