P. W. Gillette

“ For many years after 1811 there was but little traffic in the Columbia. As the business of the Hudson Bay Company increased they had two or three ships making regular trips, but during all those years there is no record of any pilot at the bar. The company kept among their servants some one who was capable of piloting their vessels in and out. Along in the '30s they had in their service a Kanaka who sometimes acted as pilot. But there was not business enough at the mouth of the river for one pilot until about 1847. ”

“ Lottie was captain of her, Lottie was a Scotchman, a large and powerful man. After Major James Birnie retired from the service of the Hudson Bay Company at Astoria to his farm at Cathlamet, Mr. Lottie succeeded him in charge of their affairs at that point. A feud existed between Lottie and Colonel John McClure, an American, who had taken up a claim joining the old Astor place on the west, and which later on became the principal business portion of Astoria. McClure was an ill-tempered and dangerous man when under the influence of intoxicating drink. ”

“ They had been so long in possession of the business, and knowing it must pass through their hands anyway, they had become too independent and too neglectful of their duty. They seldom ever went outside in bad weather to look for ships, no matter how many were due, or how important a speedy arrival might be. ”

“ Gillette is here to endeavor to induce our Legislature to enact a law regulating pilotage on the Columbia River Bar so as to give the exclusive right of pilotage to one or more steam tugs, instead of the uncertain sailboats. His bill has passed both branches of the Legislature and is now the law of the land. This is right; the interest of life and commerce demand that the bar at the mouth of the Columbia River — the worst and most dangerous on the continent — should be guarded by steam power. The traveling public may and will be grateful to Mr. ”