Captain Elfying

Hello, this is Nelson Olmsted with the portrait of the original story of Fairyboat Captain. Here's Clint Gruber with the brief message from Pacific Power. Welcome once again to Stories of Pacific Powerland, a presentation of Pacific Power and Light, the company that has been serving the electric needs of the region's homes, farms and industries

through more than half a century of progress and growth. Now, Nelson's ready to cast off with today's story. It was a memorable day in 1921 when Captain Fritz Elfing peered out of the wheelhouse of the tourist one, gazed across the four and a half miles of water and said, past all!

This maiden voyage marked a milestone in the history of Astoria, Oregon. Fritz Elfing had often said, well, you see, it's good roads and motor cars, that's just making the difference. Why is nothing for folks to drive down here from Portland in a day?

Just look at the tourists, and it's the same on the Washington side. Long beach, you'll walk over and see view. But how do you get from one side of the Columbia to the other? Well, you charter a boat or you swim, that's how.

What this town needs is a ferry service, and by golly I'm just the man to start one. Well, the tourist one was no giant among ferryboats. We could pack eight to fourteen vehicles on our narrow deck, and the passengers either stood in the deck, sat in their cars, or crowded into the wheelhouse.

But in 1924, competition appeared in the scene. A second ferry line was established, running between Astoria and Megdler Washington. Captain Elfing commented, Well, the river ought to be big enough for all of us. Besides, I got two ferries in the water and another under construction.