Monday, February 19, 2018

The Peter Iredale: 1906 to 2018

MaxRedline has a post up on the Peter Iredale with a current picture of the wreck remains.



Here's a postcard showing what it looked like when it foundered in 1906 from the Oregon Historical Society.


And one I took in 1986:


10 comments:

OregonGuy said...

The first time I saw it was back in 1964. At that time, most of the ships hull was still visible. It's amazing what 50 years of erosion will do.
.

T. D. said...

I'm amazed too, OG. And how stuck it was/is.

MAX Redline said...

It's still a sobering reminder of what the sea can do, even to a steel-hulled vessel.

BTW, thanks for the nod.

T. D. said...

Yes, few of our "best" things last very long. Your posts inspire thought. Thanks, Max!

MAX Redline said...

Glad you occasionally find something in the blog enjoyable!

OregonGuy said...

I'm writing a longer post on the Comey firing, and am looking for "Oregonian" subscription numbers from the early 1980's to present. I've done several searches on-line, and am becoming frustrated. As I recall, back in the '80's, the number of subscriptions for "The Oregonian" was greater than the combined rates for the two Seattle papers. I wanted to double-check that before I asserted that, and "The Oregonian" simply doesn't provide historical subscription numbers.

Do you have access to that information, and would you extend a hand in either giving me a source, or providing those numbers, please?

Yours,

OG

T. D. said...

OG, the farthest my numbers go back are 1999. These are from Audit Bureau of Circulation stats I culled until it stopped publishing valid numbers in 2014.

Sep 1999 daily 347,538
Sep 1999 Sunday 431,137

However, you can go back and look on microfilm at the papers up to 1987 online (through your library), and find the "statement of ownership" that is required by law to be published in October for every newspaper and publication that uses the US mail. Here's what the 1980 figures are:

daily, total paid circulation 248,990 (published October 2, 1980, bottom of page D5)
Sunday, total paid circulation 419,046 (published October 5, 1980, bottom of page E32

If you would like another year up to 1987, I'll look for it for you.

T. D. said...

Went ahead and looked up 1987:

daily 324,096 (published Tuesday, October 6, 1987, page FD11)
Sunday 406,216 (published Sunday, October 4, 1987, page A3)

I should clarify this is the average for the 12 months proceeding. There is another figure that is just for the nearest to filing date (September or October).

Also, interesting that the number of copies printed for the daily was 612,084 and for the Sunday, 428,775.

If you want a copy of the full statements, I can publish a post on it with them in it. :-)

OregonGuy said...

Thanks. I think my memory of around 640-thousand circ was close for 1983. I'm not sure that my local library has stacks that far back, and if I was close to downtown I'd hit the main library in Portland because I know that would have that on microfiche...or at least they should have. Would those old microfiche films be digitized by now? Can't tell you the hours I've spent on those old readers.
.

T. D. said...

Multnomah County Library has digitized all their microfilm. That's where I got the 1980 and 1987 figures online. Check your library to see if they have a link to historic newspapers including the Oregonian. It's called NewsBank Inc. But, Multnomah County just lists it as The Historical Oregonian on the drop down menu. I chose the year and searched in quotes "statement of ownership". I couldn't find the Sunday version for 1984-1986.

1981
Sunday 416,934 (439,242 printed) (Sunday, October 4, 1981, page A7)
daily 244,296 (263,937 printed) (Friday, October 2, 1981, page A3)

1982
Sunday 408,378 (430,168 printed) (Sunday, October 10, 1982, page A3)
daily 235,743 (253,879 printed) (Monday, October 4, 1982, page A4)

1983
Sunday 409,004 (432,148 printed) (Sunday, October 2 and 9, 1983, page A4)
daily 293,504 (315,671 printed) (Monday, October 3, 1983, page A4)

1984
daily 305,006 (369,139 printed) (Friday, October 5, 1984, page A18)

1985
daily 319,060 (377,788 printed) (Wednesday, October 2, 1985, page A3)

1986
daily 337,339 (396,913 printed) (Thursday, October 2, 1986, page A4)