Squally Hook
By Curt Cunningham

Squally Hook is the name of a set of Rapids on the Columbia river. The following is from the book Down the Columbia by Lewis R. Freeman published in 1921; "From the foot of Rock Creek Rapids to the head of Squally Hook Rapids is something less than 4 miles of not very swift water. Squally Hook, I could see, was much the same sort of a short, sharp, savage rapid as Rock Creek. There was the same restricted intake, and the same abrupt bend just beyond the foot. Below Squally Hook the river turned to the left, where at Rock Creek it had turned to the right."

"The sheer 2,000 foot cliff on the inside of the bend that gives its name to the rapid is well called Squally Hook. What had been a gentle 10 miles-an-hour breeze on the river above began resolving itself into a succession of fitful gusts of 20 or 30 as I approached the rock-walled bend. Even a steady head-wind makes steering awkward in going into a rapid, and a gusty one is a distinct nuisance."

Squally Hook was also the name for an unsettled place along the Columbia and railroad near the rapids which are about 17 miles downstream from Arlington. There was never anything there other than a railroad station platform. It was a place where wild geese were hunted and many hunters came from Portland on the train. From reading the news which originated there, it seemed like nothing really good ever happened in this desolate place. The sand would blow from the winds and cover the tracks and many a train had derailed there, and quite a few people had lost their lives there for various reasons.

The Hunting Trip to Squally Hook

In the Dalles Daily Chronicle issued on December 15, 1892 is a story about some geese hunters who got off the train at Squally Hook to hunt some geese. After they finished building their blinds and were tucked in to wait for game, up came one of the wind storms which were common there and scattered their shelter. They then decided to cross the river and try the other side. They took a small boat and then started across the river. They were determined to catch some dinner that day or starve. The river was rough when they started and when they reached the middle of the half mile wide river it became even rougher.

One of the party began to pray that they would turn back from which they did. They made it back without taking a cold bath and decided to end their hunting trip and waited for the train to arrive to take them back home. Not long after the train came but the conductor told them they would have to wait for the next train. They didn't know it would be 8 hours late. After realizing it was going to be a long wait they sought shelter and made a fire. Tired and hungry they ended up waiting until the next morning before the train finally arrived. The tired and hungry hunters then traveled back to Portland empty handed.

The Chickens Came Home to Roost

Printed in the Toledo Lincoln County Leader on Thursday June 14, 1894 is an article about a trip that Oregon Governor Pennoyer took from Heppner back to Salem. His itinerary ended up being as follows; From Heppner to Willows (Heppner) Junction by train, from Willows Junction to Arlington, 11 miles, on foot, thence to Squally Hook by flatcar, thence by handcar, small boat and shank's mare to Rufus, and from Rufus to The Dalles by way of Wasco in a hack. Even though the trip was somewhat difficult, the governor said he had a delightful adventure, for no matter whether on foot or handcar, small boat or hack, he consoled himself by pleasant introspection, knowing that he was riding in a Pullman sleeper on the "fiat plan."

The Governor reached Willows Junction on Tuesday morning June 12th and it was 11 miles to Arlington. Hoping to get a ride on the section foreman's handcar he went to the door of the foreman's house and knocked on the door. From behind the door the reply "who's there." The Governor answered by saying, "A friend who wants to be taken to Arlington.'' The foreman then asked who it was that wanted to go to Arlington. He answered, "I am Governor Pennoyer, of the state of Oregon, and I want you to take take me to Arlington." The voice behind the door said; "I am Pat Maloney, and I am working for the railroad company. I will say to you what you said to the President; You attend to your business and I will attend to mine." The Governor then had to tramp ties 11 miles to Arlington on foot. When he finally arrived at Arlington he was able to catch a ride on a flatcar for the 17 miles down to Squally Hook.

The Train Wrecks of Squally Hook

On December 14, 1894 The Dalles Chronicle reported and at 10am, trains No. 22 and No. 23 had crashed in a head-on collision near Squally Hook. George Land was piloting eastbound No. 22, when C. S. Wyke the Engineer of No. 23 which was traveling westbound was a few minutes late which caused the wreck. Arriving at Squally Hook, which was the regular meeting point, and not finding No. 23 sidetracked there, as it should have been, he thought the train was annulled and because he had the right-of-way, he did not stop.

He had barely passed the switch when he saw the oncoming train. He first thought it was stopped, and at once began to stop his train. When the trains collided the engine from No. 22 climbed up on top of the other one and Lang was thrown back and fell between the boiler-head and the shovel-plate, which was turned up. Thankfully nothing inside the cab broke, not even the water gauge which prevented Land from being scalded to death. Because of the prompt action taken by Brakeman Miller, who shoveled away the coal and sawed a board which was holding Lang against the firebox, where he would have been roasted to death. It was indeed a lucky escape.

Wyke was able to jump from the train and escaped serious injury, but Land was not as lucky and suffered a broken leg and his foot was crushed among other injuries. Lang was rushed to the Umatilla House at The Dalles where he was treated. His injuries where not serious although he was laid up for a time. Engineer Wyke said he was 2 minutes ahead of schedule according to his watch, but was actually behind by about 2 minutes, and was within 100 feet of the switch when the accident occurred. Both were skillful and careful engineers and had many friends at The Dalles.

Another train wreck happened on Saturday night August 14, 1895 between 7pm and 8pm. The Daily Astorian said that westbound train No. 21 which was known as the Heppner local was badly wrecked near Squally Hook. The approach to Squally Hook from the east was around a short curve and this was where the accident occurred. Engineer McEwan was traveling at a good speed when he saw a small herd of cattle on the track, and was too late to prevent running into them. One bull was struck and thrown off the track and against the bank and after the engine passed, the dead animal rolled back down onto the track and the trucks of a car came off the rails. When the car struck the frog at the east end of the switch it started down the wrong track, throwing the entire train, except the engine and a few cars. In all, 13 cars loaded with merchandise which was being shipped to Portland from eastern points were derailed and the cars were badly wrecked. None of the train's crew were hurt. Unfortunately there were 2 hobos killed riding the brake-beam but the remains of only one of them was ever found.

On October 1, 1897 the Condon Globe reported that a terrible wreck had occurred at Squally Hook Monday morning September 27, 1897. Sand on the tracks caused the engine of the freight train to jump the rails, which killed Engineer Charles Johnson and fatally injuring the fireman.

At the beginning of 1909 a fierce winter storm came through Oregon and Washington. The rainfall had flooded many of the rivers causing transportation problems on both sides of the Cascades. Near Squally Hook rocks fell from the cliffs beside track and broke the rail on the main-line. Late Tuesday night January 19, 1909 a train came through the area where the track was broken and the engine plus 3 cars were derailed. Luckily nobody was hurt  in this accident. The engine was in such bad shape it was remarkable that there were no injuries or fatalities.

The wreck blocked the tracks until the next morning when the line was reopened. Train No. 1 was 11 hours late and Train No. 6 was held 6 hours. The fierce storm caused ridges to be washed away on both the Oregon and Washington lines along the Columbia by the high water. The Ilwaco railroad had 1,100 feet of new track that was washed away. Throughout the entire system streams had washed away many railroad grades and large construction crews were sent out to re-build new track, replace bridges and repair other damages caused by storm.

The Steamer Relief Lands At Squally Hook

From the early 1900's to around 1915 steamers had hauled sacks of wheat which were loaded at Squally Hook. On September 30, 1906, the steamer Relief made her first trip to Squally Hook, and loaded 1,060 sacks of wheat. Captain Frank J. Smith, who was superintendent of the Open River Transportation Company, had returned in the morning of October 2nd from the first trip of the new steamer, which left that evening on October 2nd on another business trip to the upper river country. The captain said the Relief had proved herself to be a splendid craft for upper river service and she had brought down a load of 1,500 sacks of wheat from Squally Hook, which was then transferred to the portage road at Celilo. the cargo was then taken to the lower wharf and reloaded onto the Spencer the next day and she hauled the cargo down to Portland.

The afternoon of October 2, 1915, both the Relief and the Mountain Gem had arrived at the Celilo portage road with their loads of grain, and the cargoes between them amounted to 3.600 sacks of wheat. Captain Smith reported that the Relief was one of the best boats he had ever seen on the upper Columbia. Her ability at climbing the rapids surprised the Portland party, who were passengers on that first voyage Saturday afternoon September 30th. She made excellent time to Squally Hook and was expected to do better when she goes to Hover the following day. For the next 4 months the Relief continued to arrive at Squally Hook to load up to 1,500 sacks of wheat each voyage. The wheat was brought down to the riverboat on wagons by the farmers of the area. The river counties along the upper river in Washington and Oregon reported a 100% increase in grain that was shipped out in 1915.

Squally Hook begins to Fade and Quinook comes into Existence

Squally Hook's importance as a shipping point ended in 1915 although it remained a stopping point on the railroad for the few residents who lived in the area. Before the Columbia River Highway was completed in 1921, the railroad was the main source of transportation out of the area. On February 27, 1919 about a mile or 2 upriver from Squally Hook a post office opened by the name of Quinook and Mrs. W. E. Rhodes was the postmaster. This name came to be from combining the names of Quinton and Squally Hook, and was in operation until 1925.

On December 31 1921, James Camblist who was a section hand was fined $500 for bootlegging. He had been selling liquor at Quinook and was caught when he traveled to Arlington from Boardman and had unknowingly confided to a deputy sheriff that he could sell him liquor for $15 a quart. The deputy ordered 3 quarts and told Sheriff Elmer Montague about the deal he made and he came out to receive the order and then arrested Camblist.

On June 9, 1921 Lester L. Sprague 38 of Quinook was married to Vera Johnson 24 of Portland who had lived at 555 East Couch Street.

Squally Hook Today

Today both Squally Hook and Quinook no longer exist and the area where sacks of wheat were loaded onto steamers and the riverbank where the Columbia River Highway and the railroad once traveled on are now under the water of Lake Umatilla which was created by the John Day dam in 1968.