'' Rival '' 's first trip was on July 4 , 1860 , carrying on the the " unbelievable " number of 700 passengers from Oregon City to Vancouver , WT , a distance of by river , which kept Captain Pease " breathing hard from the time he started until he saw them safely ashore " . There was a major flood of the Willamette River in late November and early December 1861 . On November 30 , the '' Rival '' tried to make her regular run from Oregon City to Portland , but was forced to abandon it after going only a few miles . Above Willamette Falls on the same day the steamer '' Onward '' started down the river towards Salem , under George Pease , who had sold his interest in '' Rival '' to Capt. John T. Apperson , two months after '' Rival '' 's completion , was now in command of '' Onward '' , and what started as a commercial venture that day for '' Onward '' turned into one of rescue , as the flood had carried away houses which were floating in the river with their occupants on the roofs
major flood
Great Flood of 1862
Rival (sternwheeler)