to meet this challenge, cr&psn spent nearly $20,000 in remodeling "bailey gatzert" into "one of the finest sternwheel steamers afloat." they also chartered the sidewheeler "ocean wave", which was operated as a through boat from portland to ilwaco. "bailey gatzert" alternated with the cr&psn's elite sternwheeler "telephone", reputedly the fastest river steamer in the world, providing astoria with the best river steamer service that it had ever had. new machinery was installed into the boat by engineer charles h. jennings (b.1851).