The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-08-17
From our Eastern Correspondent.
WELLAND CANAL, CANADA, !
August 9Th, 1871. !

WELLAND CANAL, CANADA,
August 9Th, 1871.
MY DEAR COURIER
On the evening Of Thursday, the
Sd inst, at o'clock, we bid adieu,
with regret, to our friends in Toledo,
and boarded the ecrew steamer,
Michigan, one of the boats Of the
Northern Transportation Line, bound
for Ogdensburg. Tired of the heat,
dust and hurry, of the railroads, we
thought, in this sultry weather, Eve
hundred miles by Lake. with cool
and healthy bresses, q route never
before traversed, a visit to Cleveland,
the Welland Canal, Lake Ontario,
with it's numerous beautiful towns,
the Thousand Islands of the St.
Lawrence, Ogdensburg, ETC., would
be better than thirty.miles-an.h hour
ride by rail, over routes often trav-
ersed before, and so far we have seen
no cause to regret the change.
And first we will tell you about
the facilities of travel on the Lakes !:
The old steamers, Of whose attrac.
tions, before the advent of railroads,
we have q vivid recollection, have
mostly passed away, and a class of
boats adapted to both passenger and
freight traffic have succeeded. The
Northern Transportation Company
was organized about 1851, to meet
this change Of things and the public
want. Il had its origin at Cleveland.
At first it was a small affair, compar-
ed with itg present gigantic proper
tions. They have now 81 steamers
of an average tonnage of about $50
tons. They run to and from all the
principal ports Of all this vast chain
Of lakes, SO that you can find . good
and safe boat at Duluth, Chicago,
Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, and inter.
mediate ports, for Ogdensburg, and
then by rail to Boston, or wherever
you wish to 60, and with the privi-
lege Of laying over at all attractive
points, such as Mackinaw, Put In
Bay Islands, Niagara Falls, the
Thousand Islands, etc. Philo Cham
berlain, OF Cleveland, is the Presi-
dent and present Manager. Quite
recently the Vermont Central Rail-
road has acquired large interest in
the stock of the company. The fare
by the boats from Ogdensburg is, to
Cleveland SO, to Toledo $40, to De-
troit $40, to Chicago SIS, to Duluth
$50. Round trip, Toledo to Ogdens-
burg, $18. Excursion tickets, to
make the entire circuit of the lakes,
Ogdensburg to Duluth, Chicago, etc.,
and board, $50. Thousands are
availing themselves Of this arrange
ment. to enjoy one of the most
notwithstanding, delightful, and
cheap summer excursions in the
world.
Rain fell in torronts at Toledo and
vicinity during the afternoon of
Thursday, much to the relief of cis.
terms and vegetation, parched by q
drouth of long continuance, but our
good cousin, DR.. Cochran, transferred
us dry shod from his hospitable man.
SION to the wharf, and soon after the
harbor, elevators, steeples. and the
pala.ial residences of Summit street,
the radiance of gorgeous sunset
covering the scene, were fading in
the defiance, and we were being
borne on the bosom OF broad Man-
NEE, at the rate of ten miles an hour
towards the Bay and Lake Erie,
noting as We passed along objects Of
interest on either shore, among the
rest the works of the Lake Superior
Iron Company for smelling their ore.
And now, while supper is being
prepared, we will tell about the ship
to whose care we had committed our
lives and fortunes. The Michigan is
one Of the first boats put in commits
sion by the N. T. Co., and has seen
l9 years constant service. She is
consequently old, but yetas staunch
and reliable as when in her younger
years, she was the wonder and ad.
miration of all who sailed the Lake.
She never lost . passenger. Like
many old folks and things, she puts
on less style than her more modern
built associates in the feet, but one
is home-hke and comfortable, and no
one makes a trip on her without
wishing to make another, She has
for her commander Capt. VIM. E.
Williams, . genial, kind-hearted
sailor, who has breasted the storms
of the Lakes for twenty years, and
knows every head land shoal and
locality from Chicago to Ogdenburg.
Capt. Williams is ably supported BY
his officers and men, all OF whom treat
US with kindness,
But supper is over and we are
passing frcm Maumee Bay into
broader Erie. The shades Of night
are settling down upon US, and oh
the change from the sultry, dry and
parched land to the cool, moist and
refreshing atmosphere of the Lake
whose blue and snow-capped waves
are dancing and laughing before us
as far as the eye can reach. We
come to the point where the waters
Of the river meet the waters of the
Lake, and here was Dredging par
ty, spending $50, 900 Of Uncle Sans
money, and ahead light threw it,
rays across tho waste OF waters,
beacon for sailors. This turns out L
be Turtle Island Light. 1t is small
scarcely an acre in extent, and en-
tirely isolated. The Light House
residence of the keeper and clum]
of trees, constitute about the who'll
OF it.
Night covers the lake with he
dark mantle. Turtle Island ligh
recedes gradually. A propeller j
astern, but lays her course NOR
easternly than ours, and heads 70
Cleveland. We are bound for Put il
Bay Corrupted to Pudding Bay) Il
lands, 60 miles from Toledo. Mos
of the passengers resolve to sit up t
enjoy the fresh but invigoratin
brecze, see the moon rise at 10 o'cloc
and get q night view of these fl
nous Islands, the revolving light 9
which greeted us in the distance
About II o'clock lights were discoy
ered ahead, and soon after, roundup
u small island, we found ourselve
; 10 . spacious bay, and before US
, scene of enchantment. Night an