Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-08-23
A Round Trip ON the Pearl.

ana VINO nave Dut llttle spare Ciihe
will find what they are in quest of b.
taking a round trip on the steame
Pearl, The writer believed it woult
be a pleasant trip and tend to breal
the monotony of routine labor, ant
in order to find out, took passage OF
the Pearl Thursday night.
The Pearl left Johnson's wharf a
11:3S p. NJ. and at 11:4S p. NJ. had go
out of the river and headed for the
lake. The first stop was made at Os
coda, at which place the Au Sable
base ball club, accompanied by 8
crowd of friends, got aboard. They
were on their way to Sand Beach tc
scoop, or be scooped by, the Sand
Beach club. Every one of them ex
pected to get a berth, and SO they did
on the sofas, benches, on cots, and on
the floor. A trip about the cabin, an
hour or so after they got aboard, gave
the observer dim sort Of an idea as
to what a battle field would look like
"a small one. Men were scattered
promiscuously in all directions, and
various were the positions taken by
the berthless ones to find soft spots
on the floor. One man has gallantly
shared his sofa with his girl, and she
has appropriated his manly breast as
pillow. A tired looking woman oc'
cupies another one fellow is trying
to see if he can roll himself into d
ball, and there are a couple of dozen
who are waiting for daylight and
something to eat. These persons are
trying their hand at making noise
and judging by remarks made by pas
sengers some time after, they succeed.
ed admirably.
At $40 A. NJ. Friday, Sand Beach
was reached, and. at this place, shell
tered by the breakwater, the passen-
gers are served with breakfast, and
the Ranger" base ball club and their
adherents bid the boat good bye.
The Pearl remained at that port one
hour, in order to coal up, and shortly
after nine o'clock she headed for Port
Huron. Everyone one on board, as
far as we know, was in good spirits,
and well they might be, for the break
fast was a frst-class one; the walters
were as attentive and obliging as
could be desired, and the invigorating
breeze had furnished wonderful appe-
titles. Then again every one was glad
to have got across Saginaw Bay with
out paying the usual penalty. There
were passengers enough aboard to
fill the tables, and more too.
From Sand Beach to river st. Clair
the trip was very enjoyable one
the lake was not rough; the wind,
while fresh, was not too strong, and
was tempered by the suns rays.
Most of the passengers congregated
on the forward deck, and with read
ing, conversation, and watching the
many vessels in sight, the hours pass
quickly by till another summons is re-
ceived from the steward, and another
bounteous, we'll cooked and well served
meal is set before the passengers.
Judging by the attendance at the ia
bles, it seemed that the entire force of
passengers were OH hand and ready
for the attack OH the eatables. Sea-
sickness was scarce and rations were
regularly drawn.
The shore from Sand Beach down
presents thriving appearance, and
the writer, who had not seen it in
over ten years could notice great
changes. Lumber piles have disap-
peared and where were woods, there
are now houses and cultivated farms.
Years ago the prophecy was that when
the lumber was gone that part of the
State would relapse into wilderness,
but the prophecy has proved a failure
and that section of the State is DIES.
tined to become far more prosperous
than it ever was in the best numbering
days.
At 1:25 p. NJ. the Pearl entered the
mouth of the St. Clair river, and a
stop was made at Port Huron. This
place, from the river, looks about the
same as it did ten years ago. 1t is
readily recognized, and, if anything
has not as prosperous an appearance as
it had in years passed. At 2:25 p. NJ
we called at St. Clair and were just
in time to see the City of Cleveland
beaten by Mark Hopkins $4,000
steam yacht. The race had been W
the river from the flats, and Hopkins
had stuck big broom on his forward
flagstaff. The yacht has an appear
ance something similar to an ocear
steamer, sets low in the water, has 6
very sharp stem, yet can not be term
ed beauty. The wonder is how {
yacht like that can cost $4,000. ST
Clair flats look as dismal as ever, ant
will probably never be improved un.
til the earth gets on a big bust. There
are several hotels and club house