Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-08-21
DEDICATION.
Formal Opening of tho Club House
on the Straits.

Less than month aso movement
was set on foot to ESTABLISH the nucleus
of Il summer resort on Devils lake.
After Il careful inspection o. tho lake
shore it was decided to begin operations
i'll the heavy woods along the eaI side
Of the straits which lead from tn bay
to the lake proper Negotiations we're
opened with Capt. j. w. Palmer, W 10
owns an extensive frontage on the straits, :
and the result was that the Captain
decided Il handsome piece of land to an
association Of citizens, the latter agree
ing to erect club house and clean out
the rubbish and underbrush thereabouts.
Men were put to work with scythc and
axe, and in y few days the heavy woods
had been transformed INTO delightful
park, shaded by fine elm, ash and oak
trees. The underbrush was cleared away
and burned, leaving the large trees which
are sufficiently numerous to form an I'M
broken canopy which completely shuts
out the rays Of the summers sun. The
site for the building was then selected,
and l.. Grant, the contractor, engaged
to complete the structure nj once. Capt.
Herman transported the lumber free
Of charge. The building was finished
last Monday. 1t is 2Ox24 feet in size
and one story high, situated in the edge
of the woods on ~ point overlooking u
twu-milc stretch of the straits, while
away in the distance out the sul,tl, en-
trance OF the straits and across the man
lake, ten miles of, may he seen the
frowning outlines Of TT. Totem From
the front stoop Of the club rooms to the
waters edge, about POO feet there is IL
gradual slope oyer q charming sand and
gravel beach and the bathcr may have
the choice Of deep or shallow water.
Immediately opposite the building the
water is ten feet dcpa rod from shore,
while II short distance southwark point
of sand projects into the water, and the
wLding is good for IL distance of four
rods from the shore. At this point the
straits are about one mile wide, with
Il longitudinal stretch reaching one and
a half miles either way, ailorlng one Of
| the best regatta courses III the Union.
Here the water is so salt as to be un-
palatablc to the taste, and consequently
it possesses all the qualifications for ex-
cellcnt bathing, being very buoyant,
and leaving the bathcr refreshed and in
vigoratcd. The finest pickercl that float
may be captured in abundance by the
angler who knows how to wicld spoon
hook, and myrads Of ducks and other
water fowls arc constantly in sight. An.
other advantage is in the fact that this
charming place, where Natures rare
beauties abound in great profuson, may
be reached both by land and by water.
Capt. Hccrmans line of steamers passes
within 200 yards Of the club house every
day, and Il good landing is made in u
very few minutes. The distance from
this city by land or water is about four
miles.
As before stated, the building was
completed last Monday. In the mean
time arrangements were being made by
| the projectors Of the enterprise for II
formal opening and dedication of the
clubhouse and grounds. Invitations
were issued to - large number of citi-
zcns, and several of the ladies busted
themselves preparing delicious lunches
for the guests. The Minnie IL. steamed
away from her pier in this city at G:3O
Wednesday evening with about 1876 pas
scngcrs, including our celebrated cornct
band and Sig. Prctc with his violin. Ar
rivlng upon the grounds the first order
Of business was supper. The lunch
baskets we're opened and their tempting
| contents spread upon tables placed
about the grounds. For nearly an hour
the work Of demolition went on. Every
body was hungry. Some of the guests
| had partaken Of supper before starting,
but the steamboat ride over the hcav-
| ing bosom Of the saline waters and the
breathing in of the healthful ozone gave
them q second appetite. After supper
two sets were formed in the club room
and the structure was then and there
formally dedicated TO Tcrpsichore.
Those who did not dance occu-
pied the rustic seats beneath the trees
whose sombrc boughs kept out the night,
or strollcd along the pebbly beach, the
young folks attaining their voices to the
murmurings Of the gently rolling surf
and the whispc1,Igs Of the signing winds.
(This Is part OF the business, and don't
cost anything.) At II o'clock the whis-
tie Of the Minnie II. sounded the hour
Of departure, and the club guests were
steamed back To Elc city, all express
ing themselves delighted with the even
ing's entertainment, and highly gratified
with the ausplcious opening of the first
cottage by the seashore Of Devils lake.
A Jolly Excursion.
Towner county furnished a jolly ex-