Telegram-herald., 1886-07-19
THE STEAMBOAT WAR
The Slack Lake Battles are
Still On.
It'll THa0B YOU INTO The LAKE"
Lively Anfsgcnism Al SLACK lake
The T~o Sides OF the Qaesiion--
E3psct Fence ? OdsY- Pg-
gish Monopoly o. Greedy
Bossism. Whichp

The belfo.e attitude taken bY tie
steamer MAcatawa on Black Lake during
th- pas fes day- has. As vet witnessed no
dimin4tion. Yesterday when the excursion
train from this city reached tie G. & W NJ.
Rs iocs She Was discovered ia the slip,
where her presence would be first noticed
by p4ssengers. while the rishtful occupant
OF ,hst place. me Queen OF the Lakes, lay
behind "a warehouse. crowded there by
the bold usurpau0n Of her pace The
crosd. which numbered about two hun
drei aud afty persons, tesan pour
ing toward the frst boat lured
Oa by such expressions As 'thi, is the only
boat that will take SOU TO Macaltwa Park
iniermingled with vehement eKp.icatiy-s
NJ George Markel of the G. " & 81. Ry,
stepped upon the outer end of the gang
plank Of the Mae itawa aud standing upon
the dock made the simple announcement
that the Queen Of the Lakes lay on the
other side OF the warehouse, impelled 10
speak because 0f a barrictde of rowdies,
" lich interrupted q free circulation OF pas
sengers beyond le MucaiaWas gang plank.
Scarcely had tle words been uttered when
r.Markel vas roughly ordered of tue plank
th- order Being followed up With "A threat
that he would be- thrown into the lake. If
be did not comply at once. Mr.. Markell
stepped from the rival plank, bat remained
az It's side 10 indicate where the Queer"
lay for passengers who desired transpOria-
ton upon her. ! number Of bullies began
70 threaten, bat Mr. Markell invited them To
CON SIM int fa
After a stream Of threats, abuse and like
nonsense had found vent, and the boats
secured their passengers. the Queen"
swung Out into the lake and led off for OF
tawa Beach.
4 reporter for the TELEGRAM HERALD.
who had witnessed with no little interest
the event related ABOVE. visited both resorts
and interviewed a number Of gentlemen as
sOciated with Dotn sides At present The
larger number of persons Is ~ Macatawa
PARK. They seem 10 feel in some instances
edgwise towards the railway officials
and blame them for the boyish petulence
exhibited by Inc Macatawa. while others
are inclined TO cri,icise Captain Harring
tons actions. Under the exist
ing circumstances many per
sons do not blame him for his actions be-
cause he has agreed 10 pay 300 for certain
privilege. which is nov 10 be shared bv two
rival boats. neither Of which pay any money
for landing al the Park dock, save a nOmi-
nal prospective dockage. Osher people do
not care A straw whether one boat or an
other runs. What they want Is trsnsporta-
tion and that IS all The general sense
however, X that some one is 4 fool and that
the whole warfare IS but bit of DOyish
nonsense
But 20 come to the authorizes Perhaps
the mOst concise statement that can be
made Is that each denies the assertions of
the other sde. The railway officials hold
that Captain Harrington has violated ma
rine lAw By crossing the Queens BOWS
maiiCiOusly. while the Captain declares that
the Queen approached him from behind
and neglected 10 signal on which
side she intended To pass,
thus infringing marine law The
Government Inspector. says one party,
will take away the Macata vas license lhe
heard 50 If she crosses the Queens bows
again. while that statement IS completely
reconstruct by the other party. Each one
avs 10 is on the defensive side The other
instances are also twisted TO suit either side.
Now 10 appears from a railway standpoint
that all efforts q make the Macatawa till
the bill as a carrier between the Black Lake
resorts and Holland have proved futile. A
contract sent 10 them for signature has
since the 18th of May been presented re-
peatediy 20 the Macatawas Captain
Tor biz signiture. and he hs, persstently re
fused 10 sffix bis name The boat has
proved unreliable as carrier. being late
for trains. and thus compelling passengers
10 spend the night in Holland. when they
were dcsirous Of being at home. Even
more, il is supposed that Capt. Harrington
vas anxious TO rid himself of the Macatawa,
already heavily mortgaged. by forcing
sale upon either the railway company or
the MacataWe Park Association. Finally
simply as the outgrOwih OF necessity.
the railway was compelled TO secure
adequate means Of wster transportation for
the accom- modstion Of the Summer tourists
aud excursions and obtained the Queen OF
the Lake" and the George Z. Savidge" 10
attend % that trade upon Black Lake. IL
vas and is still their intention 20 have these
boats stop at all resorts The violent man
ner in which the AacatAwa has kept them
from the Macafawa Park Association dock
- already known. The Queen and Savidge
have oren on the defensive throughout
Capt, Harrington and the Macatawa Park
Association are hard 10 interview There Is
no doubt but that the refusal Of
a landing To other steamers than the
Mscafawa at their dock is Illegal bnf presl-
dent Walsh says that be knews nothing ~
the Law in tbe case. IBeg are determined
rn keep laem away taat b, certain. 10 il
-fa-el lhata picket fence wiii BE- buiif across
.Her a0Ck today ou fhe land end. ana noue
saFe f1nsa who come to fae fsrs IN TIE
Asca-aVa vii pe permitted au entrance fo
ise Ivs peop.eael fare thar the troasle
began Iasr winter anl found its ou.-
usuali9n in che sprnr election. vhilh
tne raH~eg meu fr.si l1speeessilIis.
~ purposes ol tte raH