Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-10
An Exoursionist's Story

Imagine II you can lhc beautiful pay OF
Naples transpanted to America, sur
rounded otherwise by a thriving, pushing
and industrious American population,
which is called by the city name Of New
Whatcom. and YOU will have the location
of the starting point Of an excursion for
the purpose Of putting Citizen George
Francis Train on board the steamer En-
press Of India, on his attempted trip 10 go
"arOund the world in IS days beating
all previous records; with his starting
and finishing point the G street wharf
| in WhatcOm, the object Of which being
| TO show that New WhatcOm and Bcling-
! ham bay are nearer by some hundred
miles or more 10 the markets Of the
| Orient than any other so called seaport,
! thereby showing that we must become
| the initial centcrng point for all transpa-
| cilc, transcOntinental and transatlantic
| shipments Of the products from the East
and the West.
New Whatcom is city OF some 1000
TO 1900 people. and is one of the most
picturesque spots on the Pacific coast or
the world for that matter.
The morning of May 9th could not pos
sibly have been finer, and the excursion
ISL was treated TO one Of the most bcOuti-
fIl sights Of which nature is capable.
/ The early riser, aud we all had 10 be-
| early riS"rs that mOrni "g, would have
| discovered. looking TO thc north. the Sci
/ kirk range Of mountains with the peaks
named ScIltirk Bros most prominent; 20
/ the east Mount Baker Ohe grand and
| the Twin Sisters lthr beautiful; tO the
west and southwest the magni IceuI
/ Olympic range, all TO their last peak mil
| ing in hi, face 50 close AS 90 be- almost i'm
| touch, sending their greetings Of God
| speed 90 CitizeA George Francis Train as
/ IIc stepped ON board the steImcr Premier,
! Captain O'BroI, the genial mastcrJ, at
| eight o'clock "a. ul,, bound on the mission
| which cannot fail, and which means more
| TO the future prosperity Of New NhatcOW
! and Bollingham bay than pcu can sketch
/ or tongue can tell 40 this writing.
The haIbOr. ShimmerinV iH The morning
/ sun. was most beautiful 90 the eve. and
| was such scene Of lOyeliupss and energy
As to encourage the most dcSpundent
/ mO~~back. All the mills aud other Indus
/ trial plants about tho Bay, sounding the
morning reycillr for their workmen, the
| elegant steamers Premier and City Of Sc
attic, just pulling out with their crowds
] Of PASSENGERS, the large bdTkentiue Tenn
pier loading for Australian ports with
/ lumber at the BellingtOn Bay Improve
ment Co. g mill. the steamer J. K. Melon
/ aid, Just coming In, aud the myriad Of
smaller crafts flying hither and yon, on
/ missions Of pleasure and industry, was
most pleasing.
Leaving the harbor the steamer passed
the famous ChuCkanut stone quarry on
the left and between Lummi, Eliza and
! VendeYa Islands, through BcllinVham
channel, between Gucmes Island on the
left and Shaw Island on the right, open
! ing a view down to FidalgO Island and
! the city Of Auacurtcs: on past LOpas.
. San Juan, Orcas and other Of the far
famed fruit growing Archipelago-dc- llaro
] Islands into the Straits OF Fuca, meeting
the Empress Of India in the straits with
flags flying and BANDS playing, we trans
ferred our distinguished guests TO her
care. amid the continued cheers Of the en-
| thusiastic eXcursionists. After the for
NAL transfer, our band struck mp that
| grand tune, dear 70 every English heart.
"God Save the Queen The captains OF
both steamers exchanged compliments,
and the Empress flag was most bcauti
fully dipped 10 the national air, while we
backed away and continued our course
to Victoria, the Empress stcaming away
on her out bound voyage, and the air
ringing with the united cheers from both
vessels as long as we were within ear shot
Arriving at Victoria our cXcurslOnists
were given the freedom OF that beautiful
but slow going city, and proceeded 20 en-
Joy themselves 10 the fullest extent, visit
ing the races the elegant stores, govern
, ment buildings and the navy yard until
g o'clock p. m. when the steamer cast Oh
and sailed FOR home, sweet home. Being
mainly after dark the voyage home was
quite uneventful, being passed through
In quiet and enjoyable social Intercourse
The ubiquitous practical joker was along
OF course and succeeded In finding q Ions
lost friend for several Of our distinguished
citizens in the person Of Wun Lung, an
d inoiiensive "Heathen Chinee' Of the COOK
ing department Of the steamer, but th'
joker kept it up until he was so dizzy tina
: he didn't know, personally, II he ha'
b Wun Lung or fifty.
q Our boys. In looking over the baggage
5 discovered that II was evidently labeled
wrong, as:
= George Francis Train, Tacoma, arount
the world in sixty days and securing
paint pot, proceeded to change II; so tina
1t now reads properly
! George Francis Train Whatcom
around the world in ffty-fve days."
To which end we all join hands an
r propose TO make the most OF IL in bring
Ing our city into proper recognition.