St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-24
JOLLY GOOD FELLOWS,
Such Are the Members Of the
mississippi Gun and Rod
Club.
Short History Of the Crack
Angling Club Of the North
west.
Tow the Boys While Away the
Time at BalSam
Lake.
Short Sketches and Personal
Characteristics Of the Sew
ePal Members.

The above is a complete roster of the
Mississippi Gun and Rod club, an Or
ganizatiOn composed of twenty OF as
good fellows as ever allied themselves
together for a common purpose. The
e. D. of this club, to put it in a nut
shell. is to fish and have a good time,
and as the members all know what the
objects are, there is no need for a con-
stitution and bylaws. There is very
little work done with the gun, so far as
have been able to aScertain-plsca-
torial pastimes being the principal
pleasure-and the gun is probably III
serted In the title to balance the rod.
The club was organized in the month
of February, 1890, and to "BllF" Erwin
and Z. NJ. Kuby is due whatever credlt
is coming to those who set on foot SUCH
enterprises.
OF course, Bill was the prime mover
in the scheme, and the stories that ne
told of the fishing to be had around Bal
sam lake at once brought about an eX-
odus to this resort, which has since pc
come famed as a stamping ground 1or
''dead-game. all-round sports" 1t may
be said here that BalSam lake is a mag
nlticent body of water. some forty-lve
miles at its widest extremity, situate IN
Polk county, Wis, about thirteen miles
east of Taylor's Falls, Mimi. The Tall
Pine has been s%olourning annually III
these parts ever since he was a BOY, and
before that time he claims his grand
father was the owner of the lake, having
purchased it from Solomon Juneau, VINO
afterwards become famous as the us
coverer of Milwaukee. 1t is on the
banks of this same stream that william
- - ON, of hJS most 1npHn-
uous defenSeS, for here, far removed
from the din and hustle of city life, MS
fancy could soar unfettered to
Dizzy Heights.
and he would run no risk of being
cruelty interrupted with Mr.. Erwin.
Pm sorry TO interrupt you. but your
lime is up"
Every one wondered during the late
Horton trial at BilFs intimacy with the
management of boats; how much a boat
could stand without being tipped over,
but he was simply retailing out a lot of
experience of which he had a whole
sale lot that he had gathered around
Balsan lake.
But | am DEPRESSING. The idea of
forming a club for fishing and kindred
sports occurred to MeSsrs. Erwin and
Kuby a little over a year ago, and to-
gether they proceeded forthwith to do a
little hustling among those OF their &C
quaintances whom they knew would
only be too happy to join the festive
gang" The result was the formation
of the Mississippi Gun and Rod club,
consisting of twenty-five members, the
roster including in lis makeup prin-
cipally lawyers, doctors and merchants,
although real estate men and bankers
are admitted upon the payment of a
small forfeit. Ten men at first made
up the club, but the number was in
creased to the present figure within a
year, so that twenty-five is now the
limit. Fifty-seven acres of excellent
pine land surrounding the lake was
purchased. each member chipping in
his proportionate share of the cost.
y club house costing $1,000 was erect
ed upon All island in the vicinity, and
here the boys spend their leisure hours
when not out OH the water. This island
is about a quarter of a mile from the
mainland, and its surface is elevated
above the surrounding water from
twenty to twenty-five feet, thus giving
a commanding view around the lake for
miles.
The Club House
Is a gem in its way, and in all its APP
p%ointmentS will compare favorably with
any III the country. A man ana MS
wife live at the house all the while, and
keep it ready for occupancy at any time
during the season. Besides keeping
house. they cook, serve meals, and
make themselves generally useful.
There is an old-fashioned fireplace in
the sitting room-One of the old Joshua
Whitcomb variety-and often at night
the boys. tired out from their DAYS sport,
will circle around the blazing hearth
and while away the evening with tales
of love, a romance and adventure.
Speaking of this fireplace suggests a
joke at Bill Erwin's expense.
When the house was built, Bassford.
who is somewhat of a wag in his way as
well as an architect, exhibited to Erwin
the design of al elaborate fireplace for
the building. Bill, who is a crank on
f%ireplaces, was much taken with the de-
sign, and remarked that it was Just the
thing. and that the club should have it
by all means. The other members of
the club objected, saying it would cost
more than the house itself. However.
Bill was not nonplussed. but suggested
the propriety of building the fireplace
first, and later N, when they had more
money, to build the house around it.
Erwin carried his point. the matter be-
ing compromised by the building of
both.