Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-22
OLD TIME DOES FLY
Changes Come in Rapid Sue
cession with the Years
STEAMB0ATlkG OF OTHER DAYS
The Pfetti est Boat that Ever Piled the
Grand - How the Hosrss Song Of
the Frog has Been Sriled.

Editor HERALD-Meetlng John Daily
IN the Arcade this week. he WAS ae-
ensted: "Johp, how long ago is j,
since you and l worked on tie l.. e.
Msson ?"
a. don't know" replied John. cit
10 good many years ago; but tue l.. u.
Mason was the prettiess little steamer
that ever fioated on Grand rlver."
Ii is more than twenty-five years ago
that the writer OF this article resided IA
house standing ON the southwest
corner OF GTandyiile avenue aud KIM
street, and owned by Mrs. johanna
King. now deceased. He was engaged
as FAINTER on the steamer, John
called ''the prcttiest little steamer ever
afioat on Grand river" She was being
built for Capt. Jesse Canoe and Was
moored opposite where now the new
gas works are located, having been
towed from the west side OF the river.
where her keel was land, few yards
from the ship yard, located at tina I
time little below the warehouse a.
the landing near Shawmut avenue.
The boat was chrstened after the Hon.
l.. q. Mason OF Muskegon, the name
we lettered on It's sidewheel caslpgs
in flaming co!ors of Chinese vermilion
red, shaded with initiated gold
shade pant. John Muir, Esq., now
yet hale and hearty, was the bose ship
carpenter, and Mr.. Daily became the
pilot. Alter she was finished, the cap
tain took the pretty looking boat into
the city-that is, landed its crew AM
visitors at spot where now the office
of THE HERALD is located. in the rear
of an old frame building occupied b..
+. ID. Boardman as an office. After
running a short time between this city
and Grand Haven, the boat wac sold 10
parties In Saginaw, who ran 1t across
the lake to ply between the latter
place and Bay City.
No, Enough water For It.
II is said the boat drew too much
water, and there was not enough of il
in Grand river during the season to
keep it's bottom from touching tbs
rivers bottom. So tho captain sold it.
After many years OF useful boating the
pretty little steamer burned, and it,
name only lives in memory.
But how about Grandville avenue.
The house we lived in was one of the
few dozen in that neighborhood. OPP
po.ite, on the other side of the high
way, then the stage coach road be
tween this city and Holland. was q LOG
cabin occupied by Mr.. De Chopper, 9
dozen houses scattered along here and
there within mile or go of where nov
the engine house stands, was all there
were in the neignbOrhood. Rumsey'l
farm was away out in the country, and
the croaking of the frogs, who made
it their home in the swamps then 10
Gated on the corner OF Wealthy anC
Ellsworth avenues. could distinctly b.
he ardfrom the veranda of thee oftinbury
residence on Cherry street. Now tn,
scree ching of the steam whistles of thu
iron horses belonging to = half dozer
different railway companies are all th'
sounds We hear. The first ward wilder
ness has blossoned- out into rose
and what were once extensive farm
are nov LAID out IN streets and lots
thickly populated. Away to the south
touching the Plaster Creek plaste.
mills, hundreds and thousands of fin,
dwellings are now located, and the hun
of the machinery of extensive furni
ture factories Is heard for miles around
Grandville avenue, once the highwa,
for the stage coach, 10 now traverset
by the street cars, drawn by horses
but which will soon he changed 4
electric power. the grading and pavin'
of the street with cedar blocks now be
ing in progress. Verify, time change
everything and it has no where done 81
so perceptlbly as IN the neighborhood
above described, in ward once calIet
the Bloody First. VAN.