Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-07-13

Milwaukee, July 10.-Capt. Magnus
Andersen'S viking ship arrived in Mil
waukee harbor yesterday afternoon
ahead of scheduled time, and was given
i g'c"t reeeI ton today.
The queer looking but nevertheless
handsome little viking ship entered the
harbor amid the blare of bands, the
looming Of cannon, the shrieking of
steam Whistles, the cheering of thou
sands, and passing up the river moored
to the dock near Grand avenue bridge
SIe was escorted by the fire tug Cat
aract in the lead, followed by the rev.
enue cutter Andy Johnson, after which
the object of every eye plowed slowly
through the waters propelled by thirty
two oars in the hands of hardy seamen.
Members of the citizens committees
and representatives of the Norwegian
societies assembled aboard the Andy
Johnson. When the latter had steamed
down to within 200 yards of the viking
Capt. Davis gave the command to open
ports AID commence firing, which was
followed by a national salute of twenty
one guns. The viking dipped her colors
gracefully and as the last gun doomed
from the revenue cutter she answered
with a salute of three guns.
The saluting over the great square
sail of the viking was seen to slowly
climb the mast and it was then learned
that the daring little craft proposed
to refuse the profferS of the tug men
to tow her into port and to come in IL
The good old-fashioned way as Lief. tie
son of Eric, would doubtless have done
had he been in command. This part Of
the program was a pleasing innovation
as it gave the spectators an opportunity
to witness the boat in full trim under
way.
Abreast of the lighthouse the sails
were lowered and the oars boarded
across gunwalrs preparatory to COM
mencing tie work of the oarsmen.
At the command given by Captain
Anderson Out oars all" the thirtytwO
looms with broad pointed blades sped
out through the thowl openings and
every man was in position. A momcrt
lace. every man bent forward and with
no splashing and no unsteadiness the
first stroke was taken, fairly plunging
the little craft to the front.
= The docks, buildings and bridges
along the river front were lined with
people who shouted themselves hOarSe
as the viking hove in sight. The en-
thusiasm was something astounding.
/ Long before the time for the cere-
monies to begin Juneau park, where
the Lief Erickson statue is located, pre-
scented one long vista of happy Strug-
Cling humanity, standing or spraWling
on the grass.
; The procession was slow in coming to-
gether. Haste was impossible in the
dense crowd, but the final start was
made from the landing place Of the
viking. First came the officers and
crew in carriages, with several of the
chairmen of the committees, then the
bands and the various societies, while
the big crowd turned in and formed
one Of the biggest professions Milwau-
zee has seen since the Grand Army
encampment.
To the right of the statue of the dis
while to the left the red, white, blue
and yellow of Norway waved proudly
To the right was the speakers stand
likewise draped with the colors of Nor
, way and America.
Gov Peck was first introduced and
spoke but few moments. Mayor Koch
followed. He likewise was brief.
r,1a n
ex-Minister Rasmus B. Anderson was
brought to the front. His appearance
/ was the signal for applause. 1t was
as Prof. Anderson afterWard remarked,
one of the proudest moments OF his
life as twenty-five years ago he made
his first speech in the effort to- raise
money to erect a statue to the discOv-
erer.
In connection with his remarks Prof.
Anderson referred to Prof. julius E.
Olson who sat at his right as the man
who handled the first money raised for
the monument. It was at Cambridge
Wis, twenty-five years ago. Mr.. Oh
son acting as doorkeeper of the little
Methodist church where the concert was
held.
The following is the full text Of Prof.
Anderson's address:
Friends and fellow citizens:-lt
was happy thought to build the Vik-
ing ship and send it on it's mission Oh
education this Columbian year. As a
citizen of Wisconsin I am proud to be
invited to be here today and to take
modest part in this hearty welcome ex-
tended by the metropolis of our state
to these Vikings of the nineteenth
century.
1t is also most fitting that this well
come should be given in the shadow Of
the Left Ericsson monument.
We are assembled here to celebrate
the successful accomplishment of
bold voyage across the Atlantic in
perfect replica of an old Viking ship
exhumed on the coast Of Norway,
the voyage undertaken by the fearless
CAPTAIN Magnus Anderson and his reso-
lutte companions partly to Illustrate the
dergee of civilization and know
ledge Of navigation during the
viking age. but more par
ticularly to emphasize the discovery of
America by the Norseman, Left Erik
son. in the year 1000, nearly 500 years
before Columbus. Captain Anderson
and his companions desired to demon |
strate that a voyage to Vinland the |
Good in such ship was entirely feasa- |
bile and the demonstration has been most
successful from every point of view.