The Portland daily press., 1893-04-01
Ispecial Correspondence.l


river between Peoria and st. Louis and
within a short distance by rail from the
former city, has been pleasantly honored
by visit from ex-President Benjamin
Harrison. The kindly faced ex-president,
in company with several friends from
Pennsylvania, Indianapolis and st. Louis,
arrived in Havana in their special car
Wildwood. The party were equipped
for a 10 days shooting bout along the
lagoons and marshes bordering the Hi
nois river. Some of General Harrison's
Indianapolis friends are interested in
some shooting preserves near Havana,
and the ex-president accepted the invita-
ton to shoot ducks from fine cover dur
ing the early spring days. A quaint lit
tie river tugboat called the City of Peo-
ria, of which the pioneer, John Shuttle, is
master, took the hunters on board and
steamed away to Spring lake, near lit
tie fish mart called Liverpool, few
miles from this place.
Arriving at Liverpool, General Harri-
son and his friends were transferred to
the houseboat Marion, a most primitive
and unique affair, owned by the Indian
apolis Sportsmen's club. The boat,
though rough looking, is fitted up neatly
and comfortably within, and the accom-
panying diagram will give the reader
some idea of the interior arrangements
of the boat However, the ex-president
is true sportsman and loves to rough
it with the rest of the boys. On the
journey up the river he sat on a hard
b. oh on the PROV of the little City of
Peoria, and to one who did not know
him the ex-president appears no differ
emily in looks and actions from any other
gentleman sportsman.
It was hoped that the party would get
into the shooting boxes at once, but
stiff norther set in, which sent the wild
fowl scurrying southwark. Some good
shots were obtained, however, and the
party were arranging to- get after the
birds in earnest when the weather
turned very cold and the wind blew a
gale. The ex-president and his friends
were compelled to remain under cover
until the wind subsidized and the atmos-
phere modified Old hunters say that
General Harrison came little too early
for good shooting, as the spring fight
northward had hardly begun. Then,
too, the very high water and ice jams
have made box shooting very difficult.
Notwithstanding these discouragements,
General Harrison was rewarded with
some rare sport. He was in the very
best of health and spirits, and it seems
strange how the reports had gotten into
circulation to the effect that the last
days of his presidency had told upon him.
It was the wish of General Harrison
that his visit here be attended by as lit
tie notoriety as possible. Newspaper
men have not found much to write
about. All they could say was that the
ex-president was in the vicinity in quest
of ducks. The natives did not annoy the
party by lettering around the camp, and
those people who did essay to make a
call were received very courteously. On
the 10th inst. the Illinois encampment of
the Grand Army of the Republic, in its
session at Springfield, wired General Hair
rison at Havana that they wanted him
to come over and see them. The ex-
president responded in a kindly dispatch
to the effect that he was there on hunt
ing trip, in his hunting gear, and was
not prepared to make a visit of ceremo-
ny. So the distinguished sportsman re-
manned in camp.
The "order of exercises" in vogue on
the Marion during the ex-president's
stay were simple and methodical! Break
fast was usually had at an early hour,
and some mornings General Harrison
was out long before daybreak, popping
away at the ducks as they swooped past
his box. General Harrison is an excel
lent shot. He uses one Of the latest inn
proved styles Of breechloaders and is
well acquainted with its use.
Shooting from a box is not the easiest
method of securing game. These boxes
are well concealed by grasses, yet in
these latter days the wild fowl are very
suspicious. Unless the conditions are Of
the most favorable sort, tho sportsman
will rarely get a good shot into flock of
ducks as they are dropping their wings
to settle. This is the moment when the
guns should speak. Then as the fright
ened birds wheel to rise two more shells
can be rapidly slipped into the gun and
two more broadsides poured into them.
The locality visited by the ex-president
has been famous for years for it's excel
lent shooting and fishing.
The Illinois river in this part of the
state is surrounded on both sides by la
goons. marshes and small lakes. Thomp-
sons lake is the largest of these, and
here is where some Of the best sport is
obtained. During General Harrison's
stay he hunted in. various parts OF the
country contiguous to Havana. The last
few days of his vacation were the most
successful, as the birds began to come in
by the thousands.
It is matter for congratulation that
this distinguished guest was enabled to
enjoy fortnight of true sport without
being compelled to resort to the methods
in vogue in a foreign country, where
game must be propagated solely for the
use of the royal sportsmen and their
friends General Harrison grew con-