The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-18
UNCLE SANS BIC iceland
Narrative Of Summertime Trip to
Far.Off Alaska.
TnB SECOND DAYS vOYAGING
NSome scenes and Incidents Of Recent
Journey to One Of the Most Truly
\ Picturesque Spots on tho
Nabitabis Globe,
Written for the Tribune.

daIt the pleasure OI SuCH d ioue wy
age as the one. we are now making to
Alaska lies In the social life on board
of the steamer. As we sailed away into
the silence and darkness of the night,
the inclipT ton of the passengers was to
gather together In the social hair
and become better acquainted. 1t seems
strange how quickly steamer acQuaint-
ances are made; we meet as strangers
today, but as acquaintances tomorrow,
and then friends, who feel like mem-
bers of the same family.
Among our passengers are specimens
Of every type of human nature; most
every profession is represented here
and foreigners of most every tongue.
Here are lawyers. judges, bankers.
politicians. railroad magnates, mer-
chants from New York, Boston and
other American cities, representatives
OF the press, artists, photographers,
ladies, or parties with their chaperons,
doctors of divinity, doctors Of medicine,
shoe. furniture, woolen and piano manu-
facturerS, the college student, the mis-
sionary, both home and foreign; army
officers. both American and British;
married couples on their wedding tour.
and some who are celebrating their
"silver wedding" as the writer Is doing
old and young, great and small, bub-
bling over with enthusiasm. like q
group of school children. over this aus
picious voyage. Indeed. 1t would be
difficult to gather together n more de-
lightfui and harmonious company of
voyagers. 1t only takes the Alaskan
trip to transform strangers into real
friends. Our exalted vice. President
Stevenson and his family were modelN
Of sociabillty and dignified friendliness.
a circumstance duly appreciated by
every passenger.
The deck of the steamer furnishes
continuous. promenade of nearly six
hundred feet on saloon deck and three
hundred on the hurricane deck and
whether taking our daily walks, or con-
stitutionals, or wrapped in our steamer
blankets in chairs admiring the tram
quill sea, or the snow clad mountains,
we are continually thrown In with new
acquaintances that give us the feeling
of being among old friends and neigh
bors.
---.,. OUR NOBLE QUEEN.
"A voyage in Alaskan waters on board
of the h-pressure steamer Queen,
equipped with all modern sounding ap-
paratus and excellent charts and lux
urious accommodations. cannot fail to
impress one with a realizing sense Of
the magnificent courage, enterprise and
even audacity Of Titus Bering. who in
his eighty-foot brig, Saint Peter a ves-
sci of 108 tons burden, one hundred and
fifty-four years ago 174D first navl-
gated the Gulf Of Alaska. IT also calls
to mind the progress made in ship
travel since Behring'S day.
The Queen" by common consent, is
regarded as the best excursion steamer
on the Pacific coast. She Is stately
$50 feet long, 3Sk feet beam and fitted
with a hurricane deck. She has 100
!, outside staterooms, $50 berths and can
accommodate 250 first-class and 200
second class passengers. The state
rooms on the hurricane deck are simply
delightful. She was built by the
Cramps of Philadelphia. in 1882, and is
first class In every respect, staunch and
also convenient. Her chief engineer
w. H. Alison, told us that over 100 tons
Of iron. We're used in her construction;
more than is required for first class
ships. She draws eighteen feet Of
water and her spread is fourteen Knots
or seventeen miles an hour
Her crew comprise 102, besides Off
cers-four mates. four engineers. She
carries eight boilers and consumes 700
tons of semi-bituminous coal each voy-
age at cost of 81 per ton delivered in
ship. 1t costs $500 per day to run her.
Each stateroom Is fitted with incandes-
both under the immediate control Of the
occupant. She has in every stateroOm
electric bells which ring up attendants
in the stewards department and also
the officers quarters.
The cuisine Is far more satisfactory
than that in the ordinary hotel, being
provided with all the fruits and dell
cacies Of the season that can be see
cured from the coast markets at time
Of sailing. Three meals and two
lunches are provided daily, for Cap
tain Carol wants his passengers we'll
fed" And 1t Is only just to say that
the courtesy of the officers and the
Obliging and attentive servants are
notable features Of the Queen. Moth
Ing can exceed the kindness, tact and
attention Of the stewardess to the lady
passengers In case Of illness. We did
not expect to find as magnificent
steamers on the Pacific as on the At
lantic, and in that respect we were
somewhat disappointed. 1t is the uni
versal verdict of the tourist that the
Queen is especially adapted for and
affords every comfort and luxury for
the inland passage to our polar Prov
ances." +,
VANCOUVER ISLAND.
After leaving Victoria, the steamer
makes but one stop before reaching