Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-11-09

lantic liners carried from the Unitet
States to Europe about 100000 first am
second-class cabin passengers. A small
| percentage of these went to Europe tt
stay, but the vast majority were mere
ly visitors and nearly all of them have
returned by this time. 1t has Away:
been claimed that the extreme carry
ing capacity of these steamers wa:
about 100000 persons in one year, thai
is to say, only that number of persons
could make an European trip in the
same year from the United States. This
statement appears to have been veri-
fed in the year 1899, for every boat
that went to Europe early in the sum-
mer had more than could be comfort
ably accommodated, and every boat
returning this fall was equally
crowded.
Several reasons for this great rush
to Europe are assigned by the agents of
the lines. The war with Spain kept
many persons at home in 1898 and two
persons business was crowded into
one. More persons go to Europe now
than ever before. Business relations
between the United States and foreign
countries are closer and more personal.
! There are now more persons with
money and leisure for a foreign trip
than in the younger days of the ma
ton, and the Improvement in methods
Of ocean going have stimulated travel.
During the ordinary rush of travel
ORC nooa occidoptc
| ship companies are prone to be lax in
complying with the maritime laws of
safety. With such a rush as there will
be next summer and with the unusual
number of vessels which will engage
in the business, it is evident that the
much question of interna-
tional control of the highways of the
ocean becomes more pertinent than
ever. Considering the number of per-
sons who cross and the risks of deep
sea navigation, it is a remarkable fact
that travel by sea is equally safe with
travel by land. When an accident
does occur, however, it is usually ac-
companied by such shocking conditions
that people are appalled, and forget the
made without incident.
The boats of the big steamship COM
panies travel regular courses, and the
chances of collision between them are
practically nil, but there is always the
element of danger in the irregular
tramp which goes up and down the
ocean. as cargo, wind and tides, or the
fancy Of her owner may dictate. With
the temptation away from the dock
with load of passengers, the govern
ments concerned can well afford to be
most strict in all matters of inspec-
ton and license If the laws are per-
fectly enforced, the dangers of sea
travel. even with a great number of
vessels, will be reduced to minimum.
A large number of new excursion
schemes have also been originated
whereby person of moderate means
can pay for an European tour on the
installment plan, and big agencies have
made it SO easy and comparatively
cheap that a journey abroad is not as
formidable or expensive as one over
land from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coast
A great rush of travel to Europe is
anticipated next year owing to the
holding of the French exposition. Some
persons to whom an European trip is
yearly event, will very probably stay
at home to avoid the crowd. This will
be but a small percentage, however,
and will be more than offset by the old
world. The carrying capacity of the
vessels now in the business was tested
to the limit this year. How it is to be
expanded next year is question.
Every steamer capable of carrying pas
sengers across the ocean will be COM
missioned for the service, and the ac-
commodations will be increased in that
way, for there are many tramp vessels
and vessels on less travelled lines which
can be utilized.
If the war between England and the
| beers is continued any length of time
| it will affect their business, for Eng
land has drawn heavily upon the Eng
| lish passenger lines for troop ships
and would doubtless retain them in
war service until peace was declared
| Many persons who have been counting
on an European trip for some time
! past are already engaging their pas
sages for next summer, and steamship
agents say that this feature of their
| business has never started so early or
with such volume as it has for the
coming season. If this is any indica-
! ton Of what is to come there will be a
tremendous exodus abroad from the
! United States early next spring.
The fear which haunts the captain
of liner most persistently is that of
meeting a dereiict. Six Of these are
known to be floating about, and the
English government is considering the
fitting out of an expedition in which
other nations will be asked to join, to
search for these dangerous hulks and
sink them. 1t was last summer, one
day. in the haze of early morning, that
the lookout on the bridge Of the
Lucania sighted straight ahead the
low lying hulk of wrecked and
abandoned ship. She had been lum-
Der schooner. Storm and distress had
drowned nearly all her crew and the
survivors had been rescued by pass
ing vessel. The abandoned vessel was
filed with lumber and could not sink,
but she is still rolling about in the
wash Of the Atlantic, her deck just
above the water and without masts or
other warning to approaching vessels.
Five other derelicts have been re-
ported as seen this year, and the dan
ger from a possible collision in night