The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-29
TRIP FROM SALTWATER TO TAY-
LORS FALLS FRAUGHT WITH
EXCITING, EPISODES
STORM AND THIEVES COMBINE
Pilot Ed Miller Calamity Steers His
Boat Ashore With Six Hundred
Passengers Safe-POckets
Are Picked.

Lie duuudi 0ACuTSlOn OIL the 10ITllOT4dl
Pioneers to Taylors Falls yesterday was
far and away the most exciting journey
essayed by the veterans in recent years
First, while on the steamer Lora. they
were caught in the storm, and for a
time it looked as though the 900 pioneers
would perish in the raging waters. A
ccol-headed pilot, however, extricated
them from this danger, and Saltwater
was reached in safety Here the old
gentlemen were taken to see the state
penitentiary and while they were com
passionately commiserating with the
hard fate of many of those immured
within he gloomy walls, three smooth
young men, who accompanied the party
from ST. Paul, went through the crowd,
and secured a considerable sum of
money, beside number of emblems and
other trinkets When the news of the
robbery was noised around the grizzled
veterans departed for their train pro-
foundry impressed with the utility of a
state prison, and with misgivings that
the Saltwater institution was not quite
large enough.
SAVED BY THE PILOT.
1t was jolly party that left the
union depot in the morning on a North
ern Pacific special; in the party were
most of the well known members of the
organization, and only the absence of
ex-Gov Ramsey detracted from the
auspiciousness of the occasion, the aged
statesman being afraid to trust himself,
weighted down with the burden of eighty
eight years, to the hardships of what
promised to be a scOrcning day. There
were enough of the veterans present,
however, to make the party thorough
ly representative one and the trip to the
falls was pleasant indeed. After viewing
the splendid scenery in the vicinity Of
the falls the journey was resumed on the
Lora and barge, which started for Still
water. Everything went well until at
Rice lake. about nine miles north OF
Saltwater the approach of the storm
was noticed. The excitement was in
tense, but Pilot Ed Miller prepared to
meet it in as favorable a position as
possible, and at the exact moment When
the tempest struck he faced his boat
to the blast and allowed it to be grad
ually driven to the shore. The barge,
which was heavily loaded with pas
sengers, helped to preserve the equilib-
rum of the steamer, and, in the opinion
of many, saved it from utter destruction.
Picking his way iwth great skill, the
pilot guided the boat to a spot where
the water was deep, right up to the
bank, and the steamer grounded with a
shock that was almost imperceptible,
her bow crashing through number Of
trees and a thick underbrush.
,PICK-POCKETS GET BUSY.
The storm was of brief duration and
the veterans speedily recovered their
composure. Dancing was resumed, and
the services Of three young men, we'll
dressed and suave of manner, were in
valuable in plotting the feet of the pio-
neers through the unaccustomed mazes
of the sprightly twO-step. The young
fellows became popular, and when Still
water was reached they were invited TO
accompany the party on the trip of in
spection. In front of the state prison
halt was made, and while The most of
the veterans were admiring the thick
ness of the walls, and. remarking on the
almost utter impossibility of escaping
from within, the pockets of Messrs. o.
T. SWEET, Minneapolis, and Charles
Lemme, of ST. Paul, were mysteriously
"frisked," the former losing $25 and a
valuable Masonic emblem, while from
the pocket of Mr.. Lemme was removed
wallet containing $40. An alarm was
raised, and ex-Chief Doyle, of Mime
apolis, and Michael Daily, the vete, an
detective of this city, who happened to
be standing quite close to the gentle
men who were robbed, commenced a
ventured to ply heir ignoble calling right
in the shadow of the walls of a great
corrective institution Their efforts were
unavailing, and it was discovered that
several other pioneers had missed
articles of value. The police committee
also made the alarming discovery that
the three genial young gentlemen who
had come in so handy at the lance had
disappeared, and up to The time of the
leaving of the special train for st. Paul
they had failed to rejoin the main body.
The remainder of the trip was with
out incident and the return to ST. Paul
was made in quick time.
Before disembarking at Saltwater
meeting was held with E. w. Durant
presiding at which the following resolu-
ton was adopted, commencing the Of
ficers of the boat for the skill displayed
in handling the boat during the storm:
We, the Territorial Pioneers of Mime
sofa, and our friends, numbering 900, on
our annual summer excursion, the 18th
day of June, 1901, having taken the
the Interstate park and Dalles OF the
ST. CroiX, and now on board of the
steamer Lora and barge Twin Cities. do
unanimously desire to thank all who
have contributed to our comfort and
pleasure, and do especially wish to thank
Manager G. E. Mosier, Capt. John Kent,
Pilot Ed Miller, Engineer J. w. John
son and the crew of the Lora for their
courtesy and kindness, and to commend
them for the courage, GOODNESS and sea-
manship displayed during the severe
storm encountered on the river. We also
expressly wish to heartily 1ndorSe the
action of the states of Minnesota and
Wisconsin in acquiring the Dalles of the
St Croix as an interstate park reserve.
And we also express our thanks to Com
missioner George Hazard for mis-
thoughtful attention and consideration
Throughout the entire trip.