The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-08-29
Minnesota Scribes Sail the Big Lakes
and Enjoy the Grand
Scenery.
At the Two Soos They Have Carriage Drive and
Visit the Steel Plants--At Duluth They
Were Wined and Dined=--A Short
Run to rlesabe Iron Range.

Tors plan summer excursion, that all
the details will be so carefully ma
tured that the participants are sure
to have good time. Last year it was
felt to be duty to take in the Pan
American Exposition at Buffalo, and
the party, numbering nearly three
hundred people, had most enjoyable
ten days outing.
This years excursion was planned
by the same executive committee, and
was designed more directly as one of
real recreation. The eight days out
ing for 1902 was closed by the return
of the party to ST. Paul, on Thursday
morning, the 21st, and in no respect
has it been behind any of the former
trips in genuine pleasure and recrea-
ton, and yet there has been sand
wiched in a large amount of education
and information, such as can only be
obtained by number acting as
unit.
The trip just accomplished this year
was by railroad to Duluth, and thence
through Lake Superior and Lake HUI
ron to Sarnia, at the head of st. Clair
river. The association had previously
made two trips on these great inter-
national highways, one to Buffalo and
return on the Northwest, and the 9TH
er to Mackinac Island and return on
the Northland. These were very agree
able, and the committee felt assured
that another lake trip would be ac-
ceptable.
The original plan for this years eN-
cursion was fixed for June, to take in
the Georgian Bay, but politics and
political conventions interfered so
much with the prospective attendance
that postponement was reluctantly
made. The next point was, as to the
time when an excursion could be
made, and it was unanimously agreed
that the middle of August was the
only time left for this year, and that
the limit of accommodation would be
one hundred, because of the earlier
bookings for this, the most desirable
month of the year. With the time
fixed, and the number to be accOmmo-
dated, it was determined that the lake
starting point should be Duluth, and
the new steamer Huronic, of the
Northern Navigation Company Line,
as the proper ship for oour down
trip. leaving Duluth on the afternoon
of Tuesday, August IL
Gathering of the Clans.
The editorial party was gathered at
the Windsor Hotel, on Monday, the
18th, and by the courtesy of the
Great Northern road, represented by
General Passenger Agent f. l. Whit
ney, two of the company's largest
passenger coaches were placed at our
disposal, and attached to the Eastern
Minnesota, leaving ST. Paul at $3.50 a.
m. Tuesday. Duly equipped with bag
gage and coupon books, the party was
promptly on board. and the run was
made on the usual schedule, arriving
in time for dinner at the ST. Louis
Hotel.
The day was most delightful, and
the short available time in Duluth was
well employed; and at the advertised
time of starting for the ship all were
on deck, ready for the move. 1t may
here be mentioned that the Northern
Navigation Company is Canadian in
stitution, and the Huronic, after leav-
ing Duluth, makes no stops except at
Canadian ports. She is the largest
passenger and freight steamship COM
bined now on the lakes, entirely new,
and in commission only since the mid
die of June. To give the reader some
idea of the latest development of
steamship construction for the Great
Lakes, the following are the official
dimensions as they appear in her GER
tificate of building: S. S. Huronic is
built of open hearth steel throughout
and is 325 feet over all, 43 feet beam,
and 81 feet moulded depth. Engines
are of the triple expansion type, 26x
AZ and 7Ox42 inch stroke, steam being
supplied by four Scotch boilers, II
feet inches in diameter by II feet
long, at a pressure of IT'S pounds per
square inch. Horsepower 2,40O, gross
tonnage 1880, net tonnage 2,212.
This new. vessel has first-class ac-
commodation of the newest and best
design for two hundred and seventy
saloon passengers, having double
tier of cabins with outside staterooms.
The dining-room is forward and is
built the full width of the lower sa-
loon, thus making it very spacious,
affording a view of the scenery and
surroundings. 1t is finished in nat
ural uuartered oak and has seating
capacity for $50 people.
On the Waves.
In starting from Duluth we found
that the Huronic had brought up a
large party from Sarnia for the round
trip, and altogether there were about
300 passengers aboard. The weather
continued fine for the whole of our
down trip, just as delightful as the
most dyspeptic grumbler could wish
for. At the call for the first meal on
the Huronic we were notified that
watches should be set one hour ahead,
as all the meals would be served on
eastern time. This was tough on the
editors, who were accustomed to have
meals at seven or eight o'clock, that
they must change their habits for a
week and get up at six o'clock in the
morning.
Everybody was up bright and early
on Wednesday morning to see the out
lines of Pie Island and the approach
into Port Arthur, which was reached
at six o'clock by the new time. The
DELAY here was for two hours, giving
our party plenty of time to stroll up
into the town and note the difference
from orr own American towns.
There is a very heavy freight traffic
at 4llis port and at Fort William, three
: miles up the KamiNistiqua river,