The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-01
Old TARS AT 'TONKA
They Talk of Their Vessels and
Life on the Green, Lake
: Wave.
How Big Steamers Came to Go Out
Passengers Are Timorous
Creatures.

The big steamer Puritan plowed her
way thru the resisting waters of the
+, bay and swung in toward the dock with
a graceful curve. Three bells sounded in
the engine room and the engines slowed
up. Half minute later single bell
sounded and the engines stopped. AS the
steamer came alongside the dock the man
at the wheel pulled the bell rope twice
and the engines were reversed. The
boat stopped, and the gang plank was
thrown upon the dock. A troop Of men
and ladies, girls and boys. descended.
Another troop mounted the plank.
Is this Commodore Johnson?"
Johnson is my name, SIR replied the
big man at the wheel
I'm newspaper man."
"Oh, yes. Step aboard We're going |
around the lake and Wen let you off here |
in about two hours"
Upper and lower deck rapidly filled with
passengers, and the boat backed away
from the wharf and headed for Mime
tonka Reach. The commodore struck a
match upon the rim Of the wheel and
relighted his cigar.
Don't you find it tiresome at the
wheel?"
Not so long as the money comes roll
ing in the commodore replied i've
stood here from in the morning till
the next morning lots of times. You see,
SIR this boat is too heavy for a pilot to
be seated. You couldn't manage this
wheel in chair. How old is she? Two
years ago we put her into the water, and
she has seen hard service ever since.
can make dock in any kind of a wind
sir. We never stop for storms with this
craft. And since the day she turned her
wheel first she's never been laid up for
repairs. That's a record for any boat to
be proud Of. Yes, I run her myself be-
cause I like her. I've number of other
boats There comes the Mayflower. She's
hoo
this spring, the Rambler, but there's
nothing graceful about her. She's all
business Then I've got new boat
nearly done that I expect to have on the
lake In few days. She was christened
the Plymouth. She will take 225 people
aboard-the capacity of the Purltan-she
Is built for speed and Is solid.
why did the big steamers that piled
on the lake twenty years ago go out of
commissioner
We'll sir. there are several reasons.
In those days Lake Minnetonka was ad-
vertised all over the country. People of
" wealth came here from the south and
east. And the people Of Minneapolis came
here by the thousands. but not to live,
as they do now. They put up at the big
hotels. and paid their money to ride on
the big boats. The Belle Of Minnetonka
and the City of st. Louis made money in
those years. But a little later the lakes
right around Minneapolis were developed,
and city people went there for their out
ings. Then the craze for private launches
came, and now everybody has his gaso-
lene boat. Consequently the extremely
big boats didn't pay so we'll. But we are
doing well with our middle sized steamers.
Every spring we are forced to come out
earlier. Formerly the season didn't be-
GIN till the last Of July. This spring had
the Mayfower out the middle of May, and
.his big boat the Gath Of May. That
shows the lake is coming to the front
doesn't it? Yes sir, Minnetonka is all
right, and she's got a future and the
e steamboat business has got a future