River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-08-06
" IN ALL THE WORLD
NO TRIP LIKE THIS "

Your correspondent is more
or Jess of an Atlantic traveller, having
made some fifteen trips across the
ocean, and is more or less familiar
with this particular form of holiday.
It's strong points are:
"a Absolute rest for mind and
body.
(2) Unlimited fresh air.
And its weak points are:
Cd MoDotony.
(2) Bad weather-frequently
with, of course, the strong points
much the most important and entire
ly predominant.
Circumstances compelled the writer
this year to forego the usual Atlantic
trip, as he had to go West. Having
some detailed acquaintance with rail-
road affairs, he was aware that
the Northern Steamship Company
owned by the Great Northern-oper-
ated a steamer from Buffalo to Du-
luth, making the trip in three days,
and he determined to try it.
tie found magnificent
ocean-going steamer close upon 400
feet long, of 5000 horsepower, de-
veloping a speed of Is to % miles an
hour, fitted up in style that he has
never seen surpassed on any ocean
vessel, whatever her size, furnished
with large airy state-rooms, lofty sa-
looms and decks Vulnerable, the top
deck being something like 70 feet
above the water. Brilliantly lit,
admirably ventilated, most convent
emily arranged as to all appointments
Lake Erie is not especially pictur-
esque as to it's eastern end.
when the ST. Claire River was enter
ed the scenery became beautiful.
From that time, with a very few
hours of open lake, the trip to Duluth
was succession of changing pic
lures, any one of which would make
the fortune of an Atlantic route lucky
enough to possess it exclusively. Just
above Detroit there is Belle Isle
Park, which is surely the most beau
tiful public park in the world, and 1T
lies at the waters edge. Across the
river is sleepy Windsor. The river
is full of excursion steamers plying
up and down to half a dozen resorts,
all on the river and all full of holiday
crowds, and our steamer threaded it's
way among them, meeting all kinds
of craft from ore-carriers and whale,
backs to naphtha launches and row.
ing boats All this at sunset after
typical summers day with the mer-
curry standing at 70 degrees, and no
more!
Next day there was Mackinac ISL
and, looking something like a little
Welsh fishing village, the hill rising
directly from the waters edge, dotted
with summer cottages and here and
there a large hotel, and the bay filled
with all kinds of sailing crafts. Beau
ty enough for one days steaming, you
would think, but in three hours we
reached ST. Mary's River and passed
the famous $500" canal by moon
light. You are to imagine a stretch
of river some miles long with camp
ers on every point, their tents lit
up, and here and there remains OF the
Fourth's pyrotechnics in course of
dissolution-all on a still summers
evening, so still that the voices on the
shore could plainly be heard on our
steamer as we passed, until the roar
of the $500" rapids drowned them
as the town and the great lock came
in sight. Finally we came into Lake
Superior and entered on the last day
of the trip.
Once more variation in the seen
cry. The red banks of Lake Superior
sandstone topped with pine and cedar
and a refreshing GOODNESS in the air
marked the change and presently
there was the oughton-Hancock ship
canal opening up with its twin cop
per cities on the hills rising on each
side, and it's red waters. The temper
allure at the Houghton dock was 90
odd degrees, with a strong southwest
wind, but we were hardly out of the
canal when wraps and overcoats were
in order for the first time since leav-
rect for Duluth.
X The writer's purpose is to
bring out the fact that this Lake trip
has all the advantages of an Atlantic
voyage with the disadvantages elimi-
mated altogether. You will note, first,
that the steamer itself is of the ocean
type, Ouly COL1IOI CctOIC, oCCOIO3
that the trip is three days long,
which affords time for a complete
rest (quite apart from the fact that
a round trip from New York City to
Duluth with six days steaming, can
be made between Saturday morning
and the following Saturday night
J, and third, that there is no
monotony about any part of it.
The emotion of surprise in
it's ultimate degree is susceptible of
change into other emotions. To find
the bell-boys Tor cabin stewards) at
tentive yet unobtrusive, the walters
courteous and painstaking, the ships
officers genial and communicative, the
purser gentleman and diplomat of
the first water, ahe cooking absolute
ly first-class, the statcrooms clean
and cool-and all this with the other
advantages noted in the foregoing is
enough to arouse the ire of man
who only finds it out after it has
been available nine years.
The Steamship Northwest
sails from Duluth for Buffalo and i'll
termediate points every Tuesday at
1850 p. N
WHAT SCIENTISTS TELL US.