The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-06
DIDN'T WANT ABAlH
But Representative Bennett and At
torney Wilkinson Took One
Just the Same.
Maskalonge. Furnishes Plenty Of Ex-
element for Two Northern
Minnesota Fishermen.

B. S. Bennett OF Fosston, representative
from his district and A. c. Wilkinson the
local attorney for the Great Northern
railway at Crookston, returned to Fosston
Sunday morning from a fishing trip to
Cass Lake, and story comes from that
place concerning their experience that is
highly amusing. Both gentlemen have
wide acquaintance turnout the north half
of the state in political circles and, all
tho the narrator Of the story was sworn
to secrecy, their tribulations while on that
trip are bound to become public property,
sooner or later.
Messrs. Bennett and Wilkinson met at
Fosston May 20 and boarded the night
train to Cass Lake, taking with them a.
miscellaneous collection Of reels, rods and
other fishing tackle, and a quantity OF
bait warranted to lure the bass that
abound at Cass Lake. They arrived at
Cass Lake early on Saturday morning,
and made arrangements for going to Wolf
lake. The liveryman at that place, as a
special favor, loaned them his private
boat, and therein was the source of their
later discontinue.
: This boat was very light and was con-
structed for the main purpose of easy
rowing, without much regard for the
strength OF the craft or the security Of
the occupants. When Bennett and Will
kinson reached the lake, they discovered
that there was a. large crevice on the
pitch from a tamarack tree and soon had
the boat we'll smeared on the leaky side.
The two fishermen are no lightweights,
Wilkinson tipping the scales at 900 pounds
avofrdupois and Bennett weighing 210
Considerable difficulty was experienced in
getting the craft launched, with it's
weighty occupants comfortably seated
but they finally got out on the water, al
though the end of the boat occupied by
Wilkinson was but an inch out of water.
The iveryrnan, who had accompanied
them to the lake, assured them that every
thing was all right; that he had often
gone out on the lake in the boat with mis-
whole family, and that it was so con-
structed that it was an impossibility to
overturn the craft.
The fishermen got out their tackle and
bait and began to angle for bass and crop
pies. Both are masters of the art of
landing fish Of the game variety, and thew
soon had a large number in the boat. The
water Is very deep in the lake, and is
known to contain rnaskalonge and other
fish of the larger, variety. Wilkinson
grew tired of fishing with the reel and
threw out a troll line, Bennett following
his example. The two began to discuss
matters pertaining to the Great Northern
railway and Wilkinson was prophesying
In regard to the route to be taken by
the railroad in constructing it's new line
north from Pelican Rapids when there
We're doings and some language was used
that, II employed in legal practice, would
entail a heavy fine on both gentlemen for
contempt of court.
There was a frightful tug at Wilkin-
sons line, and something at the hook end
started thru the water at a rate that
raised the hair on Benefits head to a
perpendicular. With the instinct of
fisherman of long practice, Wilkinson
grabbed the line and hung on with q death
like grip The boat followed in the wake
OF the fish, and the line which slipped
occasionally, was blstering Wilkinson's
hands. The boat struck the end of a
sunken log, which was protruding above
the water a few inches, and the occu-
pants, with their tackle, bait and COM
mlssary supplies, were hurled into the
drink Bennett is an expert swimmer.
out Wilkinson cannot navigate in deen
water. The representative, after some
very hard work, got the railway attorney
on his back and with considerable effort
swan to the shore with him. Having
no matches and being unable to light a
fire, the anglers sought the shore and sat
on a pile of white, hot sand to dry their
clothes. 1t took two hours to dry the
clothing, and when this was done, Will
klnsons apparel had shrunk too much for
either comfort or looks. He was unable
to remove the. suit till he reached town.
where he sought the Endion hotel, and
was later attired is some dry clothes The
boat or the llveryman was later recovered,
not much the worse for wear, and after
dredging the lake for an hour the val
liable reels belonging to the fishermen
were recovered. Neither Bennett nor Will
kinson Is saying anything Of their ex-
perience but their mutual friend has not
been quite as discreet