Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-30

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power and shipping, Sault Ste. Marie
ought speedily to develop into one
of the great manufacturing centers
of the country.
On board the Chippewa we
thoroughly enjoyed an evenings ride
down the picturesque st. Mary's river,
past numerous lumber camps. beauti-
ful islands, and narrow channels to
Mackinac Island. one of the most
famous summer resorts of America.
1t is beautiful wooded island pos
sessing various natural charms and
located between Lakes Huron and
Michigan. 1t is three miles long, two
wide. nine miles around and contains
1900 acres, has about 700 permanent
residents the year round and several
thousand in the summer season. for
| here number of magnificent hotels
have been erected, one of them, the
| Grand, having 1000 rooms, and many
wealthy people from all over the
|
and luxuriously furnished summer
homes. From Chicago, Milwaukee.
Detroit, Grand Rapids and manv other
cities hundreds are brought in daily
by steamships, as all vessels between
/ Chicago Duluth. Detroit. Toledo.
Cleveland. Buffalo and intermediate
] ,tc or hn cI
and across it in every direction are
beautiful drives, where the natural
scenery is superb. Half of the island
! is owned by the state of Michigan and
the other half by individuals, many
of the cottages being erected on land
leased from the state. The business
section consists almost exclusively of
hotels and curio shops. the latter
abounding in profusion.
There are several points of historic
interest on the island among which
are an old mission church and house,
built by the Jesuit fathers in 1926,
and Fort Mackinac, built in 1928.
This island was fighting ground in
the War of 1912. and was captured by
the British. who landed on the north
shore at night and took possession.
1t was afterward exchanged to the
United States for British island near
by which had been taken by the latter
Among the scenic beauties is Arch
x,,l hr, .>x 4 an
feet above the sea level near the shore
Sugar Loaf, huge rock 80 feet high,
in the shape of loaf of suagr; Deer
Park. where many deer are kept
Skull Cave, where Alexander Henry,
a friend of the Indians, was concealed
for three days and fed by the latter
during the war of 1912, sleeping upon
skulls of human beings in the cave
Point Lookout, point 800 feet high
from which beautiful view of the
lake is obtained and Fort Holmes,
built by the British in 1919, upon
which is tower the top of which is
1886 feet above sea level, from which
one can look over all the island and
out on the lakes for many miles.
These beauties of nature, it's many
fine drives and its ideal location. both
for ease of access and exhilirating
climate. make Mack inac Island one of
the most delightful resorts on the
continent.
During our stay at Mackinac Island
we spent an afternoon in a most
pleasurable side trip, aboard the
steamer Islander among the Lex
Cheneaux Islands The Shows. There
are about hundred Of these beautiful
wooded islands, picturesque archi-
pelago near the north shore of Lake
Huron. all within a radius of fifteen
miles. 1t is scene of surprising
beauty. Here and there ON every
side, dotting the placid waters of the
lake, vieing with each other in novelty
Of shape and natural beauty, are scores
of small islands with sandy beaches
and shady hooks, where lovers of
nature have erected cozy cottages and
spend the heated season III an outing
that furnishes all the pleasures of
warm, sunny days, cool, bracing nights
that make one sleep soundly and an
abundance of fishing. hunting and
boating. in the complete enjoyment
of all the rest and recuperation afford
ed by one of the most enchanting
natural resorts of America.
The shores of the mainland are as
picturesque as the islands. Every
mile or so are comfortable summer
hotels, where residents Of the cities
spend q week or two in the summer.
in q complete change of scene and
occupation. No wonder that the red.
skin fought so desperately to retain
these happy hunting grounds.
Regretting to leave behind such q
delightful place, we started on the
homeward journey from Mackinac Is
land across Lake Michigan to Chicago,
on the magnificent steamer Manitou"
which in size. arrangement and
elegance of finish is but little inferior
to the Juniata, upon which we crossed
Lake Superior. The steamer was