The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-06-05
CANOE RIDES
WILD WAVES SAFELEY
Chicago Young Men Pass
Hammond and Gary Wa
ter Front in Frail Craft.
TRIP BEGAN LAST MONDAY
Distance of Trip Is Eighty-Four Miles
and Voyage Is Made in 10
Foot Boat.

Hammond, Gary and South Chicago
people who happened to be at their
respective lake fronts Wednesday prob
ably wondered about the mission of an
ordinary looking craft, canoe manned
by two men which making its way
along the shore evidently headed
toward Chicago They did not realize
that the TWO men, one Attorney Ara
Weldon and the other a professor, Will
liam R. Mcclure, both OF Benton Harbor,
Mich. We're padding their way from
the Michigan town to Chicago-just for
the sport of the trip
The approximate distance of the trip
is eighty-fve miles and it was made
in an ordinary fifteen-feet, thirty two
inch beam canoe in eighteen hours and
f1fty-five minutes The trip began Mon
day morning at sos and was ended at
the Jackson park life saving station
when dusk fell on Wednesday evening.
They Were Very Curious.
The venturesome young men simply
wanted TO see if It could be done. 1t
had nothing to do with a crazy bet.
With the waves rolling high and a
spanking breeze from the land, the
two men set out from the south pier
at Benton Harbor at sos a. M Monday.
following in the wake of two or three
fishing tugs.
At times the little craft and its oc-
cupants disappeared entirely from the
watchers on shore, but once In the
open what apprehension the watchers
had was dissipated by the view of a
sail From the mouth of the St Joe
river to StevensvilIe, distance OF six
miles, required only half an hour, the
binding the men and rendering it prac-
tically impossible to determine the dis
tance from shore.
Three Miles From Land.
After skipping over and through the
waters for a mile or so further the
wind died down, and the occupants of
the canoe could barely distinguish the
shore line. They then were fully three
miles from land.
They kept to sea until Lakeside.
Mich, was reached, twenty three miles
from the starting place, were they put
in, both being nearly exhausted. Be-
cause of the distance covered they re-
christened the place "Skidoo point
The rolling surf capsized the craft near
shore, both men going overheard, and
being required to exert their strongest
CIOTAS ~ ct the Oh ioHd Ills
was the only mishap experienced on the
voyage.
The landing at Lakeside was made al
$50 a. m. They left that place at Ale
o'clock the next morning, arriving al
New Buffalo in time for an early break
fast. They spent an hour and hall
there, then headed for Michigan City
using the sail most of the way. They
had dinner at the Indiana town, where
they rested for four hours and forty
minutes. leaving there under a shore
breeze for Gary.
The trip was broken by a stop of {
few minutes at a fishing shack abou
twelve miles out of Michigan City. TIL
wind shifted, and they were obliged t,
paddle their way into Gary harbor
which was reached about Z p. M Forty
three miles were covered on Tuesday
the paddles being used off and on 70
about fifteen miles. At Gary the wave
ran fully six feet high.
Last Part of Journey Rough.
At o'clock Wednesday morning the
put out of Gary for Indiana Harbol
padding all the way. and after shor
rest they continued the trip to Sout
Chicago. The voyage from South Chi
cago TO the Jackson park life savin
station was rough