Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1911-08-16
With The |. C. BAND
Great Musical Organization Meeting
With Wonderful Success
Everywhere.
CHRISTIAN DALE WRITES AN
Interesting Letter Describing Trip of
Luther College Concert Band
on the Pacific Coast.

Every Decorahian is interested in
knowing how the Luther College
band boys are progressing on their
extended trip to the Pacific coast,
and we prevailed upon Mr.. L. S.
Dale, manager of the Lutheran Pub
fishing House, to allow us to publish
the following letter received from
his son Chris, who is one of the
lucky boys with the band:
Bothel, Wash, Aug. II, 1911.
Dear Folks
| am sending another one of my
illustrated lectures. l will continue
where l left off in the last letter.
We left Everett for Sylvana,
Wash. This is just small town.
We arrived there just in time for
dinner. The "Kvindeforening" had
big feed prepared for us. must
mention that this is great country
for cherries, black and red.
Before dinner the minister took
us around to the back of the church.
There was, what seemed to me,
big dry goods box full of cherries.
We gave concert in the afternoon
to large crowd. After the concert
a fellow took some of us over to a
cherry orchard where We got right
up in the trees and stuffed the cher
ries down.
After supper we started for STAN
wood by train. Arrived there and
had our places assigned. The next
day we went for an outing out to
the Sound We were out all day.
We were taken out in autos. There
we ran around on the big log boOms
which were in the sound. I suppose
you have seen them. | certainly saw
some big logs. We had swell
time. Went in swimming, rowed.
went launch riding. Had a fine din
ner out in the woods.
In the afternoon some of US went
by boat back to Stanwood, where we
gave a concert in the evening.
The next morning we left for Mt.
Vernon where we gave a concert in
the afternoon and had supper Af-
ter supper We left for Bellingham.
We Travelled along the Sound most
of the way and before 1t got dark
we saw some fine scenery. When
We arrived at Bellingham we loaded
some drays in hurry and took our
baggage to the armory.
The next day, Sunday, we played
in the church in the morning and
gave concerts at the armory after
noon and evening. Good attendance.
The next day We had an outing.
We were down at the dock quite
early, lunch baskets in hand. There
We took a launch called the "Brant''
and went on the Sound to the Car
Isle Packing Co., where we saw
them can salmon. l enclose a pic
ture of the boat "Brant" and of the
through the cannery. I saw the SAL
mon alive and whole and saw it
come out at the other end of the
cannery all put up in cans. l saw
men throw the salmon into ma
chine which scaled them and tore
the insides out Then they slid
along to place where other men
took and washed them. Then went
further along to machine which
cut them into chunks. Then they
were put on benches in front of girls
who packed them into cans. The
girls placed the cans into trough,
where they were carried along to a
machine which put covers on them.
| Then they rolled down chute to
another part of the cannery, where
| they were steamed and cooked. l
| tasted some of this salmon, and ii
was fine. Soon it was dinner time.
! We ate our dinner on the beach. At
| ter dinner the launch took us out to
the traps, or nets. There we saw
them pull up the nets filled with
struggling salmon. 1t certainly was
great sight to see the way the
fish thrashed around in the nets.
They were then scooped into scow
which took them to the cannery.
About $3.50 we started for Belling-
ham and arrived there we'll satisfied.
The next day, Tuesday. we left for
Seattle by boat. 1t took us about
six hours and it certainly was fine
journey. We had our dinner in the
dining room on the steamer. While
we were eating dinner, we struck
some rough water, the boat rocked
considerably, and quite few of the
boys left the table and proceeded TO
feed the fishes" We arrived at
Seattle some time before supper. We
took supper in Rev. ii. Stubs church.
In the evening we gave concert in
Arcade Hail. Good crowd.
The next day we went for an auto
ride all over Seattle. The car ! was
in was a $4,000 car and went some,
too, up hill and down. There are
some big hills in Seattle, but they
are grading them down and they
have washed some of them into the
| Sound by hydraulic pressure. l saw
some very interesting sights during
, this auto tour. We We're up at the
/ fair grounds. where the fair was
held. Went along the boulevard, an
t elegant drive, and up on Capitol Hill
where we could see the whole city
{ In the afternoon we left by boat foI
Bremerton Navy Yards.
: At the navy yard we were escorted
e around by sailors from the battle