Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-09-06
5000 MILES IN BOAT
TWO OLD MEN END LONG VOYAGE
IN MILWAUKEE.
Both Over Seventy Years Of Age, They
Build Own Craft and Cruise for
Almost q Yea-started In
Montana.

Milwaukee, Wis.-George G.. and L.
w. Smith, brothers Of former Alder
man Henry Smith, who started In their
houseboat, the 1t, from Fort Benton.
Mont. on July 81, 1911, have tied up
in Milwaukee. The younger brother
has Just celebrated his seventeen
birthday, and the other Is in his eight
ieth year.
On their houseboat, which they built
themselves. and which they were able
to construct so we'll because Of their
long experience as millwrights, they
have covered a little more than 5000
miles.
I'VE have enjoyed every minute Of
Our trip" said George G. Smith, the
older of the brothers, although at
times we have been In some pretty
tight places. but We will be glad OF a
take another journey Of that kind. My
brother and l were IN Seattle about
a year ago. when we thought of under
taking this Journey.
I'VE decided to start from Fort Ben.
ton, the head of navigation Of the Mis-
souri, river. and we went there in
May, 1911, and started building our
boat. 1t was finished about the mid
die Of July. and on July q We started
on our journey. On the upper part of
the Missouri river we experienced
considerable difficulty with sandbars
and rapids. In fact, throughout our
entire journey there was only one day
during which we were not grounded
at least once.
AT one place In the river we had
to dig our own channel for fifty or six
ty feet, and in many places we had to
get out and push the boat off from
stones In rapids. Since the journey
was primarily undertaken as sight
seeing trip, we have travelled entirely
in the daytime. We have taken as
much time as we pleased, often stay.
ing in one town as long as three
weeks. l have taken photographs OF
all the points of interest to me on
the trip. and we have kept log OF
1--WE passed through some wild and
beautiful country in the Bad Lands OF
North Dakota and Montana, and while
there got some of my best pictures
All of the trip was we'll worth taking
again"
my brother has been the cook and
pilot and have taken care Of the
engine" said l.. w. Smith, the young
er brother. 1--WE have fshed and hunt
ed all along our journey, always keep
ing within the bounds Of what meat
and fish we needed. Through Mon
tana and North and South Dakota We
had many chances to shoot big game
but since we would have no use what
ever for the meat, we did not take ad
vantage of our opportunities in thit
line. Many times along the uppe1
Missouri, when we were tied up to the
river bank for the night, coyotes ant
timber wolves would howl at the win
dows Of our cabin, and We saw many
deer and antelope within easy shoot
ing distance.
1--WE had originally intended to trav
ell down the Missouri to the Mississip
pi and from there to the Gulf Of Mexi
co, but we decided to change oul
plans. We came up the Illinois river
and the drainage canal to Chicago, ant
made the rest of the journey on Lake
Michigan. We were forced to stop II
Kenosha for two days on account O.
the rough water on the lake, and w
were again laid up In Racine for re
pairs to our engine. In fact, during
our entire trip our engine has beer
more or less 'mulish' in its behavior
and has caused us great deal of trou
BILE and lost us considerable time"