The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-10-13
WILD ROVER SAILS
LAKES WILD WAVES
The First Steamer in Wayne
County Proudly Churns
Inland Sea.
BIG CROWD PRESENT
Nautical Terms Galore Fill
Air AS Navy" Puffs
Around.

Captain Rodgers of the good ship.
wild Rover" which dipped its Nlk-
ing shaped nose into the broad waters
of Morton lake Saturday evening,
stood proudly by the donkey engine
of the vessel yesterday and with a
word of sharp command TO his gallant
crew, who stood abaft the forecastle
deck opened wide the throttle and i'm
mediately the big stern paddle began
to churn to creamy white the wild
waves of the lake.
The wild Rover" proceeded majes-
tically to a point on the south shore
near the big concrete dam and the
hundreds of men, women and chill
dren who crowded about this place
surged closer to the breakers to get
close view of Richmond's navy"
when she "docked" to take aboard her
first passengers. AS soon as the gang
plank was showed ashore there was
scramble to board the craft. They
needed not the wild waves, caused by
! stiff west wind; fears of seasickness
were overcome.
! The staunch SIS foot "Wild Rover"
as it rose and fell gracefully on the
bosom of the troubled lake, inspired
! confidence in the hearts of the most
| timid and in a few minutes her deck
, was burdened with human freight.
! The first mate, after the gangplank
had been pulled aboard, signaled to
Captain Rodgers to start the engine,
then the mate poled the bow of the
wild Rover" seaward, the paddle
spun merrily and Richmond's first
steamboat was off on her first voyage
Takes The Turn.
She made the turn at the west end
!Nft tLn Io1y neil nd S1
ing her way through channels between
brush and small trees, not yet cover
ed by the slowly rising waters of the
lake, headed in the direction of the
Nineteenth street bridge, a little ovel
half mile distant.
"She won't be able to get under the
bridge" predicted a few pessimists
who had been unable to obtain pas
sage for the "Wild Rover's first voy
age But that able seaman, Captain
Rodgers, sent his homemade craft un
der the structure with ease and pro
ceeded up the hitherto unnavigablt
Whitewater at least half mile, toot
inb the big siren whistle in ecstati'
glee.
In half hour the wild Rover" wal
back at her berthage, which will b'
, dockage after a dock has been built
and took ABOARD anotner CApaClt.
load of Richmond's citizenship. Sever
al trips were made by the boat durin'
the day and the only untoward Incl
dent was the striking of a submerge'
log which shook up the passenger
but caused no damage to the boat
, Sees Disaster Ahead.
One woman who was aboard tn
wild Rover" this trip confessed al
terward that when the log was struc
she had visions for second or two o
the Titanic disaster, but her fear
were dispelled when told that the wa
ter under the hull was only four fee
in depth.
The wild Rover" has a flat bot
tom and appears to be very sui
stantially built, even If it is not pic
turesque craft. There were a few CO
r noes and small craft on the lake YET
v terday and in a short time there wi
D probably be quite number of sma
0 craft in use there.
The water in the lake has been ris
| ing steadily the last few days an
yesterday was within three feet of tn
0 top of the spillway.