The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-04-09

turned home without sickness or seei-
dent Of any momsnt.
The ). ). Minnesota ID without doubt
the most comfortable bOat for the pas
senger sailing the Pacific ocean. While
her appointments and accommodations
are equalled, and perhaps excelled, by
many OF the exclusive passenger boats,
yet she exceeds them all in size, and
her great breadth Of beam and heavy
draught Of 80 feet when loaded 10 ca
paelty, make her exceedingly we'll be-
naVed IN storm. Nothing but a Sc
we're typhoon will make il unsafe for
passengers to be on deck. and the fact
that plate rails are very seldom needed
on the tables in the ordinary heavy sea,
Indicates minimum roll to the boat.
Yet she is a freight boat, and the
passenger must be content with a long
voyage. The passenger business is
secondary to freight, and time sched-
ules cannot be relied on. But if one is
looking for quiet, comfortable trip.
where time is not an object he will
lind IL on the Minnesota. The northern
route, however, taken by the Mime
sofa, skirting as it does the Alaska
coast ans the Aleutian islands, is cold
and disagreeable except, perhaps, on
the summer voyage, so that but little
time can be spent on deck. One should
come prepared to put in the time inside
and take along reading matter, cards
or work of some kind TO kill time.
There is an antiquated library of few
volumes in the reading room. The
ships doctor is the librarian, and one
can have the use of the library by max
ing deposit, and exchange books on
the rare occasions when he opens the
book case. The library is supposed to
be open three times day, but the doc
tor apparently forgets to show up most
of the time.
The Shriners' pilgrimage to Manila
was the only full passenger list the
Minnesota ever had. While the Great
Northern management made a few con-
cessions, such as specially printed
menus, electric lights in several places
IN the design of the order, a Shriner
tiag raised to the masthead in port vet
much more could have been done by the
management without any particular
expense. If one were to criticise he
might suggest that the ships officers
show a little more interest in the CON-
forts and entertainment of the passen-
gers. Surely $4,000 passenger list,
which has happened but once since the
boat was launched, must be worth
encouraging. We would have appreci-
ated an information bureau, or correct
and civil answers to questions. One of
the chief officers delighted in giving
wrong information. While some ques.
tions asked were foolish, yet sincere
desire for information on the part of
most of the passengers was treated in
the same Indifferent manner. Perhaps
notable exception was the wireless
operator, who was ever courteous to
callers and took time to explain the
wonderful Marconi system. 1t is prob
ably safe to say that he increased his
receipts by his courtesy more than his
salary. Captain Garlick was reserved
and we saw but little of him on the
outward voyage, but on the return a
better acquaintance made him a great
favorite. Of the balance, one felt as
though any favors asked were received
with i'll grace, and granted very grudg-
lngly if at all. While we received per-
haps all we paid for, yet, compared
with the efforts to please as usually
practiced by corporations catering to
the public, and especially with a view
to increasing its patronage, there was
somthing lacking, and probably ac-
counts in large measure in the usual
small passenger list on the Minnesota
and the heavy business of competing
lines which make the same ports.
Seeing is believing. See the Tip Top
Dairy and you will believe it. ap2tf