The Republican journal., 1917-11-22
A Letter from a Journal Friend.
CHICAGO, Nov. Is, 1917.

CHICAGO, Nov. Is, 1917.
Dear Journal l went from Belfast
August ID, 1917, to commence what l had
planned to be quite an ex tended trip. l
never had any desire to 60 to Europe,
preferring to know more of my own coun:
try l went first to North Tewksbury,
about three miles from the city of Lowell,
to the Hilton Farm, which is now the
summer home OIL my daughter and her
husband, Mr.. and Mrs. H. H. Hilton and
their family. The farm has been in the
Hilton family over fifty years, and is on
high hill overlooking the city of Lowell,
and is an ideal place for ummer home
for their family. l remain ed there about
a week, and then took the train at Bos-
ton, for Buffalo, N. Y, where Joined one
of the large palatial steamers of the Great
Lakes Transit Corporation for Duluth.
We left Buffalo at 10 a. m, and the course
out into Lake Erie was very narrow
and crooked, requiring the assistance of
tug to make the sharp turns. The wind
was west, blowing very hard, and it was
quite desirable change from the easter
ly wind and foggy weather which prevails
on the New England coast.
The course from Buffalo to Cleveland is
about west, and the wind blew so hard,
that it put the steamer back about two
hours, and we did not arrive at Cleveland
until after midnight, SO | saw nothing of
that city, and when arose in the morn
ing the steamer was Just entering the
ST. Clair river, and we arrived at Detroit
about 9 a. m. and left there about IL a.
m. to resume our journey. Detroit, as
you know, is the home of the Ford
auto cars, sold by B. O. Norton, and it
also has number of other large automo-
bile manufactures, and other large indus
tries. There were quite a number of
large steamers being built for the govern
ment for use on the Atlantic. The sail
down the river and St. Clair Lake, was
very nice, and we were constantly pass
ing the large ore boats going to an ore
port on Lake Erie and empty ore boats
going back to Duluth. These ore boats
carry about 10000 tons of ore each.
There will be shipped from Duluth for
1917 about 100000 tons of iron ore.
We passed out into Lake Huron about
4 p. m. and got over to Mackinac Island
the next morning about 9 a. m. and left
there at II a. m. This place is very |
large summer resort and large hotels are
here to accommodate the extensive travel, |
and | will say here, that the people IN
the west do not come east for their sum-
mer outing as much as formerly, but they
60 to the upper part of Wisconsin and
Michigan, and to the nice summer resorts
on the shores of Lake Superior. We got |
to the 500 canal, connecting Lake Huron
with Lake Superior, about p. m, and 1T
takes about two hours to go through |
Lake Superior is an immense body of
water, over five hundred miles long, and
over one hundred miles wide, and from
2, 500 to 5000 feet deep, in it's deepest part
The water is very cold only about four
degrees difference between summer anu
winter. There is difference of twenty
feet between the level of Lake Huron
and Lake Superior and there are four
locks that are used to let steamers
through each way, of which three are ON
the American side and one on the Cana
dian side We arrived at Duluth at a.
m. Tuesday morning, Aug. 18th, after
most delightful sail from Buffalo to Du-
uth. l have more to say about my trip,
but will reserve it for another letter, lest
weary you, if put it all into one.
EDWARD SIBLEY.