A Day On The Boat

Somewhere about 250 Ann Arbor people were at the M. C. R. K. station yesterday morning to take the special excursión train to Detroit, St. Clair Flats or Port Huron, as the individual tastes migbt díctate. ïlie excursión was the one given annually by Mre. J. W. Babbitt, of Ypsilanti, for the department W. R. C, and the train started from Jackson. When it arrived here at about 8 o'clock local time, the eight cars it contained were well filled, but all the Ann Arbor people managed to squeeze in. At Ypsilanti two more cars and 250 people were taken on, and those who got on at Wayne, Dearborn, etc, had the pleasure of standing up. The M. C. were a little more liberal upon returning home, it might be remarked, and provided enougli cars for everyone to be seated in. Upon arriving at Detroit a large detacbment of the people remained in the city, but auother good sized detachinent took up a line of march for the steamer Greyhound, tb at runs between that city and Port Hurón, with an idea of enjoying a day on the water. The boat was well filled when it was reached, but a boat is like an omnibus, tliere is always room for more. Wlien we were all on deck and the vessel started on its journey, there were at least 1,200 people on board, the limit of the ship being 1,500. It was a good natured, jolly sort of a crowd, however, with but one idea in view, and that was to have a quiet day of rest, and although the people looked somewhat weary upon retnrning, they nearly all succeeded in the attempt. Tlie ride up St. Clair Lake, Flats and ííivci, isa delightful one, and there is sufficient variety on oue of these river boats to keep one interested most of the time. After passing Detroit's ïnagnificent island park, there is the long stretches of water on Lake St. Clair, wliich on this day were cal in and placid with just euougli of cioud and breeze to iiuike itdelightful to the nlander. Then the passing oí the big lake freighters and passenger boats s something unusual for the saine individual, and the whaleb'acks, and barges '.vitli tows and yachts and sailing orafts are all watched with a keen interest, not only by the children, of whoin there were a goodly number in evideuce, but by the older ones as well. And when yon meet so many as was met on this trip, one wonders how they manage to rnake their existence pay - whieh of course they do. There were some things noted, however, one of whioh was the fast disappearance of sailing vessels, there beiug but few of thein left and they of the smaller soit, and quite aged in looks. Another thing was the fact that the great boats which were met when we were going up stream were all heavily loaded, but those met when coming back were nearly all " light," or without loads. One passenjier suggested that the strike in the coal mines accounted for that, and a soit of sbiver ran through his frame, as be suggested there inight be some suffering in the upper lake regions this winter because of this fact. AVhen the great ship canal was passed then cominenced the club houses, hotels and private suiiiiiier homes of the famons St. Clair Flats. To one who liad ïiot been up the river in years, tliis was a wondcrful revelation. Wliere there was formerly nothing but water and rushes, there are now hundreds of houses wliere people go to pass the hot days of suminer, and live on fish, frogs, ducks, etc. A wonderfui American Venice, for suinmer use only, has grown up on these waters, and is still growing. The man who sails up the St. Clair a oentury henee will no doubt sail by a city here, with water ways for streets, and teeming with a populatiou as great as the Venice of old. Th at there is a great future for this great water way no one doubts for a moment. At one of the cottages there was a crowd of Ann Arbor people, and they greeted the boat through a megaphone with "How's everything at Ann Arbor?" and back went the answer " Ann Arbor's all right!" Speaking of megaphones, they are in the shape of an jmmense dinner horn, and it is astonishing how they carry the soumi, of the voice. Words can be distinctly understood a long distance a ay. At St. Clair Bro. Will's- tlie Evangelist - Trio, as it announced itself, who were upon another boat, gave the hound's passengers a delightful song, "Let a Little Sunshine in." ïliis inegaplione was the means of "taking down" one Smart Alee in nice sbape. He had been yelling sometliing cute or smart to people along shore, and then Btrutting over it before the young ladies accoinpanying kim, much as a peacock struts about to show his fiue plumage. Wlien at the Rushmere, a man of more tlian ordinary flesh was sittuig iu a chair on the porch enjoying the scène, and beside him was a huge megaphone, nearly as large as himself. LTp jumpe Sinarty, at the sight, and shouts : "I'll bet you $2 you can't swallow that horn you've got there. Come now, put up or shut up." üp carne the great horn and back came the answer: "1 never bet, Mister, but how many horns have you swallowed?" The passengers were ready to grasp at anythins; that would turn the tables on the young man, and the laugh that ensued effectually silenced him for the rest of the journey. He did not allow liis nioutli to run opposition to a megaphone af ter that. All along at these resorts the boat left passenger, and wlien Tashuioo Park on Harsen's Island, was reached a good muiiy got oft'. This park appears tobe a gi-eat resort of late, aud looks very inviting froin the boat. It is to tbis place the Masonic Lodge oí Ypsilanti will give an excursión on the 25th inst. In going up the river one thing could not escape notice, and that was the difference in appearance of the Canadian and American shores. The American being lined almost the entire distance with beautiful dwellings, summer houses, tents of parties out camping - one of which we noticed was from Alleghariy, Pa.- all life and activity; the other side entirely destitute of these things, even at the Flats, there not being a cottage or boat house on the Uanadian side. Don't you suppose Canada would be benefited and receive a great Ímpetus by becouiiug one of us ? Aud don't you suppose her citizens see it? But we do not want her with her great debt. At Port Huron the boat was about an hour late, so that the passengers had no time to see the city. Iu fact it vvaa stateil that some 15 or 20 who did get oíf, even af ter being warned, were left there, muoh to their discouifiture. . The excursión was a great success, and Mrs. Babbitt may well feel proud, for it was her energy and push that made it a success. Port Hurón is a little too far away, however, for pleasure. It niakes the hour of getting home a little late for Ann fArbor people. But then, we wouldn't mind repeating the trip, after all. - ■ This year's wheat erop in the U. S., estimated at 500,000,000 bushels, will be over 72,000,000 bushels larger than last year, and at the advanced price this means an additional proflt on the erop $103,750,000 for the farmers as compared with the erop of 1890. Youug father-Is it a boy or a girl? Doctar (cyclist)- No, its a taudern.-