An Hour at Lake Maxenkuokee  

Logansport Times May 1, 1891

The Times man last week spent an hour at Lake Maixenkuckee, where the young and the old come in summer.

They come from their labors, their trials and tlieir troubles, to take on new life, inhale the pure air that God sends to his people, to fish, to swim, to eat, to dance, to drink and to pray. They come from the plains,the hills and the valleys, from cross-roads, hamlets, towns and from cities. Here comes the poor man, the rich man, the saint and the sinner, and for days and for weeks they mingle together, forget their positions at home, their race for the dollar, and their miserly bargains.

But this crowd has not yet made its appearance. Only one of the hotels, the Arlington, has opened yet. This is the house owned by conductor A. J. Knapp, of the Vandalia. He has built a new boat, the Lloyd McSheehy, having named it after H. J . McSheehy's oldest boy. It will carry about 60 passengers.

"The Chronicle" man, Mr. McSheeby, will build a small boat of his own. Then the fish in Lake Maxenkuckee may well dive to the bottom and stay there till snow flies, yea until zero, for this pencil pusher is great with the hook and takes more pleasure in raising a fish than a wild west "injun" in lassoing a buffalo. Mr. McSheehy's boat when built will carry about eight or ten passengers, and will skim over the water with the grace of Pochahontas with her skiff on the James.

Ed Morris, owner and captain of the steamer Peerless, has retrimed and repainted his boat, and on Friday it was launched upon the crystal waters of the deep, He meets all trains and informs us that everything is favorable for a prosperous season. It may not be generally known that Captain Morris is a practical boat builder, but nevertheless such is a fact.

Ed Wheeler, originally of Chicago, is repairing his boat house in good shape.

Mr. F. D. Lamson, who run the Palmer House last season,will have charge of the same this season, and it is quite likely the Palmer is now opened.

The Palmer {Plymouth} club grounds, comprising several acres, has been bought by the Vandalia railroad for $16,000, and much improvement is expected.

Last, but by no means least, comes Mrs R. K. Lord, the popular proprietress of the Ohmer bouse, who has been intimately connected with the history of Lake Maxenkuckee for many years.

And by the way The Times is always glad to commend the business sagacity of a woman when it is consistent with truth to do so. In this case it is quite consistent. All the business ability about the Lake is not possessed by men,not a bit of it.

Mrs. Lord is as shrewd asa Philadelphia lawyer, and yet possessed of none of this peculiar characteristics. She did well last season as proprietress of this hotel, and expects to do even better this summer.

The Ohmer is being overhauled, raised to two full stories in height, a large and elegant veranda for both stories is being placed over half way around the building, an addition is being built on the rear, together with several other material improvements, which will decidedly change the appearance of the place. The dining room ts being enlarged to accommodate the hungry multitude, and in short, the hotel is being refitted to meet the increasing demands of the public.

Mrs. Lord has two steamers, the William R. McKeen and the Aubbeenaubbee, the latter of which has been in service only one year. The William R. McKeen has been duly inspected by the proper authorities.

Oliver Crook, who has been with Mrs. Lord five years, is captain of Aubbeenaubbee and is justly proud of her Mr. Crook spent the winter in the south, but has returned to the Lake and will soon be on deck.

During the winter Mrs. Lord occupies her Cottage Grove Place, which is romantically situated among "God 's first temples," on a slight elevation not far from the Ohmer. But now that the blossoms come out from their hiding, the blue birds and robbins return from the south, and the fisherman stalks forth with his bait, Mrs. Lord will come down from the cottage, roll up her sleeves and start the machinery in motion.