Watering Place on the Nickel Plated Road

LAKE MAXINKUCKEE.

A Trip to the Watering Place on the Nickel Plated Road.

By invitation of Director Wm. Fleming, of the new road, a number of gentlemen of this city on Saturday left for a trip to Lake Maxinkuckee, a watering place nearly on the line of the New York, Chicago and St. Louis railroad, and which will undoubtedly soon spring into prominence as one of the most delightful sylvan resorts in Indiana. The party consisted of Mesars.
William Fleming,
H, O. Graffe,
John H. Bass,
0. A. Simons,
S. B. Bond,
A. O. Trentment,
W. W. Worthington,
Charles F. Muhler,
George H. Wilson,
H. G. Olds,
O. A. Zollinger,
R. C. Bell,
Frank Falker and E. A. K. Hackett.
By courtesy of Superintendent Worthington Muncie coach was placed at the disposal of the party and was added to the special train, which was in charge of Civil Engineer Pardee, Conductor Starr and Engineer Miles.

Steam was up at 4:80 and the excursion party was pulled out amidst much hilarity, En route, an appetizing meal was served. on board by the courtesy of the train officials, and that it was toothsome, the evidence of Superintendent Worthington only may be adduced. He was suffering from dyspepsia and hadn't eaten a square meal for several days. On the train, the rest of the party were forced to stand back in amazement and see W. W. stow away the provender.

After a ride of three and a half hours through one of the finest countries in the state, the destination was reached where the party disbanded at a crossroad. The new road has opened up one of the garden spots of Indiana, a country that will be worth thousands of dollars to the business interests of our city. The farm lands under splendid cultivation and the timber tracts are seemingly exhaustless.

The bed of the Nickel Plated, with the exception of seventeen miles which is the extent between here and Chicago not yet ballasted, is in magnificent condition and the cars run as smoothly as on any of the long established roads.

The fastest rate of speed on the trip to the lake was forty miles an hour with no jolting whatever. Nine miles was made in eleven minutes, which is not bad time.

From the point of disembarkment homely lumber wagons, but good enough for all practical purposes of transportation, conveyed the party to the lake.

Lake Maxinkuckee is one of the most beautiful retreats in the state. The lake, surounded by high banks clad with most luxuriant verdue and majestic woods, is four miles in length and three miles wide.

The water is pellucid and hardly a ripple disturbs its surface. The advantages for fishing and bathing are, unexampled. Some gentlemen of the party waived their Sunday scruples and going on the lake took in some fine black bass of phenomenal size.

The Fort Wayne party were the guests of the Indianapolis club house where a number of wealthy families from the capitol reside. All were put to bed in tents, owing to the crowded condition of the building, and all unite in saying they never enjoyed a more refreshing sleep. The presiding and jolly genius of the Indianapolis club house: is Judge Heller, of the criminal court, and one of the best men in the world. Here he has doffed his ermine and judicial dignity, and seeks only to make his friends and himself happy.

Other club houses are owned at the lake by parties from Plymouth and Peru. The gentlemen of the former establishment invited our party to a pleasant sail on the lake and altogether treated them in a most courteous and hospitable manner.

The Plymouth gentlemen call themselves the Lake View club and organized in 1878. The members consist of the following gentlemen:
Joseph Westervelt,
Horace Corbin,
Henry G. Thayer,
Oharles E. Toan,
Chester O. Buck,
William W. Hill,
Nathan H. Oglesbee and Daniel MoDonald.

It is highly probable that by next season the Fort Wayne gentlemen, who were greatly delighted by their trip, will erect a club house. In case that the New York, Chicago & St. Louis build a switch to connect the lake with the main line of railroad, as they will do, we are assured, the Plymouth club will subscribe for $10,000 worth of stock and the other clubs on the lake will make up the amount to $50,000 to build one of the largest and most conveniently arranged hotels in the state. THE SENTINEL confidently predicta that when the new road is in full operation Maxinkuckee will be one of the favorite summer resorts in the state.

It has every advantage of scenery, water, bunting and fishing to make it the superior of any cooling off place in the state.

The Fort Wayne News And Sentinel Fort Wayne, Indiana Mon, Aug 7, 1882 Page 3