Large Variety of Craft Move in ‘Lake of Thousand Islands’

WATERTOWN - Water traffic is teeming this summer through the Lake of a Thousand Isles, in volume and with a variety of craft unknown since long before the recent war. First the depression and then restrictions accompanying the global conflict, conspired to keep pleasure boats off the upper reaches of the St. Lawrence river. Now all designs of motor boats are to be seen, from the utility runabout to yachts with funnels spring the steam yacht of decades ago.

More, even, than New York harbor, the Thousand Islands have seen man’s steady development of means to navigate the water. Bark canoes and Indian dugouts bobbed over the North and East rivers about Manhattan island, but neither Indian, Dutch nor English dwellers there saw the batteaux of the French voyageurs, or witnessed the poled progress of a Durham boat. It is impossible that the high-beaked longboats of the Vikings may have penetrated up the St. Lawrence river, if, as some archaeologists surmise, those ocean wanderers actually reached the interior of the continent.

The bark canoe, and its sister formed from a tree trunk, were the first human craft to navigate among the islands. Then came the period of batteaux and sail vessels, and the wars of the French and the British and Americans, that brought strange flotillas and stranger battles.

SHIPS LAUNCHED

Just around the outer corners of the St. Lawrence, at Sackets Harbor and in the Bay of Quinte, were launched the first steamships to ply over waters subject to a swell, and these, in time, visited the isles , while the mechanics of Fulton’s Clermont still form the example for steam propulsion.

Lines of tour boats carrying sightseers about the region this summer following in the wake of steamships that popularized and made famous the “50-mile ramble.” The Folger Bros., owners of Thousand Island steamers, were sons of Frederick A. Folger of Cape Vincent, and natives of that port, who became citizens of Kingston, Ont., and proprietors of the Thousand Island and St. Lawrence River Steamboat Companies, Ltd.

FRANKLIN’S MOTHER

Inheritance decreed that they should be men of the marine. The progenitor came from Martha’s Vineyard, Obiah Folger of this ancient family became Mrs. Jonah Franklin, mother of Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia. A grandfather, Capt. Matthew Folger, strayed into many oceanic adventures, including the rescue of the mutineers from the British exploring ship Bounty.

Their island steamers were known as “the white squadron” and kept their decks and sides spotless by consuming anthracite like the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, commonly called “The Route of the Phoebe Snow.” The line was famous among island visitors.

Connecting with all New York Central trains, it operated a ferry between Cape Vincent and Kingston, Ont.; ran regularly between Clayton and Alexandria Bay; criss-crossed between the maize of islands to Kingston, Gananoque and Brockville, and took regular sightseeing tours for the benefit of visitors, besides being available for excursions and special charter voyages.

MOSTLY SIDE-WHEELERS

Most of its vessels were side-wheelers, but the New Island Wanderer, notable for her “50-mile ramble,” was a propeller, and so was the yacht Ramona, a lighter craft that could thread narrow, shallow channels where the bigger sisters dare not venture.

Besides the two mentioned, the squadron comprise the St. Lawrence and Islander, that usually covered the route between Clayton and Alexandria Bay, The America, once the Maud, and Pierrepont, long identified with the Cape Vincent-Kingston Ferry, New York, Empire State and Jessie Bain.

In general design most of these vessels bore a similarity - the main deck was plentifully supplied with rectangular windows, a dining saloon aft and freight-baggage compartment forward; an upper deck covered by an awning at the rear, open forward and provided with many chairs, and a boot or “hurricane” deck aft the pilot house.

CARRIED SEARCH LIGHTS

With an exception or two, each carried a powerful search light on the pilot house, with which it swept the channels and picked out notable homes and points of interest during night trips. In addition, regular searchlight tours were run, railroad excursions from this city and other local points being seasonal features to give citizens the opportunity to enjoy this interesting feature. Under the glare of the searchlight beams, objects familiar in day voyages took on a glamor of romance.

The New Island Wanderer was built expressly for sight-seeing excursions. Her main deck was open fore and aft , with the cabin little more than half its length. The upper deck was clear from stem to stern, but roofed for three-fourths of its area. Usually only privileged passengers were allow on the boat deck.