Lake Michigan (Propeller), 1872

ANOTHER LAUNCH
      Launches are becoming about as frequent along the line of the Welland Canal as " raising bees " in a new settlement and seem to attract a similar degree of attention. Already there have been quite a large number of launches along the canal, and at each repetition of the ceremony the interest, to judge by the numbers present, has not flagged in the least. Yesterday afternoon the launch of another propeller, to run in connection with the Merchant's Line, at Melanchton Simpson's ship-yard, lock 5, attracted spectators from different sections of the United States and Canada, and even from Hamilton, as well as from the busy marts along the canal. To meet the views of the owner the builder posponed the launch from 2 until 3 P.M., and at the latter hour the vessel descended into the water in a most satisfactory manner to all present, but those on the opposite side of the canal, who stood too near the tow-path, and had not speed enough to get out of the way of the water thrown up on the sidehill by the plunge of the vessel into the canal.
      Miss Ella Larkin, daughter of one of the owners, performed the christening ceremony, bestowing on the new craft the name of " LAKE MICHIGAN," she being intended for the Montreal and Chicago trade. Her dimensions are:- Length over all, 143 feet; breadth of beam, 26 feet 5 inches; depth of hold, 11 feet 6 inches; register about 400 tons. The machinery is from the shop of T. Wilson & Co. Hamilton, and the plumbing was done by Burrow, Chatfield & Co., of this town. The owners are "The Lake and River Steamboat Company," and the officers Wm. Rollo, Captain; Wm. McBroom, mate; A. Mills, engineer; R. Sewell, Purser; Wm. Duffy, Steward; Zumo La France, Pilot. Competent judges pronounce the new boat a money-making, strong and serviceable craft.
      After the LAKE MICHIGAN had settled in her proper element, a large company assembled in the office, and with the Hon. J.G. Currie in the chair, succeeded in doing full justice to a champagne lunch provided by the generous owners. Appropriate toasts were proposed, eliciting speeches of varying excellence from Messrs. A. Hope, Norris, Currie, Simpson, McKenzie, Larkin, Crerrar, Smith, Grant and Meyer, the company seperating with a bumper and three rousing cheers for the Queen, highly pleased with the afternoon's proceedings, themselves and humanity in general.
      A St. Catharines newspaper
      1872, (no date taken)



      ANOTHER LAUNCH
      Launcheó arå becominç abouô aó frequenô alonç thå linå oæ thå Wellanä Canal 
aó " raisinç bees ¢ iî á ne÷ settlemenô anä seeí tï attracô á similaò degreå 
oæ attention® Alreadù therå havå beeî quitå á largå numbeò oæ launcheó alonç 
thå canal¬ anä aô eacè repetition oæ thå ceremonù thå interest¬ tï judgå bù thå 
numberó present¬ haó noô flaggeä iî thå least® Yesterdaù afternooî thå launcè 
oæ anotheò propeller¬ tï ruî iî connectioî witè thå Merchant'ó Line¬ aô 
Melanchtoî Simpson'ó ship-yard¬ locë 5¬ attracteä spectatoró froí differenô 
sectionó oæ thå Uniteä Stateó anä Canada¬ anä eveî froí Hamilton¬ aó welì aó 
froí thå busù martó alonç thå canal® Tï meeô thå viewó oæ thå owneò thå buildeò 
posponeä thå launcè froí ² untiì ³ P.M.¬ anä aô thå latteò houò thå vesseì 
descendeä intï thå wateò iî á mosô satisfactorù manneò tï alì present¬ buô thoså 
oî thå oppositå sidå oæ thå canal¬ whï stooä toï neaò thå tow-path¬ anä haä noô 
speeä enougè tï geô ouô oæ thå waù oæ thå wateò throwî uð oî thå sidehilì bù thå 
plunge of the vessel into the canal.
      Misó Ellá Larkin¬ daughteò oæ onå oæ thå owners¬ performeä thå christeninç 
ceremony¬ bestowinç oî thå ne÷ crafô thå namå oæ ¢ LAKÅ MICHIGAN,¢ shå beinç 
intendeä foò thå Montreaì anä Chicagï trade® Heò dimensionó are:- Lengtè oveò 
all¬ 14³ feet» breadtè oæ beam¬ 2¶ feeô µ inches» deptè oæ hold¬ 1± feeô ¶ 
inches» registeò abouô 40° tons® Thå machinerù ió froí thå shoð oæ T® Wilsoî ¦ 
Co® Hamilton¬ anä thå plumbinç waó donå bù Burrow¬ Chatfielä ¦ Co.¬ oæ thió 
town® Thå owneró arå "Thå Lakå anä Riveò Steamboaô Company,¢ anä thå officeró - 
Wm. Rollo¬ Captain» Wm® McBroom¬ mate» A. Mills¬ engineer» R® Sewell¬ Purser» 
Wm® Duffy¬ Steward» Zumï Lá France¬ Pilot® Competenô judgeó pronouncå thå ne÷ 
boat a money-making, strong and serviceable craft.
      Afteò thå LAKÅ MICHIGAÎ haä settleä iî heò propeò element¬ á largå companù 
assembleä iî thå office¬ anä witè thå Hon® J.G® Curriå iî thå chair¬ succeedeä 
iî doinç fulì justicå tï á champagnå luncè provideä bù thå generouó owners® 
Appropriatå toastó werå proposed¬ elicitinç speecheó oæ varyinç excellencå froí 
Messrs® A® Hope¬ Norris¬ Currie¬ Simpson¬ McKenzie¬ Larkin¬ Crerrar¬ Smith¬ 
Granô anä Meyer¬ thå companù seperatinç witè á bumpeò anä threå rousinç cheeró 
foò thå Queen¬ highlù pleaseä witè thå afternoon'ó proceedings¬ themselveó anä 
humanity in general.
      A St. Catharines newspaper
      (no date taken)