Reaches Port 34 hrs. Overdue

Thirty-four hours overdue, the steamer Verona of the Packands-Mather fleet arrived safely in the Duluth-Superior harbor yesterday morning at 11 o'clock, after weathering one of the fiercest storms it ever experienced on the lakes, according to Captain Trimm, in command. The Verona left the Soo early Friday afternoon, bound light for the head of the lakes and when 84 miles up the lake from Whitefish point they encountered the storm.

"It was nearly midnight Friday when the gale came up and for 24 hours we made no progress, our boat practically drifting in the open lake," said Captain Trimm last evening while the Verona was being loaded with ore at the Allouez docks.

"The storm came up in about 10 minutes, as I was out on the deck about 11:30 and everything was peaceful and calm and we were making just as fine a trip as if it were summer time," continued Captain Trimm. "About midnight the wind came up and it started snowing and it was blowing fully 20 miles an hour. We could scarcely hear our own whistle. We were heading our boat due north, but the closest we could get to that point was northeast. About noon on Saturday the boat held to for about an hour, but it was not until 6 o'clock Saturday evening, when the wind lulled, that we made any progress. We ran north until we came to the Slate islands, where we received protection from the north shore, but the wind continued to blow all the way up."

In Blinding Snowstorm

Captain Trim said last night that he did not know whether or not they passed any other boats on the trip, as it was snowing so hard that no boat could be seen or even their whistles heard. The steamer Byers left the Soo a little behind the Verona and she passed it about 2 o'clock Friday evening, weathering the storm better as she was loaded.

Captain Trimm and Chief Engineer Butler are congratulating each other on their narrow escape, admitting that it was the fiercest gale they had ever encountered with a boat so light. They are also loud in their praise of the members of the crew for the way they handled things during the storm.

"We had all kinds of good luck, everything running in the best of shape and not a bit of damage done to the boat," said Chief Engineer Butler. The Verona was 67 hours and 37 minutes in making the trip up to Superior from the Soo, th usual running schedule for which is about 33 hours. She carries a crew of 29 men.