The Evening Tribune September, 1891
Inspecting Our Harbor.
9/23
Yesterday afternoon about five o’clock the revenue cutter Andy Johnson steamed into this port bringing Senator and Mrs. F. B. Stockbridge and private Secretary Shuler S. Olds. Senator Stockbridge is on tour of inspection of the Michigan harbors for the purpose of informing himself by careful personal inspection as to the true merits and needs of each in order that he may be able to work intelligently on the Senate finance Committee, of which he is a member, when harbor improvement appropriations shall come up in the coming session.
The Senator and his wife are looking well and hearty, and report so far having enjoyed their trip immensely. They made St. Joe, Benton Harbor and Holland yesterday, and were tendered a reception in St. Joseph the evening before.
Their arrival at this port was anticipated and on their arrival a delegation of our prominent citizens and officials met at the dock and immediately aboard where they were greeted by the Senator, who was introduced by Captain McBride. In the party were Mayor Cutler, Postmaster Parish, Collector McBride, Aldermen H. S. Boyce, John Vanpell, City Attorney Geo. A. Farr, Justice Pagelson, Col. Duryea, members of the daily press and others. The party then held a half hour’s informal talk with Senator Stockbridge and Secretary Olds on harbor matters, appropriations, etc., and the needs of Grand Haven in this respect, Col. Duryea submitted for their inspection a chart exhibiting the condition of the harbor and piers. The Senator spoke favorably of the needs of an appropriation for Grand Haven in view of the fact of its great importance as a harbor of refuge and said the estimate of the amount needed by this harbor, $100,000, was very modest in comparison with those south of us, the amount needed by Holland’s harbor, as furnished by local estimates, being $150,000.
Mr. Stockbridge and wife and Mr. Olds, with several of the party, then repaired to the Cutler House where they took supper and remained for the night.
At 9 o’clock this morning Senator Stockbridge, Secretary Olds and a party from the city boarded the tug Sprite, which was placed at their disposal through the courtesy of Captian Kirby, for a trip of the Grand River. The party comprised besides the Senator and his secretary, Captain Kirby, Mayor Cutler, Geo. W. McBride, Thos. A. Parish, Capt. Dodge, W. I. Lillie, Andrew Thompson, Capt. Davis, Lieuts. Reed and Spear, and the following members of the press: A. S. Kedzie, of the Grand Haven Herald; H. Y. Potts, of the Grand Rapids Democrat; and others; D. O. Wachs, Evening Press, A. E. Winchester, EVENING TRIBUNE AND COURIER JOURNAL. The party proceeded up the river some distance above Spring Lake and then returning ran into Spring Lake and there took aboard the president of the village Bilz, and Hon. J. B. Porham, After running half the way to Fruitport they returned to Grand Haven and proceeded out into Lake Michigan for an inspection of the north and south piers, after which they returned to the Washington st. dock where Senator Stockbridge was joined by his wife, who in the mean time, had been on a drive about the city and suburbs with the Mrs. Geo. W. McBride and T. A. Parish, and Miss White. Senator Stockbridge, Mr. Olds and the genial officers from the revenue-steamer Johnson expressed themselves as greatly pleased with the trip and the exhibition of our fine harbor and its delightful and pretty surroundings.
Shortly after 11:00 o’clock they boarded the revenue-cutter and steamed for Muskegon, which harbor will be inspected this afternoon, and from there they go to Ludington, which they expect to reach this evening.