mcarthur did just that. painted in all white livery, the "columbus" made multiple round trips per day, sailing along the lake michigan shoreline from the randolph street/van buren street dock to the jackson park site of the world's columbian exposition's beaux arts "white city" exposition fairgrounds. a contemporary souvenir booklet called her "the greatest marine wonder of its time", and another publication dubbed her the "queen of the lakes." she had an estimated capacity of 4,000–5,000 passengers on her four decks, but it was reported that she carried 7,000 on her maiden voyage. the goodrich transit line steamer "virginia" (later the uss "blue ridge") is said to have raced against her.