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10 MARINE Duluth Freight Matters: DvuLurTH, Minn., April 2.--Notwithstanding the talk of a surplus of coal here, which has been indulged in quite freely of late, caretul inquiry among the coal men would indicate that there will certainly be not more than 100,000 tons of coal on dock at this point when navigation opens. The grain freight market has been very dull of late. Not more than three or four cargoes have been placed within the past ten days. Quite a few vessels are offered at the 3-cent rate. Thereis in store in Duluth and Superior elevators about 17,500,000 bushels of grain, and it is quite probable that by May 1 this amount will be increased by 2,000,000 to 8,- 000,000 bushels. So much grain has never before been in store here at the opening of navigation. A circular sent out a few days ago by one of the brokerage firms here advances the opinion that 10,000,000 bushels will be moved during May, and adds the following note: "The quantity of wheat chartered exceeds all previous records. We shall not be sur- prised, therefore, if there is no great inquiry for tonnage from now until the opening of navigation. A great deal of money is required to carry wheat for shipment, and most shippers seem to think that unless the margin of profit is greater than it is at present, it is hardly worth while for them to carry any additional burdens, at least until some of the wheat _ which they have sold passes from their hands. Lumber inspectors still profess to have no authority to engage vessels for opening shipments. _It is quite apparent that they are waiting for the establishment of ore rates before bidding for lumber carriers. There are reports of some en- gagements having been made on the basis of $1.75, but these rumors lack confirmation. It is quite probable that something will be done in lum- ber freights during the coming week." Around the Lakes. Capt. Alex R. Sinclair, Duluth vessel broker, now owns one-half of both the steamer Langell and schooner Arenac. April 10 is the date fixed for resuming the display of wind signals on all lakes, excepting Lake Superior. May 1 is the date for Lake Superior. A wooden steamer 210 feet over all, 36 feet beam and 13 feet hold will be launched from the ship yard of Alex. Anderson, Marine City, in a few days. - The name of the new barge building at Marine City for Connelly Bros. of Buffalo is to be that of the firm, Connelly Bros. She is to tow with the Wotan. : : The wrecked steamer Britannic has left Dunford & Alverson's dock, Port Huron, for Marine City, where her repairs will be finished, and the schooner Montgomery has taken her place in the Port Huron dock. Morris E. Lee, marine attorney and adjuster at Cape Vincent, N. Y., took from the lakes to Europe the first centre board schooner that ever crossed the Atlantic. The name of the schooner was Dean Richmond. M. A. Hanna & Co. of Cleveland have secured the management of the -E. & P. R'y docks at Erie. H. T. Raser of Ashtabula will have charge of the dock. Twelve Brown hoists of the latest design will be put up at once. A dispatch from Marquette says that the ore dock of the new Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railway at Presque Isle will be finished in advance of the completion of the railway. The dock will be 54 feet high and 52 feet wide and will contain 200 pockets. : . Mr. A. B. Wolvin of Duluth has decided to give the name Crescent City to his third big steel steamer, which is to be built at South Chicago, but which will not be completed until the spring of 1897. This is in line with the names Zenith City and Queen City. _ Mrs. Lydia Geel, wife of the late Capt. C. S. Geel, has made in one of _ the Port Huron papers a public acknowledgement of the prompt payment __ of $1,000 insurance from the Ship Masters' Association. The claim was paid several weeks in advance of the regular time of payment. In a letter to the REVIEW Mr. John Gordon of Buffalo says he has at present no plans regarding a package freight line that would involve the use of the steamer Globe, which he purchased recently. He will use the Globe during the coming season in general business applying her where- ever freights are most profitable. Capt. Wm. Downs, who sold his Ashtabula harbor tug interests re- cently, has purchased the passenger steamer Skater from Milwaukee par- ties and will operate her during the coming season between Cleveland and Buffalo, stopping at two or three intermediate points. The vessel is said to be licensed for 400 excursionists. G. A. Simpson, well known to lake vessel masters as a compass ad- juster, will endeavor to sell, during the coming season a long-distance ' speaking trumpet,or megaphone as itis called. It. isa patent instru- 'ment designed to carry and receive the voice. Mr. Simpson says it will be useful for giving orders from pilot house to the after end of a steamer, and possibly for communication between a steamer and towing vessel. Mr. B. F. Perkins, representing the National Association of Masters future patronage. - REVIEW. ------, --__ and Pilots of Steam Vessels, has succeeded, after forming a large branch of the organization in Buffalo, in inducing the Cleveland branch of the Lake Pilots' Association to join his association ina body. The Clevelang branch will be known as Harbor No. 42, and all details of affiliation with the national body will be arranged at a meeting to be held on Saturday of this week. Capt. D. West of Detroit has a contract from the government to stake the new Grosse point channel upon the opening of navigation, yy arrangements have been made as yet, however, to light this channel, Preparations are being made also to have the 800-foot channel extendin from Bois Blanc island out into Lake Erie, in readiness shortly after the opening of navigation. This channel will also be fully staked just as soon as it is completed. Death has removed two well-known vessel masters within the past few days. Capt. J. M. Clossey, who sailed some of the best of the Buffalo line boats, and who was to be in the employ of the Union Steamboat Qo, next season, died at his home in Buffalo on Wednesday last, Capt, Henry J. Trinter, who died at his home in Vermillion, O., had not sailed for two or three years past, but was in the Minch line of Cleveland for a number of years. His last command was the steamer A. Everett. The Cuddy-Mullen Co. and the Morris Coal Co. of Cleveland haye combined, in a corporation to be known as the Cleveland Fuel Co., all steamboat fuel business that is to be done by lighter in Clevelang, The Cuddy-Mullen Co. is already in possession of a lighter that is to be taken over by the new company, and another lighter will be built at once, These lighters will be available for work on the Northern Line passenger ships whenever it may be inconvenient to fuel the big steamers from chutes. : - The transfer of the steamer Emily P. Weed from Hollister Bros. of 'Buffalo to James McBrier of Erie is practically a cash transaction, as the vessel is to be paid for entirely by Jan. 1, 1897. The price is $140,000. Other transfers are: Schooner John Kelderhouse to Capt. W. H. Har- grove of Detroit; steamer Leuty and consorts Bottsford and Jackson, G, K. Jackson of Bay City to Penoyer Bros. of Au Sable; tux Maxwell A. to Delta Lumber Co.; tug Sumner to H, W. Bottsford; schooner Tailor, Con- nolly Bros. of Buffalo to Capt. Robert Todd, $1,300. Not much importance is attached of late to launches at the ship yard of the Chicago Ship Building Co. The steel schooner Geo. E. Hartnell, which is being built for the Northwestern Transportation Co. of Detroit, to tow behind the steamer S. R. Kirby, was launched at South Chicago _ Saturday without even a newspaper announcement of the fact before hand. The Hartnell is 366 feet over all, 352 feet keel, 44 feet beam and 26 feet moulded depth, and will carry about 4,000 tons on 14} feet draft. The Chicago company expects to launch the steamer Geo. N. Orr on the loth inst. Major Marshall of the army engineering corps, who has been sta- tioned at Chicago for a long time past, is known to have been very much disturbed on account of attacks made upon him by Chicago newspapers following his recent report in the matter of harbor improvements, but he should not have asked to be transferred to other duty. Chicago vessel owners who are fully acquainted with the history of river improvement matters at that point know that Major Marshall has honestly represented the government and has upheld the shipping interests. Although his report favoring South Chicago may have been a mistake, it is of a kind that has done no harm, but on the other hand has stirred up the citi- zens of Chicago to a proper interest in their lake business. It is to be hoped that the war department will not act upon Major Marshall's re- quest. Better pass over the South Chicago recommendation and uphold .the local engineer by continuing him at his present post with assurance of better treatment from the people whom he has tried to serve faithfully. M. Schrank, agent of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway at Ash- land, has been in Cleveland during the past week looking after matters pertaining to next season's ore movement from the Gogebic range. All chutes on the old dock of the Northewestern company have been extended and a large numbet of the pockets raised, so that in addition to the big new dock, which is modern in every way, the company will have a second dock adapted to both large and small vessels. Mr. Schrank returns to Ashland to immediately begin the work of filling the docks with ore. Although he says he does not look for an opening of navigation on Lake Superior before April 25, some time will be required, probably two or three weeks, in filling the docks. The solid through trains of the Nickel Plate road, equipped with all modern appliances for safety, speed, and comfort, are the prominent feature of that popular line. Their fast eastern express, leaving Chicago at 1:30 p.m, daily, runs through solid to New York City, arriving at that point at 6:30 p.m. the next evening. Experience is the best teacher. After you experience a trip on this train, we are confident of your 19-Mar. 31. t