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ARINE Vou. XVI. CONTRACTS FOR NEW SHIPS. LAKE BUILDERS ARE AT WORK ON THIRTY-ONE VESSELS VALUED AT $4,043,600-- THE COMBINED CAPACITY OF THE FREIGHT CARRIERS IS 77,900 GROSS TONS. The Review of Nov. 4 contained a table giving particulars of new vessels building in the principal ship yards of the lakes. Since that date several important contracts have been closed, and there are a dozen or more small vessels to be built during the winter that were not included in the first table. The list covering all lake ship yards is now complete, and is published herewith. There are in all thirty-one vessels valued at $4,043,600. The freight carriers, steam and sail, number fifteen, and their combined capacity on 17 feet draft is 77,900 gross tons. The Bertram Engine Works, Toronto, Ont., will build in addition to the Richelieu & Ontario steamers for St. Lawrence service, three steel grain barges for the Prescott Elevator Co. They also report that they will build two light-draft stern-wheel river steamers for the Canadian Pacific Railway, to be used on the Stickeen river in Alaska. It will also CLEVELAND, O., DECEMBER 80, 1897. ey REVIE} ; Some Preparation for 1898, . It is a matter 'of encouragement to note that the representatives of Lake Superior iron mines have thought it necessary to begin with the present week a series of conferences that must be held before there is any definite action regarding an association to deal with output, prices, etc. An early beginning denotes a feeling of confidence among the ore dealers regarding the heavy business that is expected in all branches of the iron industry during 1898. As in previous years, an effort will be made, of course, to include the Mesabi mines in the association, but there is not much hope of accomplishing this end. The conservative disposition of the ore association regarding prices has made it popular among furnace- men, who realize the advantages of reasonable and uniform prices, and some of the ore dealers are of the opinion that notwithstanding the extent of mining interests now held by the big consumers, the chances of a strong ore organization are better than they were a year ago. But with increased mining costs and other conditions prompting some in- crease in the price of ore during the coming year, there are a great many difficult problems to solve in the formation of an association, and until several of these meetings are held there will be little that is definite to be said regarding the policy of the ore companies. It is quite probable, Vessels under Contract in Lake Ship Yards. DIMENSIONS, |CAPACITY gross tons| APPROXI- ENGINES. BOILERS--NUMBER, BUILDERS. TYPE OF VESSEL. || oa aera DIMENSIONS-On DIMENSIONS AND BUILDING FOR acy (KEELIBE'M|DPTH| pRarr., | VALUE. | gy~InDERS AND STROKE. PRESSURE... American Steel Barge Co., West Supe:ior.| Steel frt. stmr. |... 414) 50 | 27) 5,900 $230,000 | Quadruple; sizes withheld.|2, B & W watertube, 250) American Steel Barge Co. American Steel Barge Co., West Superior.) Steel tow barge. | 390) 376] 46 | 26] 5,600 140,000 5 [erecta er ORS Ao | ren eee Minnesota Steamship Co. Bertram Engine Works Co. Toronto,, Ont.) Steel pass. stmr. | 277| 269} 36*) 14] ......... 250,000 | Inclined Triple. Scotch boilers. Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Co. Bertram Engine Works Co., Toronto, Ont.| Steel pass. stmr. 277) 269) 36*| 14) ......... 250,000 Inclined Triple. Scotch boilers. Richelieu & Ontario Navigation Co. Bertram Engine Works Co,, Toronto, Ont.} Stern wheel stmr. ]...... 160} 35) 5 BOSO00 5 ee ea eee eee eel etme 2 tnne ie taeaect sary Er Bertram Engine Works Co., Toronto. Ont.|............:ccceeeeertetees|eneees GO e235 feo leueeeees OOS000 eek bee cacceusues eceteetes cuensce| oe hieeee eocestaak oe samectanes Nias Chicago Ship Building Co., Chicago. Steel frt. stmr. 420| 400} 48 | 28} 5,100 210,000 21, 30%, 44, 64 x 42. Two, 14.8 x 11-6, 200. | C. W. Elphicke, Chicago. Chicago Ship Building Co., Chicago. Steel tow barge. | 388) 376} 48 | 26} 5,750 LAOS O00! | evcsastac ire testcase sae Seta rte | ene ea ge cence! James Corrigan, Cleveland. Cleveland Ship Building Co., Cleveland. | Steel frt. stmr. 426) 406] 50 | 28) 5,750 220,000 | Quadruple; sizes withheld.|2, B & W watertube, 250} Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., Cleveland. Wievelanal Ship Beale Co., Cleveland: Steel frt. stmr. | 450) 430] 50 | 28} 6,000. 235,000 | Quadruple; sizes withheld.|2, B & W watertube, 250) A. B. Wolvin, Duluth. z Craig Ship Building Co., Toledo, O. Stee levee arate ee 70) 15 8 12,000 | 12, 20 x16. Neca hoa nie raiea | eons name etae Sesoiactcaconses U.S. Engineer, Buffalo, N. Y. D i Co., D it. Paddl . stmr.| 324) 314) 447) 18 375,000 | Beam, 80 in 1. p. x 12 ft. | Six, 1234 x 12%, 135 Cleveland & Buffalo Trans. Co. Detroit Dy peck on Done, Steel nae cone lay 160)... f peal earners 75,000 | 15, 24, 38 x 24. Two Scotch nouleree Dunbar & McMillan, Michigan City. Detroit Dry Dock Co., Detroit. Steel frt. stmr. 400) ..... 45%| 28) 5,000 225,000 Quadruple engines. Three Scotch boilers. | Western Transit Co., Buffalo, N.Y. Devney, J. P.. Ashtabula, O. 2 Wooden tugs. |... 80] 18 |1044] _......... 20,000 | cai. ee ee eae eee es: Builders' account. ' 0 , Steel rev. cutter. | 205) 188) 32 | 17 193,800 | 25, 37%, 564 x 30. Four, 11-8 x 10, 160. U.S. Revenue Cutter Service. Globe ee Works Ga Clevelana Steel a cutter: 205} 188) 32 |. 17) 193,800 | 25, 37%, 5614 x30. Four, 11-8 x 10, 160. U.S. Revenue Cutter Service. Globe Iron Works Co., Cleveland. Steel tow barge. | 388] 376] 44 | 26 LOB O00 cose seessene cove scecsusiccsssontraestacs teeaeeres orca nenteete meee cs Mack-Becker fleet. i Hingston & Woods, Buffalo. Wrest 3 Inorer 135) 44 | 18) ......... DB {OOD fees aioe veessates cise casa geese ioc ll Gaceatec ane am tee nee ae eaerean Hingston & Woods, Buffalo, N. Y. Polson Iron Works, Toronto, Ont. Stern wheel str. |...... HAO ROO p eeees |eeretereres 50 O00 i | eeeeetese eel cerareeearese eer ceeneate sara leer seren erneeceremnteeceee ner cesta Canadian Pacific Ry. Raci Mf'g Co., Racine, Wis. Steel stm. yacht. |...... Wd. alc eeee. 15,000. Triple" ci.) seme at ye ncaa Otto Young, Chicago, TI. Racine Boat MPs Gor Rennes Wis. Steel stm. yacht. |...... T5\12%4| 4] ween 125000) <)Siripl ee ieee pee | eee eteeeseeeces seseeeeees M. A. Ryerson, Chicago, Ill. Union Dry Dock Co., Buffalo, N. Y. Stool time, gs 0) Beis | tees |ereeeees Triple. Two Roberts boilers. | Maytham Bros.) Buffalo, N. Y. eae ee yee aera SE ee ee eee ee ec. a ta ageaibiel Brae < leva Uae er a eer eee eet ee ee ee Cates Wooden toe Ei at £03 [sate ono | nue 14, 22%, 36 x 30. One Scotch, 12 x 10 ft. | Milwaukee Tug Boat Line. 7 7. W ; : a 52| 50 | 28] 6,100 255,000 | 26, 3744, 55, 80 x 42. Four, 13-4 x 11-6, 200. | Bessemer Steamship Co., Cleveland. nese i W. & Ce e West Bey Ga ; Sel ta eget eh ren 50 | 28) 7,000 155,000 wig Uoh'np wa steak sace cu POSES as uc koe PREETI EEE eG I sae ee ER Bessemer Steamship Co., Cleveland. Wheeler F'. W. & Co., West Bay City. Steel tow barge. | 450) 434) 50 | 28] 7,000 TB SL000 2.22 Siecsocecesceunqcts utes cpaccte stein. sal eageretracties seme eak eee Bessemer Steamship Co., Cleveland. aa 03 i frt. stmr. | 815] 300| 44 | 26, 3,150 | 135,000 | 16, 28, 42 x 36 13 x 12 ft. Builders' account, Dee nor Wen tar Wooden ft stmr| 315 300] 44/6) 50 | 195.000 | 16, 28, 42 x 9 13 x 12 ft, Builders' account. David °, ute Wooden tow barge} 312 h, : UU |. ccecencnerssccvensce cotccrcsecevccsss|ccceccsscerasecs -crstersnccsccecsss 1 le aetieon yee West ne Ce. Wooden tow barge} 312| 300/454) 26) 3,500 BOO eee eee eerenen cee etter ceelereermeen een eee eae Builders' account, | - *Over guards, 62 feet. tOver guards, 78 feet. . be noted that the Polson Iron Works of Toronto is to build a stern-wheel steamer for the Stickeen river service. The Marine Iron Works, Chi- cago, has begun the construction of several shallow-draft steamers for Yukon river service, but their customers requested that no particulars be given out, as such information might be used by other parties going into the same field.. Lake ship builders are therefore in possession of quite a large amount of new work, due to the discovery of gold in the far north- west. With the exception of these vessels for Alaska and a few others of the smaller class, nearly all of the contracts that make up the accompanying table have been announced in the Review as they were let from time to time. Arrangements for the construction of a large harbor tug for the Milwaukee Tug Boat Line are about complete. Dimensions of the hull have been decided upon, but the hull contract has not as yet been let. The tug will have a length over all of 93 feet, 21 feet beam ard 12 feet molded depth. The Sheriffs Manufacturing Co. of Milwaukee is to build the engine, which will be a triple-expansion, with cylinders ie 22%4 and 36 inches diameter and 30 inches stroke. 'The boiler, which will be of Scotch type, 12 feet long and 10 feet in diameter, with a guaranteed working pressure of 185 pounds of steam, is to be built at the 'Manitowoc Boiler Works. It will be provided with forced draught apparatus. : Another tug, dimensions of which are given in the table, will be built by Wallace Hill of Fish Creek, Wis. Mr. Hill will also build for Capt. E. B. Graham of Fish Creek a wooden passenger and freight steamer of 126 feet keel, however, that sales of ore will be made much earlier than in either of the past two years. : ; The Ohio soft coal interests, which are controlled in part by Ohio coal railways, are planning a combination much stronger than anything that has as yet been attempted in the soft coal trade. With the failure of two or three of the Ohio coal railways of late their management has fallen into strong hands in New York, and with these changes a more vigorous policy in general organization has 'been expected for some time past. General Wilson, chief of army engineers, has just cumpleted the col- lection of a complete set of portraits of his predecessors in office from the time of the organization of the corps of engineers under the act of congress of March 16, 1802. To get the portraits of the first four chiefs of engi- neers it was necessary to take photographic copies of their portraits in oil on the walls of the military academy at West Point. These were Col. Jonathan Williams, the first incumbent of the office, and his immediate successors--Col. Joseph 'G. Swift, Col. W. K. Armisteact and Gen. Alex- ander Macomb. . There have been fourteen chiefs of engineers in all to date. Gen. Joseph G. Totton held the office for twenty-six years, from 1838 to 1864, and the next longest service was that of Gen. A. Hum-- phreys, who held office for thirteen years, from 1866. Col. Williams and Col. Charles Gratiot directed the affairs of the engineer department for ten years each. The others averaged a service of about two years. The portraits have been hung on the walls of General Wilson's office in Wash- ington, : J