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safety of the passengers and the safe- ty of the property of the public and the company, it would be utterly im- proper for us to allow one of our ves- sels"to leave port. It is, 'therefore, useless for us to take up with any- body the question of the employment of subordinates of any character, until the necessary number of captains for the operation of our vessels has been first secured. If all question of wages, or of any other character, if such there be between ourselves and the sub- ordinates of the vessels were-now re- moved, we still could not operate our lines in the absence of satisfactory captains, and it seems to us, therefore, absolutely useless to discuss with any- body any questions relating to sub- ordinates until what we feel to be the main question shall first be determined as to our captains. "Wie shall be very glad to receive applications from any, or all, of the captains formerly in-our employ as captains on our vessels, or from any other men competent to fill the posi- tion of captains, and able to qualify as such under the law; and if your bureau can aid us in any way in pro- curing the first requisite to the opera- tion of the vessels, to wit, competent captains, we shall feel ourselves much indebted to you. ."As we have said, however, our re- sponsibility to the public compels us to insist that we shall be the only judges of the competency of the men applying to us for the position of cap- tain, and the only judges of what dis- _ cipline we shall require such captains to Maintain, and what meastires are - necessary to preserve such discipline." AT THE HEAD OF THE LAKES. Duluth, Oct. AS, northwest storms varying amount of dozen boats in the early part of last week a considerable shortage of boats was experienced at the ore docks. 'At Two -Harbors and Allouez the docks were badly congested with the ore waiting for shipment and at Two Harbors some 2,000 cars were piled up in the yards. Just how greatly such rough weather as was experi- enced on Jake Superior' interferes with the vessel movements is indi- cated in part by the fact that in the twenty-four hours ending at midnight, Oct. 10, only eleven boats had arrived at the Duluth-Superior harbor where ordinarily close to thirty arrive during a like period. After the rough weather of the week the ore shipments braced up mater- ially and for the past few days there 1906.--During the which caused a damage to some TAE Marine REVIEW has been a very active movement. The total at the Missabe docks fell off somewhat from that of the preceding seven days, but gains were made at Two Harbors and Allouez. The figures for shipments from Oct. 7-14 aS given out are: Two Harbors, 232,431 tons; Duluth, 310,097 tons, and Superior, 224,733 tons, a total of 767,- 261 tons or 13,194 tons better than the preceding week. For the same week in 1905 the figures are: Two Harbors, 236,938 tons; Duluth, 276,110 tons, and Superior 189,701 tons, a to- tal of 702,749 tons, which is 64,512 tons less than this year. The ship- ments this year up to date are now 2,489,503 tons ahead of last year, the corresponding totals being for 1906, 20,510,423. tons, 'as .against. 18,020,020 tons in 1905. St. Louis bay is to be the scene of improvements that will be of great benefit and importance to vessel in- terests. "The Northern Pacific bridge, which is the railroad bridge between Duluth and Superior across the inner bay, is to be built with a larger span for the draws. At present the bridge consists of two draws spanning the two channels one on each side of the river and connected by a long trestle across the shallow middle part of the basin. The draws at present are 100 ft. wide and according to the plans upon which the Northern Pacific is about to let a contract for improve- ments the draws are to be.made but 125 ft. wide. The plans were sanc- tioned by the United States engineer at Duluth, but a determined effort is being made by all vessel interests, in- cluding the Lake Carriers' Association to prevent their being carried out. It is claimed that the situation demands a lift or bascule bridge or at least a draw wider than 125 ft. It is also desired that both draws. be located more toward the center of the basin in order that the turn in heading up to the Missabe docks on the north side and the angle into the coal dock slips on the south sidé may be les- sened. It seems probable now that a change in the plans may be obtained. The Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. are digging a new channel for the Pittsburg Steamship Co. to the Mis- sabe docks which will cost from $75,- 000 to $100,000. The new channel will run parallel with the dock slips and lead nearly straight across the basin to the present south channel. Not only will this provide a shorter route into the docks but it will per- mit the boats to run in straight. In- leaving the docks also 'one of the present difficulties will be avoided. Usually there is a strong current 21 down the narrow river channel which tends to swing the stern of a boat, as it is backing out, down stream, the exact opposite of what is desired. With the new -channel in operation the stern may be permitted to follow the current and the boat heading up stream can then turn off across. the bay. This work will hardly be com- pleted by the opening of navigation next spring as it is moving rather slowly but the first of June should see it almost finished. The grain trade has been active the past week, though the shipments of wheat fell off slightly, as compared with those of the first week in the month. The record for large loads was twice broken during the week. The loading of 370,273 bus. of wheat by the steamer B. F. Jones has al- ready been recorded. Two days later the steamer James Laughlin went the Jones one better and loaded 374,000 bus. The boats both have a capacity of 10,000 tons and the only signifi- cance of the large cargoes is that these are the largest boats that ever loaded grain.. The record will prob- ably be broken again before the close of the season. The cargo of 374,000 bus. is equivalent to 10,200 gross tons and the difference in the two cargoes amounted to about 82 tons, an in- significant amount. One noteworthy feature in connection with the loading of the Laughlin was that at the Great Northern elevator 208,000 bus. of the cargo were weigked up in two hours and 40 minutes which is at the rate of 1,300 bus. a minute. The Laughlin was in port 48 hours altogether. The market rate to Buffalo is now three cents which is -equivalent to nearly $1.10 cents on ore. The receipts and shipments at the head of the lakes for the past two weeks have been as fol- lows: Receipts. Shipments. Oct.°7. 7 Oct) 44 Oct 77 -- Octs 14) Wheat. 2,701,151 2,234,354 2,250,277 2,012,205 Corn ZAS7 BLOONS en ee Oats 264,570 284,378 18,830 291,692° Barley... 574,507 430,194 368,349 222,637 Rye 9). > 222.371 AL 564. 6110S t554s Fix'sd.. 2). 554,731 927,651 660/883. 734.977 The Ward line now. has in opera- tion one of its new piers, No. 14 East river, and it is expected that No. 13 will be ready within a few days. These piers are located immediately north of Wall street and are among the best equipped piers in New York. The structures erected by the com- pany on the new piers are of steel, concrete and fireproof wood. They are each 527 ft. long. The illumina- tion is firnished by Cooper-Hewitt lights,