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per cent have left the range and the re- mainder include those who are afraid to work and the ones who are causing the trouble. Rumors of violence and excit- ing encounters are numerous but there seem to have been no instances where the strikers have failed to comply with the orders of the deputy sheriffs. Parades have been stopped by the sheriffs and meetings of the strikers where speeches considered threatening were being made have been broken up. The strikers have resented what they term this unjustifiable limitation of their rights and without question they have. been handled with little gentleness so that a good many hot words and some threats have been passed. Armed outbreaks by the strikers are frequently spoken of but evidences are almost altogether lacking even in the most turbulent centers. Many weapons are undoubtedly being carried and with the uncertain tempers of these classes are always dangerous things but any general resorting to armed enforce-~ ment of their demands by the idle men seems entirely improbable. The precautions taken by the sheriffs have been very prompt almost to the anticipating of every move of the strikers and though unusually severe and strin- gent and practically to the limit of their rights have been endorsed officially and popularly throughout the state. This strike has an unusual degree of disagreeable uncertainty about it. If the men were a unit in their dissatisfaction it would be a case of settling with all or none and the mines would operate or would not. As it is, with the large ma- jority willing to work, and with no possi- | bility of any accession to the demands of the trouble-making minority, there will continue to be this element of malcon- tents who, even if they do return to work, will maintain a situation of which the present outbreak is but the virulent form. There seems to be a great deal of justice in the opinion that Teofillo Petriello, the man who has been practically the sole leader and inspiration of the strike might have done much more for his country- men were his motives truly unselfish, than by arousing in a previously satisfied and prosperous community a feeling of discontent and antagonism that at best will require a long time to eradicate. During the week President Cole and General Manager Mitchell, of the Oliver Iron Mining Co. spent a couple of days personally looking over the situation. It is significant that immediately following a night shift was started at the Hull-Rust which action may be taken as indicative of a returning confidence in the security of operating. There is no longer a single locality entirely shut down as was the case a week ago and the return to normal conditions will probably continue slowly "THE MARINE REVIEW ~ for many of the strikers under the in- fluence of their leaders still show con- siderable stubbornness. The shipments for the month of July, this year, are probably one-half what they would have been from the three docks though 2,621,956 tons were handled. Of this the Mesabi dock moved 1,057,319 tons, as compared with. 1,801,096 tons last year. Two harbors 801,884 tons, against 1,274,415 tons in 1906 -and Allouez 762,749 tons, against 917,761 tons a year ago. This shows a total loss due to the strike compared with last year of 1,371,316 which still leaves the docks with a net gain in 1907 over 1906 of 160,204 tons. BUFFALO'S HARD COAL SHIP- PING FACILITIES. Editor Marine Review:--It may be news to many of your readers that there has been no improvement in hard coal shipping facilities of Buffalo in many years, and the amount of hard coal shipped has not varied very greatly in the past ten years, except during the sea- son of the great strike in the hard coal mines. The number of docks shipping hard coal is now reduced to four. The dock formerly known as Coxe Brothers has been out of commission since the close of the season of 1905. The Lehigh Valley Coal Co.'s dock is situated at the head of navigation in the Blackwell canal. Below the coal dock is the Buffalo creek bridge. The draw or passage is 54 ft. wide at the surface, but owing to the sloping banks, 50 ft. is the greatest width available for full loaded boats. The Phil- adelphia & Reading dock in the Erie Basin has good facilities for loading, but on account of its situation, cannot to advantage use large boats. There is nothing in the situation of the Lacka- wanna or Erie coal docks to interfere with large vessels loading at them, but, in common with the other coal shipping trestles, they are not high enough, nor are their dock spouts long enough to en- able them to load large boats to advan- tage. profitably, and those docks would prefer boats not over 50 ft. beam. Apart from the question of the size of boats and the facilities of the docks for handling large boats, there is the fact that it is a rare thing that a cargo of more than 7,000 or 8,000 tons can be accumulated at one time, as the hard coal comes in five dif- ferent shipping sizes. The annual shipments of hard coal by lake from Buffalo amount only about two and a half to three million tons, and it does not seem probable that there will ever be any material increase in the quantity. Yours truly, Brown & Co. About 52 ft. abeam and 28 ft. . hold is the largest boat they can load 23 VIOLATING ST. MARY'S RIVER RULES. Editor Marine Revirw:--A great many vessels have recently been reported for violation of the St. Mary's river rules, particularly Rules I and II. and I have posted notice to masters in the lock office at the Sault, calling their attention to two of the most prolific causes for report: run- ning too fast through Little Mud lake and large vessels passing small passenger boats in prohibited waters. Many masters have expressed surprise that they had violated the rules in passing such vessels as the Elva, John Haggart and International (all in the vicinity of 100 tons) in the cut channels--sometimes without giving any signals: That they did not realize that they were violating the rules by passing these small vessels is evidenced by the fact that several have done it right in front of lookout stations. The practice is becoming more and more prevalent for vessels to speed up through Little Mud lake when there is nothing in the way some of them going as fast as 14 miles an hour. The rule makes no al- lowance for a clear way and I have no authority to modify any of the rules. If you would bring the matter to the attention of your readers you might 'save - several from incurring fines. Respectfully, oe C, E. JoHNsToN, ist Tien, U, S RC. Ss) Conus DREDGING IN LAKE SUPERIOR HARBORS. The United States lake survey has re- ceived from Maj. Graham D. ~ Fitch, United States Engineer at Duluth, the following report concerning dredging at Lake Superior harbors. At Port Wing work completed July 25 provided a chan- nel 15 ft. deep and 90 ft. wide from the lake through the entrance to a point 100 ft. in from inner end of east pier. The middle line of deep water passes parallel to and 50 ft. away from the east pier. Private dredging is in progress to deepen the channel farther in along the lumber docks. At Ontonagon, -dredging to be com- pleted about Aug. 1 will give a channel fully 13 ft. deep and 100 ft. wide from the lake and through the entrance, the middle of best water being 75 ft. from face of west pier. Somewhat narrower channels, with the same depth, will lead from the entrance piers to the wharves on each side of inner harbor. Private dredging has been done close alongside the wharves. The steamer M. A. Hanna has the distinction of delivering the first car- go of iron ore to the new port of Indiana Harbor.. She delivered 6,000 tons of iron ore last week. \