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2] MARINE REVIEW AND MARINE RECORD. ap ora LAKE FREIGHT MATTERS. Notwithstanding the early opening of navigation and an enormous movement of freight of all kinds throughout the lake region thus far in the season, vessel owners still have reason to expect great activity in the fall and are hesitating about entering into engagements that would prevent them from taking advant- ages of improved freights. It is understood that two or three blocks of ore to be moved from the head of the lakes are offered for the balance of the season at 80 cents, the old contract rate. This rate does not seem to be attractive, however, as it is evi- dent that for the present, at least, ore shippers are bent upon moving all the ore that the mines, docks and railways can care for. They have probably decided to take no chance against a big grain crop or the possibility of the Ohio and Pennsylvania railroads giving preference during the closing part of the season © to coal, in which a shortage of shipments now seems certain. A large fall grain movement is expected, especially from the north- west. A Duluth letter contains the following note on this score: "As the crop is a late one, it is not probable that grain will arrive in sufficient quantities to have any material effect upon the situation until about the middle of September. Not in years, however, have crop prospects been so flattering. Weather con- ditions have been ideal and the acreage is larger than usual. Larger increases may be expected in the production of flax and barley. In North Dakota the flax acreage is estimated at 2,100,000 acres as against 1,500,000 acres last year. Advices from Winnipeg are to the effect that Canadian crop conditions are equally favorable." AROUND THE LAKES, In six days of last week 181,779 gross tons of ore was received at Conneaut, one of the principle ore ports of Lake Erie. Mr. B. Crowell, of the firm of Crowell & Peck, Cleveland, is on a three weeks trip examining mining properties in the Lake Superior region. An excellent chart in colors of Marquette and Presque Isle harbors has*just been issued by the government. It may be had at the office of the Marine Review Pus. Co., or will be mailed if desired. The steamer V. Swain blew out a cylinder head on Lake Huron on Monday, and broke a connecting rod. She was picked up by the City of Genoa and towed to Detour. The steamer Vulcan towed her to Port Huron for repairs. : A Duluth dispatch says that all records for quick loading of steamboats were broken last week when the steamer James Hoyt received her cargo at the Mesabi dock in two hours. In that brief space of time 5,439 gross tons of ore were shot into her hold. It is understood that the Detroit Ship Building Co. has been ordered to construct duplicate parts of all the machinery of the vessels of the Detroit & Cleveland and Detroit & Buffalo lines, so as to avoid, in the future, long delays due to the accidents to engines. Inspector E. H. Green of the eleventh lighthouse district and Capt Lansing H. Beach, lighthouse engineer, have been in- structed to prepare a report upon the advisability of using Pintsch gas in several of the St. Mary's river and Lake Superior lighthouses. At the request of Capt. George P. McKay of the Lake Car- riers' Association, Capt. Lansing H. Beach is considering the advisability of changing the Detour light from a fixed to a flash- light in order that it may be more readily identified. Capt. Beach would like to hear from vessel masters on the subject. John Brown, one of the oldest masters on the lakes, died at his home in Lorain during the past week. He was seventy-six years of age and had sailed nearly all his life. He took the steamer Paraguay to the coast last fall, and of late had been working with the Great Lakes Towing Co. Another of the Lynn brothers of Port Huron, who are well and favorably known in marine circles throughout the lakes, is to represent a large engineer supply house. M. J. Lynn has just been appointed lake representative of the Crandall Packing Co. He will give his entire attention to the lake trade and will un- doubtedly be successful. The Hon. J. Israel Tarte made an important announcement at Collinwood last week, at which place he stopped for a few hours on his tour of the lakes. He said that the dominion gov- ernment would create a new office with Mr. Coste in charge to look after transportation on the great lakes. He did not ex- plain what the special duties of the office would be. : It is understood that Folger Bros., who have for several years operated the Thousand Islands & St. Lawrence Navigation Co., have sold their fleet of twelve steamers to the New York Central railway. 'The railway company promises four new steam- ers for next year and to establish a steamer service from Lewis- ton, at the mouth of the Niagara river, to Montreal. Capt. A. P. Chambers, who was master of the steamer Prince- ton, has been made shore captain of the Pittsburg Steamship Co., (Steel Corporation fleet). His headquarters will be in the Cleve- land office of Capt. W. W. Smith, marine superintendent. A number of changes were made in the masters of the fleet on account of Capt. Chambers' promotion. Capt. M. A. Boyce, who was in the steamer Bessemer, has taken the Princeton; Capt. James A. Walsh, has gone from the Cambria to the Bessemer, Capt. C. E. Copeland, who sailed the Griffin, has taken command of the Cambria and Capt. A. G. Tapan of the barge Maida will sail the Griffin. Walter E. Stover, who was mate of the steamer James' J. Hill, was appointed master of the barge Maida. _ In an interview at Detroit Mr. C. W. Elphicke, vessel owner of Chicago, speaks very hopefully of conditions on the lakes. He anticipates that there will be an enormous crop of flaxseed, wheat and oats. He says he would have let a contract for anothér large vessel had it been possible to have obtained the ship for ser- vice at the beginning of next season. . Lae After working continuously since September, 1898, the con- tractors constructing the big water power canal at Sault Ste. Marie have completed their task and within a short time water from Lake Superior will be flowing through the great water- way which is to.develop 100,000 H. P. 'The canal is about 5 miles long and about 25 ft. deep. A three-ft. sluice way will be used a oe the water, it being desired that the canal be filled slowly. ite Gage records of the United States lake survey show the follow- ing mean stages of water for July, above mean sea-level: - Lake Superior, 602.32 ft.; Lakes Huron and Michigan, 580.34:ft.; Lake Erie, 572.83 ft. 'These stages show Lake Superior to have been 0.25 ft. lower than during same month last year, and: 0.02 ft. lower than in July 1895; Lakes Huron and Michigan were 0.28 ft. lower than during same month last year, and 0.64 ft. higher than in July 1895; Lake Erie was 0.83 ft. higher than during same month last year, and 1.28 ft. higher than in July, 18905. ~ "Collision Bend" is the name tugmen have given that sec- tion of the Chicago river lying between Sixteenth and T'welfth streets. The stretch of water between the bridges crossing at those streets was productive of four accidents one day last week, in which four steamboats figured. 'Three schooners suffered from the blows of the steamers though none were so seriously hit as to cause much delay in port. The Charley Crawford suffered the most injury when hit by the Western 'Transit liner Syracuse. The George Sturges and Resumption were hit by the Anchor line Susquehanna and the W. J. Averill of the Rutland line. : A Duluth dispatch says that it depends upon Capt. Michael Fitzgerald himself whether he wishes to sail the lakes in com- mand of a vessel again. After the collision between the steamers Hadley and Wilson his license was revoked. If Capt. Fitzgerald passes another examination as all masters and pilots are required to do every five years, he will be given another certificate. Under the present law governing navigation on the great lakes, a five- year license is given the masters and pilots. Formerly the license was of one year duration. It is not known what the captain's intentions are, whether he will now retire from active service on the lakes and enjoy the competence he is said to have laid by in the many years of past service, or whether he will secure another license and spend a few more of the remaining years of his life on the waters that have been his home. From the fact that Capt. Fitzgerald made an effort to have the supervising inspector re- - verse the findings of the local office, the impression prevails that he will take the examination for another license and that if he secures one it will not be such a difficult matter for him to secure another boat, the last accident being the only one of any impor- tance that stands against him in nearly a half century of sailing on the lakes. UNITED STATES SHIP BUILDING CO, The Trust Co. of the Republic has completed payments for the plants which are to be embraced in the new United States Ship Building Co. The list of plants embraces the Bethlehem Steel Co., South Bethlehem, Pa.; the Union Iron Works, San Francisco Cal.; Bath Iron Works and Hyde Windlass. Co., Bath, Me.; Eastern Ship. Building Co., New London, Conn.; Harlan & Hollingsworth Co., Wilmington, Del.; Crescent. Ship Yard, Elizabeth, N. J.; Samuel L. Moore & Son Co., Elizabeth, N. J.; and the Canda Manufacturing Co., Carteret, N. J. The company expects to economize by classifying its work, that is by keeping each ship yard busy upon a special type of work instead of upon several types as at present. The basis upon which each company enters the combination has not as yet been given out. a ae SALE OF THE REPUBLIC MINE. : As foreshadowed in the last issue of the Revizw, the Cam- bria Steel Co. has secured control of the Republic Iron Co., which operates the Republic mine on the Marquette range, and the steamers Republic and Continental and the schooner Grace Holland. Sixty thousand shares have been transferred to the Cambria Steel Co. for $900,000, which is $15 a share. 'The steel company will assume the remaining 40,000 shares at the same figure if they are transferred within the next ninety days. Mr. W. D. Rees, president and treasurer of the Republic Iron Co., and Mr. W. B. Castle, secretary, have both resigned. In their places Mr. Powell Stackhouse of Philadelphia has been chosen president and Mr. A. P. Robinson, of Philadelphia, secretary and treasurer. By request Mr. Rees will remain a director and a member of the executive board. Present offices of the com- pany will be maintained for the balance of the year under the direction of Mr. Castle.