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22 MARINE REVIEW AND M <e. = a LERESWSES LES IPP iid Pk Sy SE > oy LSS ae woes asa LE EG) Ss Ss S>F5 eo Per we PS ORE SHIPMENTS ARE SHORT 647,576 TONS. The iron ore shipments from all upper-lake ports to Aug. I of the present year are 12,328,643 gross tons, as against 12,973,219 tons to Aug. I, 1902, a decrease for 1903 of 647,576 tons. Lhe July shipments show an increase of 14,328 tons, being 4,087,714 tons, as against 4,073,386 tons for 1902. Notwithstanding the slight increase for the past month, it is not now expected by those close to the trade that this season's movement of ore will fully equal that of 1902, when 27,571,121 tons were shipped. The con- ditions of docks and furnaces is not such as to warrant the move- ment of so great a volume of ore. The demand for vessels, how- ever, is still fully equal to the supply, as delays in port are as bad as ever, Grain continues in a state of famine as far as cargoes are concerned and the package freight business is unusually dull. Still it is significant that one manager who has a fleet of steel steamers contracted for ore during the season is offering part of it to be moved in September and is reported to be anxious to un- load all the ore that he has for delivery later in the season. He 1s close to the rain trade and it is surmised that he wants to be free to carry grain later. Meanwhile rates are as they have been for some weeks past. Two Harbors, the leading port, shipped in July 876,970 gross tons, loaded into 181 vessels. The average cargo was 4,845 tons and the average time loading 6 hours. DULUTH VIEW OF THE OUTLOOK FOR LAKE VESSELS. Duluth, Minn., Aug. 5--Iron ore traffic from the head of Lake Superior is still very heavy, and the Steel Corporation re- ports that its shipments are quite satisfactory. A good deal of interest is manifested in outside shipping circles as to the inten- tions of the big organization, as the profits of the year depend very much on what the Corporation may do. It is known that the Corporation hauled down the lakes a great deal more ore than was required for melting during the year ended with May, 1903. Indeed it was generally recognized last fall that stocks of ore on receiving docks were sufficient to last well toward this midsummer. This being the case, a movement of ore this year correspondingly in surplus to the Corporation's increased melt- ing capacity could scarcely be expected. Still its shipments this year are heavier than last. Will it be through early or will it again increase the stockpits at lower lakes? In the one case enough tonnage will be thrown on the general market in the fall to create complete collapse; in the other there will be a fair finish to the season as the coal and grain movement will continue until quite late. g As an indication of the way some independent vessel owners feel about the future--not this year nor next, but for the long pull--it may be noted that they are actually looking to the pur- chase of ore mines in the Mesabi country that they can depend on to give them tonnage, the mining and selling of the ore be- ing a side consideration, with tonnage the main factor. No sales of ore properties on this basis have yet taken place, but that in- quiries are being made is well known. DULUTH-SUPERIOR CROP YEAR, Duluth, Minn., Aug. 5.--The crop year, ended with July, shows for Duluth-Superior receipts of 66,205,706 bu. of grain of all kinds and shipments of 61,070,796 bu., compared with receipts of 61,286,000 bu. for the previous year and shipments of 57,108,- 000, There is a decrease of wheat and an increase almost corre- sponding thereto of flax, barley and oats. Receipts of Canadian wheat this year showed a decrease of about 6,500,000 bu. The amounts of the different grains were: : Receipts. Shipments. MY eat Bi ee 36,961,000 33,888,000 aD oe as hie ote 19,148,000 17,167,000 Barley Du, 0 ee ies 5,957,000 5,941,000 PRLS, EBM ee ee 3,255,000 3,213,000 RVR ee Oe a eee 883,000 860,000 Morn; Due aie aes a he 1,706 1,796 Total Pre ies a eens 66,205,796 61,070,796 s otal 1901-02 bce 3955 401,200,000 57,198,000 <Potal 2900-01. ac Saran 38,987,000 39,782,000 There is now in store in head of the lakes elevators less wheat than has been known here since Duluth became an im- portant shipping center, the total being but 275,000 bu. On the other hand there was never so much flax at the end of a crop as now, 2,060,000 bu. There is not enough wheat to make a single one and the matter of lake freights is merely a nominal consid- eration. po lake shipments of flour were large last week, but are not im- Proving materially and will be less for the season than in many ARINE RECORD. rer alia KK "Ry Roan Wy (ey « aS Ny S2-E- > poe > Se = A= Sa See SS Most lines report their traffic about cut in two. Room by wheat is given up to grain in bulk or to Pacific fish and other commodities, and the number of years. formerly taken hingles : : : ae freight steamers in this route is less than usual. NEARING THE 10,000-TON MARK. ing the present high stage' of water cargo records of the pes te poe token almost daily. The William Edenborn of the Steel Corporation's fleet on Saturday last smashed her own record, and of course all other records besides, in moving from Escanaba to South Chicago 8,807 gross tons or 9,864 net tons of iron ore. With this cargo she drew 20 ft. 9 in. aft and 20 ft. § in. forward. She met a temporary delay in touching bottom when she reached the harbor at South Chicago but a few hours' wait for high water caused her to deliver her cargo in safety to the dock. This record is 974 gross tons greater than her previous record when on July 25 she loaded 7,833 gross or 8,773 net tons at Ashland for Conneaut. Of course the run between Escanaba and South Chicago permits of much greater draught than prevails in Lake Superior trade. The increase in carrying capacity on account of high water is running nearly 10 per cent. for all ships which can load down to the limit. Large cargoes of hard coal are common though none of them are record breakers. The big freighter Moses Taylor, owned by Mitchell & Co. of Cleve- land, recently took 7,073 net tons of hard coal out of Buffalo, which is within 615 tons of the record cargo of the Isaac L. El wood for hard coal. Following are the cargo records to date: Iron Ore--Steamer Wm. Edenborn, owned by Pittsburg Steamship Co., A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, manager, 8,807 gross or 9,864 net tons, Escanaba to South Chicago. Grain--Steamer S. J. Murphy, Donora Mining Co., Duluth, 269,000 bushels of corn, equal to 7,532 net tons, South Chicago to Buffalo; steamer Douglas Houghton, Pittsburg Steamship Co., A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, manager, 308,000 bushels of clipped oats and 60.000 bushels of corn, equal to 7,520 net tons, Manitowoc to Buffalo. ~ Coal--Steamer I. L. Ellwood, owned by Pittsburg Steamship Co., A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, manager, 7,688 net tons anthracite, Buffalo to Duluth; steamer John W. Gates, Pittsburg Steamship Co., A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, manager, 7,659 net tons of bitumin- ous, Lorain to Duluth. CHICAGO GRAIN SITUATION. Chicago, Aug. 5.--It is necessary to again report a very dull grain situation, but rates are maintained at 114 cents wheat, 1% cents corn and 1 cent oats to Lake Erie ports, with Port Hu- ron at I cent corn and oats, and Lake Ontario ports practically out of the figuring by reason of going engagements through to Montreal on a basis of about 314 cents a bushel. The high prices of our grain are gradually effecting a desirable increase in local stocks but eastern buying interests are still too inactive to look for any immediate improvement in rates. The shipments, lake and rail, are as follows: Week just Same week closed. Last week last year. Weheat, Dues gees: 96,855 209,507 530,212 Corn bie es 1,102,632 1,849,793 813,149 Oats; bis ee 1,066,174 1,120,595 502,604 Totaly sie lane ses 2,265,661 3,179,955 1,936,055 Since Jan. Same time 1, 1908. last year. Wheat bus crepe. 11,998,185 15,904,889 Conn hae es ae 47,288,420 22,404,717 Oats, bu: xe. . 38,663,464. 31,205,217 Voted: oe 97,050,464 69,514,823 As noted above the stocks of grain show a material increase for the past week. Figures as to stocks follow: Week just Same week closed. Last week. last year. Wheat, bu; 3,987,000 3,532,000 4,599,000 Com, bug. oie se. 6,791,000 6,738,000 6,363,000 Oster Misc ee as 4,299,000 2,928,000 1,507,000 RVG ie 317,000 292,000 179,000 ion eee ee ORS ok ee T8304 000 13,490,000 12,648,000 Capt. W. Boyd, master of the steamer White Star, lately burned, and marshal of the admiralty court at Toronto, died there on Wednesday last.