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Se and rail rates; New York to Chicago, were as follows: 1 2 3 4 '5 6° 54 47 37 27 23 20 "In 1901 these rates were raised, the increase being from 54 to 59 first- class, and other classes to correspond, and in 1907 there was another ad- vance, bringing the first-class rate up to 62 cents. The 1907 raise was par- tially offset by the carriers, after be- ing required to do so by the Inter- state Commerce Commission, taking on certain insurance burdens which they had not borne before. "The present lake and rail rates, New York to Chicago, are as follows: 1 2 5 4 5 6 be G4 a 2 2 'Canal "and lake rates from New York to Chicago have also advanced. In 1892 these rates were as follows: t 2 3 4: 5 6 ay. 2s 20 ie 16 14 oy the present time the canal and Wale rates, New. York 'to Chicago, are 'as follows: et 1 2 2 aS o [2 8 etn other words, while all rail es from New York. to 'Chicago 'have re- mained nominally constant for the past 20 years, lake and rail and canal and lake rates, under railroad control, have advanced markedly. The per- centage of increase, on the first class, lake and rail, is approximately 15 per cent; canal and lake, 40 per cent. The canal and lake increases on the classes below the first are in the . neighbor- hood of 30, per cent. These higher rates, together with the deteriorating service, explain why shipments. by canal and. lake are falling off. These increases of rates have taken place while competitive lake rates on the principal commodities of lake com- merce have gone down. It would seem to be a natural conclusion that lake rates on package freight have been raised in the interest of the rail catriers that own 'package freight boat lines. And it is significant that the movement for a general increase of railroad freight rates comes at the time when railroad control over water transportation to 'the east, by both lake and canal, is most complete. It might be added that the commodity rates, as well as the classified rates, have been raised in many instances. The differential between the lake and rail and the all-rail rate on flour is now two cents a hundred pounds, where it used to lbe five cents. The differential on packing house products, like lard and cured meats, has been- year's idleness. THE MarRiINeE REVIEW ~made 'so small that' these products now move mostly 'by rail. "The. foregoing comparisons of wa- ter route rates are with the stand- ard all-rail lines. lines make rates that are very. little higher than the present lake and rail rates. (To be continued.) PIG IRON SITUATION. Specifications on finished material contracts, particularly steel rails and bars, have increased, but for the most part the market is dull. Reports of price concessions on plates, sheets and structural material are more frequent- ly heard. The Carnegie Steel 'Co. has started the first of its 12 new open- hearth furnaces at the Ohio works, Youngstown, and will now be able to roll open- -hearth rails. The Illinois 'Steel Co. will start its No.1: mill at South Chicago in a few days, aiter a The rail mill at Gary will begin rolling next month. The pig iron market is dull in all parts of the country, and some middlemen are selling at lower prices. On the whole >the outlook is not encouraging. Tie production of 'coke continues to ex- ceed the demand, and some very low prices for prompt delivery are being made. The old material market is dull and weak. M'ARTHUR PORTABLE FIRE ES- CAPE. The McArthur Portable Fire Escape Co. is recently in receipt of a letter from: F. W. Fitzpatrick, consulting architect and executive officer of the International Society of State and Municipal Building Commissioners and Inspectors, Washington, D. C., endorsing the portable fire escape as the best that he had ever seen. Its merits over the. fixed fire escape are that it does not mar the building, can be kept in an inconspicuous place, is always ready for action, and can be carried to just where it is needed.. Mr. Fitzpatrick says that the Inter- national Society. is: primarily -con- cerned in endeavoring to get people to build fire proof buildings, but that there are already in existence nearly 12,000,000 buildings that should be provided with fire escapes. This portable fire escape is now _ being introduced on lake vessels. The, Skinner. Ship Building & Dry Dock .Co., Baltimore, Md., has been awarded the contract for repairing the lightship from the Tail of the Horseshoe Station, known as No. 46 The Skinner Co.'s bid was $474.64, The differential rail: eau aes STAR LINER REPUBLIC SUNK, As fuller details of the collision between the steamships Republic, 9 the White Star line, and Florida, of the Lloyd-Italiano line, the transfer in open boats of 1,650 passengers, the attempt to tow the disabled and sink. ing Republic to shoal water and her subsequent sinking, are brought to light they but emphasize the perfect discipline, the cool courage, and splen- did seamanship displayed by the off- cers and crews of the colliding vessels | and those engaged in rendering alf the assistance possible under the cir- cumstances. : Captain Sealby, of the Republic, was on the bridge of his vessel when 'the collision took place, and for over 40 hours he. remained at his post is- suing orders in the successful at- tempt to save the lives of his passen- and crew and the unsuccessful save his ship. Captain gers attempt to 'Sealby was still at his post on 'the Republic when the unfortunate vessel took' her last plunge, as was also his chief officer, J. Cowiand, both be- ing picked up later. by, the: boats. Captain Ruspini, of the Florida, was likewise on the bridge of his vessel when she rammed the Republic, and on the bridge he remained while the © passengers of the White Star liner were transfetred to his badly crippled craft, and, later, transferred with the passengers of the Italian steamer to the Baltic. He was still at his post when the Florida, considerably "down by the head" crept into South Brook- lyn under her own power. When it is considered that the work of transferring the passengers was car- ried through in a thick fog and by searchlight, that the ten lifeboats had to operate for about 12 hours in a rolling sea and that the boats had capacity for only ten passengers in addition to the crew each trip, the performance is all the more remarka- ble. Through it all there was but little excitement, the women and child- ren, so far as the crews of the vessels were concerned, receiving all possible consideration first, last, and all the time. To the officers and men of the Republic's engine department great credit is also due. Immediately after the vessels struck and the water-tight bulkhead. doors had been closed the work of drawing the fires in the boil- er rooms was commenced. The sea was pouring through the rent in the ship's side while this was being caf- ried out, but it was not until the last fire was drawn, until such other