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1901.] FEDERATION OF LAKE SEAMEN. A BENEFIT FUND, SUPPORTED LARGELY BY THE SHIP OWNERS, IS ITS MAIN FEATURE—THE SCHEME OUTLINED BY SECRETARY KEEP OF THE LAKE CARRIERS’—VESSEL MEN WILL BE BUSY AT DETROIT NEXT WEEK. The coming week will be a very busy one for lake vessel interests in Detroit. Following the regular sessions of the Lake Carriers’ Association on Wednesday and Thursday, the owners of lumber vessels will try to enter into an agreement whereby they may fare better in the matter of freights and handling. charges than in the past. On Tuesday the Dry Dock Association of the Great Lakes will meet to fix dry dock charges. The docks are, of course, almost entirely controlled by the American Ship Building ‘Co; but there is still outside the combination the Miller Bros. Dry Dock Co. of Chicago, ‘Craig Ship Building Co. of Toledo, James Davidson of West Bay City, Dumford & Alverson of Port Huron, and Burger ‘& Burger of ‘Manitowoc. On Tuesday, in advance of the opening of the Lake Carriers’ mcet- ings, the executive committee of that body will hold a final conference on the subject of assisting in the organization of a seamen’s federation for the lakes, which has been talked of for some time past. The main feature of the federation will of course be the benefit fund which it is proposed to establish. Secretary 'C. H. Keep has given out some of the plans on this score in a letter which he has just addressed to the executive committee and to members of the association generally. Mr. Keep says: “The tentative plans now being considered along these lines, provide for the payment to employes, who apply for membership in the fund, of a death benefit in case of death by accident arising out of their employ- ment, and also the payment of a weekly benefit for a limited number of weeks in case of disablement arising out of service. The plan is to have the employe pay a certain fee for membership in the fund when he takes out his benefit book, and in addition a certain sum per month, the balance of the funds necessary to pay the benefits to be contributed to by the vessel owners; the vessels to agree to give preference in employment to holders of benefit books. The plan has been conceived in the light of the experience of railroad companies and other large employers who have found very beneficial results from the establishment of similar bene- fit funds. Unfaithfulness in service will forfeit the benefit book and all ‘claim on the benefit fund. It is thought that a plan of this kind will gradually bring into the service on lake vessels a better and more perma- nent class of employes, and that when an employe has paid in a certain amount of money to the benefit fund, he will not lightly forfeit his claim on the fund. In connection with the establishment of this fund, it has also been suggested that it might be well to put the membership of the Lake Carriers’ Association on a more permanent basis. The executive committee will meet at Detroit on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 1901, at 10 a. m. at the Cadillac hotel, for the purpose of considering the report of a special committee which is now at work preparing a tentative scheme for a benefit fund. Every member of the executive committee is earnestly requested to be in Detroit on Jan. 15, prepared to give the day and evening to care- ful consideration of the details of this plan. All members of the associa- tion, whether members of the executive committee or not, should feel themselves at perfect liberty to attend the executive committee meeting at Detroit on the 15th, and are cordially invited to do so, The importance of the matters to be considered justify the committee in asking the assist~ ance and advice of the various members of the association.” AROUND THE GREAT LAKES. Tonnage of vessels arriving at Milwaukee during 1900 was 1,639,309, against 1,730,191 tons in 1899. Barry Bros. of Chicago have purchased the steamer Alice Stafford from Wm. Fitzgerald and others of Chicago. The firm of J. G. Keith & Co., vessel agents of Chicago, has been dissolved by mutual consent, both members of the firm continuing in the business. It is proposed by some of the vessel masters to have navigation rules similar to those in force on the Sault river apply to parts of the St. Clair and Detroit rivers. This matter, as well as some minor changes suggested for the Sault river rules, will be taken up at the annual meeting of the Lake ‘Carriers in Detroit next week. The official notice of changes in officers of the ‘Minnesota Iron Co., already referred to in these columns, is as follows: “J. L. Greatsinger of Duluth is elected president of the company, to succeed D.. H. Bacon, resigned, effective Jan. 10, 1901; C. P. ‘Coffin of ‘Chicago is elected vice- president; L. T. Beecher of Chicago i is elected secretary, to succeed C. P. Coffin.” Welcome W. Hart, one of the old time vessel owners, died last week at Grand Rapids. He went to Detroit with his parents when quite young and shipped as a cabin boy on the steamer Albion, plying between Detroit and Mt. Clemens. Mr. Hart purchased the Albion later but disposed of - her in a short time and took up the printing trade. Later he again embarked in the vessel business, owning several schooners. ‘Capt. M. Mulholland of the Bradley steamer Alva is meeting with wonderful success in the sale of the patent hatch fastener which he used on the Alva last season. He will probably find it necessary to quit sailing, in order to give attention to the business. More than 13,000 of the fasten- ers have been sold within three weeks for lake ships, most of them new vessels. The device is to be applied to the hatches of two steamers build- ing at the works of the Craigs, Toledo, for service between Boston and the West Indies. Capt. Enos J. Burke of Detroit (steamer Iroquois) is a friend of the men in the United States life saving service. He has worked for legisla- tion in their interest. At a recent»meeting of the Detroit lodge, Ship Masters’ Association, he was presented with a handsome loving cup from surfmen of the life saving service. Capt. Alex McKay, president of the Ship Masters’ Association, arranged a ceremony fitting the occasion, The cup was taken to Detroit by W. H. Batchellor of the Jackson Park life saving crew of Chicago, secretary of the surfmen’s association. Officers of Detroit harbor, No. 47, American Association of Masters __MARINE REVIEW. |. and Pilots of Steam Vessels for the coming year are: Captain, B. F. Ogden; first pilot, W. Wilson; second pilot, John Sweeny; chief clerk, R. W, England; purser, B. McGregor; delegate to Washington grand harbor, eee at, ‘1901, R. W. England; alternate, B. F. Ogden; chaplain, A. Reaume; port quartermaster, H, Fortain: star quartermaster, Frank Pratts saloon watchman, Ed. Pichell. \Capt. H.C. McCallum, the retiring captain, had held that position four years, or ever siice the organization of the harbor. A_decision from the United States district court at Buffalo, Judge John R. Hazel, in the North Star-Siemens collision case, due to the sink- ing of the Siemens at Little Rapids cut in the Sault river Nov. 26, 1899, is awaited with a great deal of interest. The trial of the case at Buffalo just previous to the holidays resulted in warm arguments, in which some feeling that was not altogether comfortable was shown between Mr. W. C. Farrington of the Northern Steamship Co. and Attorney John C. Shaw on the one side and Mr. Harvey D. Goulder representing the Siemens on the other side. ‘Mr. Geo. Clinton of Buffalo is associated with Goulder, Holding & ‘Masten, representing the Siemens, and Brundage & Dudley : of Buffalo with Shaw & (Cadey of Detroit for the North Star. Copies of the White law (rules of the road for the lakes) are con- stantly in demand and the United States hydrographic office has there- fore included the law in a book of sailing directions for Lake Superior and the Sault river, just issued. This book is, from a lake standpoint, one of the most valuable publications of the hydrographic office. The sailing directions are corrected to date, and in addition there are some thirty pages devoted to variation of the compass, to the barometer, to United States life saving stations and weather signal stations, azimuth tables, draught in salt and fresh water, etc., etc. The book could not be made up’ -and sold froma printing standpoint alone for $1.00, but as it is a government publication it sells at 30 cents. It may be had from the ‘Marine Review. Notice is given by the civil service commission that vacancies exist in the list of eligibles for positions of master, mate, first engineer and second engineer in-the light-house service in the ninth district, which includzs Lak: Michigan and tributary waters.. Vacancies also exist in the list of eligibles for position of superintendent in the light-house service in this district. One position will require a machinist who understands the construction and repair of boilers and machinery. The other positions will require a gen- eral knowledge of building construction, qualities of material, and ability to handle working force. Persons who wish to apply for these positions should obtain proper blank forms of application from the United States light-house engineer at the Custom House, ‘Milwaukee, Wis., either in person or by mail, and after filling them out return them to the engineer. Lake vessels operated from the office of Mitchell & Co., Cleveland, are controlled largely by three corporations—Mentor Steamship Co., Etna Steamship ‘Co. and Cleveland Steamship Co. Officers and directors of these companies, elected a few days ago, are: Mentor Steamship Co. —Directors, Capt. io Mitchell, (Capt. Alfred Mitchell, -C. C. Hale, John F. Wedow, John C Fitzpatrick; president and general manager, Capt. John Mitchell; vice president, eates Hale; treasurer, Capt. Alfred Mitchell; secretary, John F. Wedow. Etna Steamship (Co.—Directors, W. H. Grat- wick, John J. ‘McWilliams and H. S. Holden of. Buffalo. and Capt. John Mitchell, ‘Capt. Alfred: Mitchell, John F. Wedow,. C..C. Canfield, W. A. Canfield, H. S. Hills: and W. F. Sauber of Cleveland; president and gen- eral manager, Capt. John ‘Mitchell; vice’ president, W. H. Gratwick; treasurer, Capt. Alfred Mitchell; secretary, John F, Wedow. Cleveland Steamship Co.—Directors, Capt. John ‘Mitchell, Capt. Alfred Mitchell, A. ‘C. Dustin, Martin Mullen, Loftus Cuddy, Capt. J. H. Bartow, W. Gratwick; ‘president and general manager, Capt. John Mitchell; vice presi- dent, A. Ci Dustin; treasurer, Capt. Alfred Mitchell; secretary, John F Wedow. CARGO RECORDS—LAKE FREIGHT VESSELS. The Review is asked to reprint the cargo records of lake freighters as corrected during the past season. They are as follows: Iron Ore—Steamer William Edenborn, A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, man- aging owner, 7,446 gross or 8,339 net tons, Two Harbors to Conneaut; tow barge John Smeaton, owned by Bessemer Steamship Co. of Cleve- land, 7,446 gross or 8,339 net tons, Duluth to. Cleveland, draught 18 ft. Dane: tow ‘barge Manila, Minnesota Steamship Co. of Cleveland, 7,300 gross or 8,237 net tons, Two Harbors to South Chicago, draught of 18 ft. Grain—Steamer Simon J. Murphy, owned by Eddy Bros, of Bay City, 269,000 bushels of corn, equal to 7,532 net tons, South ‘Chicago to Buffalo; steamer Superior City, A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, manager, 266,550 bushels of corn, equal to 7 463 net tons, South Chicago to Owen Sound, draught of 18 ft. 2 in. - steamer Douglas ‘Houghton, Bessemer Steamship Co; 308,- 300 bushels of clipped oats and 60,000 bushels of corn, equal to 7, 520 net tons, Manitowoc to Buffalo. Coal—Steamer I. L. Elwood, owned by American Steamship Co., A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, manager, is 688 net tons anthracite, Buffalo to Du- luth; steamer I. L. Elwood, owned by American Steamship Con ASB: Wolvin of Duluth, manager, 7,388 net tons of bituminous, ‘Cleveland to Duluth. IMMENSE BATTLESHIPS. The British admiralty has decided to build two battleships which are intended to be the largest in the world. The distinction of having the largest warships has hitherto been held by Italy with the Lepanto and her sister ship, the Italia. Great Britain’s two projected large warships, to be respectively named the Queen and the Prince of Wales, will be 2,000 tons heavier than the Italian ships mentioned, reaching the enormous displace- ment of 18,000 tons, which is 3,500 heavier than America’s biggest armor- clad vessel. These tremendous British vessels will carry nothing larger than 12-in. guns. Their batteries will chiefly be composed of these guns and of seven 5-in. and 6-in. guns. The determination to increase the bulk of the battleships was only arrived at after much discussion, for since the days of the Royal Sovereign (of 14,150 tons), the admiralty has been inclined to favor battleships of smaller. displacement, of which the Conapus (of 12,950 tons), is the best type. In the meanwhile ‘Russia, France, the United States and Japan have all been increasing their displacements. -