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: 1901.] MARINE REVIEW. AT. Eee the board of managers of the association authorizing him to receipt for the money. As the board of managers of the association is a numerous body, residing all over the lakes, and does not hold meetings but transacts all its business through the standing committees, the expense to the association of holding a meeting of the board of managers, attended by a quorum, would fully equal the amount of the warrant. We therefore still hold the warrant unpaid, and a solution of the difficulty will be sought at the present annual meeting. The treasurer of the association humor- ously suggests that the only way to get this money will be to have an act of congress passed to the effect that he is the treasurer of the Lake Carriers’ Association. OPERATIONS OF THE SHIPPING OFFIORS. Shipping offices have been maintained during the past year by the association at Cleveland, Chicago, Toledo, Buffalo, Ashtabula, Milwaukee and South Chicago. The number of men shipped through the various offices during the past season, with comparison with former years, was as follows: 1900, 14,987 men; 1899, 16,681 men; 1898, 16,508 men; 1897, 13,1389 men; 1896, 11,838 men. The number of men shipped through each office, as compared with 1899, was as follows: 1900 1899 Cleveland 6.055 i 0ed a cial: 3,354 men 3,886 men EHICA GOMES ses Ve ie Ad 2.515. .* Bon. oe South? Chicagoist eee B28. LOSS cs RoledO: {has Oe. RE I ees 11388. LOB ees Butalowe ver we a ik ee DAO 44 Ades Pesitebulde: ioc oe ee es galko ZVBps aX DANQ a Milwaukee ss ci ahs. cere 138. S 1804 “ The number of men shipped through the Buffalo office is practically the same as in 1899, and there is some falling off at the other offices. The total expense of maintaining the shipping offices during the past season, as shown by the treasurer’s report, was $11,322.67, about 40 per cent. of the total expenses of the association. The cost to the association during the past year for each man put on board of vessels by the shipping offices, was about 76 cents, as compared with 64 cents in 1899. GRAIN SHOVELING AT BUFFALO. At the last annual meeting of the association the matter of grain shoveling was placed in charge of a special committee, consisting of Messrs. L. C. Waldo, Edward Smith, M. M. Drake, J. J. H. Brown, A. B. Wolvin, A. W Colton, James Corrigan, L. S. Sullivan, W. E. Fitzgerald, Thomas Cranage and Howard L. Shaw. After considering the bids submitted to them for doing the work by contract, the committee decided to reject all bids and have the Lake Carriers’ Association do the work itself, employing a superintendent under salary to take charge of the same under the guidance and supervision of the special committee. Thomas W. Kennedy of Buffalo was subsequently appointed superin- tendent, and the work has been carried on in this way during the season of 1900. The duty of supervision has fallen largely on Mr. Edward Smith. The association cannot appreciate too highly the work which this gentleman has done in behalf of the grain carrying interests. The grain shoveling committee wili submit, for your consideration at this meeting, a complete report showing how the work has been performed, together with a financial statement. The question as to what shall be done during the coming year is one of the most important to come before the meeting. CHICAGO RIVER AND DRAINAGE OANAL. The partial completion and premature opening of the Chicago drainage canal, reversing the natural flow of the Chicago river and creating a swift, irregular and dangerous current therein, has caused much anxiety and loss to vessel owners. From the opening of navigation in 1900 vessels were delayed and damaged in collision with other vessels, bridges and docks. Tug bills showed enormous increase and important losses in earnings followed inability to load vessels to their normal capa- city owing to the dangerous currents and shallow water, particularly over the river tunnels. Much of this trouble was due to the fact that the board of trustees of the Sanitary District, in their anxiety to improve sanitary conditions, opened the canal before their work was completed, no doubt clearly recognizing the risks and liabilities to navigation interests thus incurred... - At a meeting of the legislative committee, held in Buffalo May 8, 1900, a special committee was appointed, with Mr. Frank J. Firth of Philadelphia as chairman, to which was referred, with power to act, the entire question of protection of navigation interests against loss or damage from the opening and operation of the Chicago drainage canal, by appeal to the secretary of war, congress or otherwise. This action was taken in consequence of a permit to operate the drainage canal and cause the water of the Chicago river to flow into the same, issued by the secretary of war on May 8, 1899, the secretary, however, making it a condition of such opening that the Sanitary District should assume all responsibility for damages to navigation interests by reason of the introduction of a current into the Chicago river. The special committee appointed at the Buffalo meeting consisted of Messrs. Frank J. Firth, W. C. Farrington, Harvey D. Goulder, M. M. Drake, George P. McKay and C. H. Keep. A meeting was arranged with the sanitary trustees in Chicago on May 9, and after full and amicable discussion, a notice was served upon the board of trustees of the Sanitary District that on the 165th - day of May the Lake Carriers’ Association would apply, in behalf of the navigation interests, to the secretary of war in Washington, for some remedy of the conditions at Chicago, and would be glad to have represen- tatives of the sanitary board attend the hearing, to the end that the best arrangement of the matter might be had. On the 16th day of May, 1900, the hearing took place before the Hon. Elihu Root, secretary of war, under a petition from the Lake Carriers’ Association which asked the secretary to issue a temporary restraining order requiring the board of trustees, of the Sanitary District of Chicago to so control and restrict the flow of the water from Lake Michigan through the Chicago drainage canal as might be necessary from time to time to prevent the operation of the Chicago drainage canal from becoming obstructive to navigation and injurious to property. The petition further asked that such restrain- ing order remain efiective until the Sanitary District of, Chicago or the municipal authorities, by the removal of center bridge piers, lowering of tunnels, straightening and widening of the river and controlling works at the Robey street entrance, should make it possible to operate the canal without damage or danger to vessels navigating the river or to the property interests thereon. The trustees of the Sanitary District were represented at the hearing by counsel and the city of Chicago was repre- sented by L. E. McCann, commissioner of public works. The secretary of war, after hearing all parties, instructed the United States engineer resident at Chicago to investigate and report. Several communications have since been sent by the committee to the secretary of war, but the relief asked from him has not been granted up to the present time. There is no doubt that the operation of the incomplete drainage canal has caused serious injury to navigation interests and to property on the Chicago river. It is not just that this injury should remain without com- pensation, and with the prospect of additional losses at the opening of the next season of navigation. The United States authorities have it in their power to exercise such control over the operation of the canal as to minimize the danger and expense therefrom, and a united effort at law, if necessary, should be made by those injured to effect a recovery from the sanitary trustees. On June 1, 1900, Capt. J. C. Keith, upon whom, with Mr. Frank J. Firth, chairman of the special committee, has devolved much labor in connection with this matter during the past year, served further notice on the trustees of the Sanitary District that vessels navigating the Chicago river were suffering damage and delay and heavy expense for increased tug service and serious loss in earnings, estimated at from 3 to 6 per cent., owing to their inability to load to the ordinary depth cus- tomary before the opening of the canal; also requesting the trustees to indicate to the committee of the Lake Carriers’ Association the proper channels through which application for compensation for these losses should be made. The experience at Chicago during the past year justifies your board of managers in saying that no more important matter affecting the lake interests is now pending than the general subject of the maintenance of lake levels. Dangerous precedents are being estabhshed each year and small reductions in lake levels are being multiplied at various points in a way which should cause the greatest apprehension, not only to vessel owners, but to all the business interests dependent upon lake navigation. The lake commerce has been built up by a vast expenditure made by the government for deepening the connecting channels and harbors. To a certain extent this work is being slowly but surely nullified by those who are diverting the waters of the lakes and connecting rivers from their regular channels for purposes other than navigation. It is gratifying to know that the subject is at last receiving attention at Washington. The river and harbor bill, now pending before congress, contains the follow- ing provision: ; “That the president of the United States is authorized, by diplomatic negotiations or otherwise, to enter into such agreements as will secure, so far as possible, the maintenance of suitable levels in the great lakes and connecting waters, between the United States and Canada.” The phraseology of this section is very broad, and its adoption by congress would seem to give the proper department of the government most complete authority to enter into reciprocal contracts on this subject with the British government. The report of ihe river and harbor com- mittees, which accompanies the bill, refers to this section as follows: “Any agreement of this nature must of necessity be international. It would be in the power either of citizens of the United States or Canada by the construction of diverting works or power canals to lower channels absolutely essential for navigation. Information has reached the river and harbor committee that the Canadian government is ready to enter into negotiation upon this subject, and it is thought that agree- ments can be reached which will readily solve this problem in a manner for the mutual interests of both countries, POWER OANAL AT THE SAULT. The last annual report referred to the construction of a power canal at Sault Ste. Marie, and to the necessity that every safeguard should be taken to prevent the operation of the canal from being injurious to carry- ing interests on the lakes. A special committee was appointed at the last annual meeting to visit Washington in connection with the legisla- tion pending before the last congress relating to this subject. The company constructing the power canal desired the passage of a Dill authorizing them to divert water from the St. Mary‘s river into the canal. The Lake Carriers’ Association did not desire to interfere with the great project now being carried out at the Sault, but did wish to be heard in connection with the proposed legislation, in order to secure such provision in the bill as would, beyond question, confer the fullest authority upon government officials to prevent any reduction of the levels of Lake Superior and the St. Mary’s river, or any impairment of the safe naviga- tion of the St. Mary’s river above the canal by the introduction of dangerous currents or otherwise. The special committee which visited Washington in this matter spent several days in consulting with the power canal officers, attorneys and engineers in perfecting the phrase- ology of the bill, so that it would produce the desired results in the way of safety. After much effort a substantial agreement upon the form of the bill was reached, and the bill is now before congress with a favorable report from the river and harbor committee. The bill provides that coincident with the diversion from the River St. Mary into the power canal of any of the water of such river, the company shall provide and maintain suitable remedial works in the rapids of the River St. Mary of such extent that the operation of the canal, either in itself or in con- junction with any other canal in the United States or Canada, shall not diminish the water level or affect the navigation of Lake Superior or the navigable channels in the St. Mary’s river. Before the remedial works shall be constructed, a board oi five engineers, of which a majority shall be officers of the corps of engineers of the United States army, shall consider and report on the construction of the remedial works and the proposed method of operating the same, and the canal shall not be oper- ated or the remedial works constructed until the same shall be approved by a majority of such board of engineers, as well as by the secretary of war and chief of engineers. The bill also provides that in case the opera- tion of the canal at any time is injuriously affecting the levels or the navigation of Lake Superior or the St. Mary’s river, the secretary of war may make such rules and regulations for the operation of the canal and works as will prevent such injury, and for that purpose he may remove