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1901.] BENEFIT FUND FOR LAKE SEAMEN. OUTLINE OF GENERAL FEATURES OF THE SCHEME AS DEVELOPED BY COMMITTER APPOINTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE LAKE CARRIERS’ ASSO- CIATION—IF ALL EMPLOYES WERE INCLUDED, RECEIPTS WOULD AGGREGATE MORE THAN $75,000. The committee appointed at the annual meeting of the Lake Carriers’ Association in Detroit last week, to organize a federation of employes on vessels affiliated with the association, providing for the payment of bene- fits to such employes in cases of accidental death or disablement, has been diligently at work. It is hoped that the fund will tend to retain steady and reliable men in the service of the vessel owners and will gradually lead to a general improvement in the class of men,employed. The committee consists of F. J. Firth of Philadelphia, G. L. Douglass, Chas. H. Keep and W. C. Farrington of Buffalo, H. Coulby, E. S. Mills, J. A. McGean, H. A. Hawgood, J. H. Sheadle, J. '\C. Gilchrist, Geo. P. McKay and Harvey D. Goulder of 'Cleveland, A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, A. W. Colton of Toledo, C. W. Elphicke of Chicago, David Vance of Milwaukee, Thos. Cranage ot Bay City, and A. A. |Parker of Detroit. A sub-committee selected from the larger committee just named has outlined the general features of the proposed organization, which will be submitted, of course, in writing to all members of the Lake Carriers’ As- sociation before final action is taken. The sub-committee’s report includes also a rough estimate of receipts and disbursements, based on the possi- bility of the entire force of men (about 9,000) joining the fund in the first ve The outline of general features and the estimate of finances fol- OWS: ' 1. A board of five trustees to be formed to administer the fund and conduct the affairs of the federation. 3 2. For the purpose of providing a fund for the payment of benefits in case of accidental death or disabling injury to employes on lake ves- sels, the vessel owner shall pay to the trustees 1 cent a ton on his net en- rolled vessel tonnage; and shall also pay from time to time through the season 1 cent per man per day for each benefit book held by men em- ployed on his own vessels, being 50 per cent. of the rate currently to be paid into the fund by the men themselves. 3. Any man employed upon any vessel in the Lake ‘Carriers’ Asso- ciation will upon application be supplied with benefit, book, and, as the committee shall finally determine, there may be an arrangement by which men in the higher grades of employment may have two or three benefits, paying proportionately, and so long as he complies with the rules and regulations and makes the payment as therein provided, he will be a mem- ber of the federation and entitled to all benefits accruing from such mem- bership, which benefits shall include, so far as possible, a preference of employment upon vessels of the Lake Carriers’ Association. 4. The total fund thus created by contribution from owners and em- ployes will be liable to the full amount thereof, and no more, for stipu- lated payments to be made upon the death or the permanent or tem- porary disability from’ accident of members of the federation, provided such accident clearly arises out of the employment of such member on a vessel of the Lake Carriers’ Association. 5. Any member of the federation may also, if he so desires, be a -member of any other beneficial association or union. No vessel owner shall incur any liability as the result of the fed- eration plan beyond the exact payments stipulated to be made by him as aforesaid. : 7. No vessel owner will be bound by his assent hereto unless at least 90 per cent. of the entire tonnage represented by the members of the Lake Carriers’ Association has assented hereto. 8. Upon the assent of not less than 90 per cent. of the tonnage afore- said the committee above referred to shall be thereby authorized to pro- ceed at once, under advice of Harvey D. Goulder, counsel of the associ- ation, to perfect the plan of federation in its full detail and to make it eneriye on April 1, 1901, or as soon thereafter.as may be found prac- ticable. A rough estimate of the amount which might be collected and dis- bursed in connection with the benefit fund as outlined in the foregoing paragraphs is as follows: On a steamer employing twenty men for a round trip of eleven .».days there would be collected from the men, if all joined the eS LMAAN CL pec ter es adlaay $5: Wie-ah OS 6s Go obs SH HITE EAs Oe Mics Os eee vis GATE SIS RR $4.40 maded by the master Of OWNer. 5454.24 As aed BS 2.20 ‘otal remittance: irom master fOr tripe. 2. ini. 8 Shy eee: $6.60 Nine thousand men: employed on Lake ‘Carriers’ Association vessels for a season of 220 days, on basis of 2 cents per day, OMOUG Dee sores s ee ea yt Rt SPAN ES ry cic antares $39,600 Fifty per cent. thereof added by owners....: Be RE ae eee s 19,800 Paid=by.-men for taking’ out 9,000: books .3.0G. ease. 9,000 Paid by owners, 1 cent per ton assessment on 900,000 tons.... 9,000 GEESE ko ees tei irae Me caer See eS arn Qk earn mS LURES are Acer $77,400 To the foregoing should be added extra, amounts contributed by men and owners on account of privilege availed of to take double or treble benefits. ROUGH ESTIMATE OF DISBURSEMENTS, Casualties on great lakes resulting in death estimated at 110, of which 50 per cent. were employed on Lake Carriers’ vessels; fifty-five death benefits at $400 eachs... 2. cise e cece aa ole we ee $22,000 Assumed that 10 per cent. of men employed on Lake Carriers’ vessels, met with injury entitling them to four weeks’ benefits, there would be 900 men at $5 per week for four weeks...... 18,000 Estimated expense of administering fund.................++-. 7,506 AOA ICIS DUTSCINONLS ci cae ees oko edie a as ecole o's eee $47,500 FUStMAteG SULPIIS-< va sre ke be castes cise vip ois bP visas winced Hes Se $29,900 Total amount contributed by owners... . 05 ..2. 2c cece ewe $28,800 It will be noted that the period of disablement benefits at $5 per week is limited to four weeks. As it is usual in accident insurance to have the benefits extend over a longer period than four weeks, it is quite probable _ that this will be changed before the scheme goes into effect. MARINE REVIEW. 17 TT” HARD COAL SHIPMENTS FROM BUFFALO. There is presented herewith a statement of hard coal shipments out of Buffalo from 1873 to 1900 inclusive. The figures are not those of the cus- toms officials. They are from the coal shippers themselves, and are correct. HARD COAL SHIPMENTS FROM BUFFALO. Year Net tons. Year Net tons. UST Spode sek oda gs 570,440 SST eeccs Ss Hacc ae eee 1,904,060 AY accarh oc olane oe aie 384,500 URS eo ceo i ae che eee tee 2,556,270 LOUD asia swum eae 439,730 VRS O ee vas scl was 2,156,670 HOT Ose ae ee eee 361,480 TROD ee EE ae 2,044,134 LST ic Sie Ae eae ts 455,070 TBO ass gi Ae are 2,365,895 IS(SSeekes Menkes 331,170 BOD tas tion eager eee 2,852,330 VETO sks deck es hiss oeapenen nt 580,640 ROB iis 2 acc sat ee 2,703,673 BOO ie sacs oe cess WA sing 589,670 BOA ear us. sae Soe dauetane 2,485,255 [SBh eee se eee. 825,240 1895 oO Reales 688,076 BOS AOE ER Shake 1,027,590 LS9Gsea is seats 2,242,326 NSO See eis aes Cae 1,467,778 LOO. caibnd sacar 2,688,076 Hotes oe eee Mehra pias Norge. rere yn 1,305,410) iol i Ras ome ein sce 2,331,199 PRBS ieee iste atece ciehe a 1,506,000 TOQUE. ie coe See ieee 2,808,898 Kote, OVeM eae eee EN Chen irae ere 1,562,060 EG QQ Aes ee eae 1,937,811 It will be noted that the large.t shipments were made in 1892, but the record of that year was nearly cqualed in 1899, due mainly to the fact that it was impossible to get cars enough in 1899 to care for the rail trade. But since 1892 the rail shipments of hard coal to Chicago have steadily increased and that without much regard to, lake shipments. Last year, of course, the rail shipments to Chicago were materially reduced on account of the hard coal miners’ strike, and the lake shipments were also reduced from the same cause. The total sHitpments by rail to Chicago in 1899 were 918,982 tons, and in 1900 653,904 tons. The table is not very encouraging to the vessel owner, for it is apparent that in all probability the hard coal shipments from Buffalo have about reached their maximum. As regards lake freights for 1900, it has been found that the averages, - based on tonnage figures (not averages of rates prevailing from day to day) were: ‘Chicago, 53.386 cents; Milwaukee, 52.4 cents; Duluth, 41.30. Changes in freights throughout the season and average rates by months were: Chicago: Changes throughout the season—April 7, 75 cents; June 18, 65; July 13, 50; July 23, 40; Aug. 11, 30; Nov. 22, 50; Nov. 27, 75. Average by months—April, 75 cents; ‘May, 75; June, 68.4; July, 54.47; August, 33.5; September, 30;'October, 80; November, 43.6; December, 75. (Milwaukee: Changes throughout the season—April 7, 70 cents; June 18, 60; July 13, 50; July 23, 40; Aug. 11, 30; Nov. 22, 50; Nov. 27, To. Average by months—April, 70 cents; May, 70; June, 63.4; July, 56.09; August, 34; September, 380; October, 30; November, 41.8; December, 79. Duluth: Changes throughout the season—April 7, 50 cents; June i6, 40; July 27, 85; Aug. 11, 80; Nov. 28, 75. Average by months—April, 00 cents; May, 50; June, 45.28; July, 39.7; August, 31.4; September, 30; Oc- tober, 830; November, 30; December, 75. EQUAL RIGHTS IN DULUTH SHIP-CANAL. The case of the Butler-Ryan company against E. T. Williams & Sons, in the state court at ‘Duluth,-was decided Monday in favor of the plain- tiff, the jury bringing in a verdict of $1,640. The case has involved much of interest and,importance to vesselmen, as the result would determine the respective rights.of lake boats and the dredges, tugs and scows in the use of the Duluth ship-canal. The court holds that the rights are equal. It has been contended by dredge operators that steamers should wait for the tugs and their scows when the latter were in the canal and bound out toward the lake. Judge ‘Cant holds that the dredge tugs are to so handle their scows that there will at all times be sufficient room for the free movement of lake boats. In the case that has just been determined, the Butler-Ryan company, which has a contract for the construction of the substructure of the northerly pier of the ship-canal, brought suit against E. T. Williams & Sons to recover for damage done to newly driven piling by the cargo steamer (M. B. Grover. The accident happened in 1899. The story of the case is that the steamer was incoming and the tug Martin, towing a scow, was bound outward, and they met in the canal. The,scow was attached to the tug by a rather long line, in consequence of which the former sheered from side to side considerably. This action on the part of the scow was influenced to some extent by a strong current which ran in from the lake toward the harbor. As the steamer and scow approached each other the latter sheered over toward the former. The master of the steamer saw that a collision with the scow was inevitable unless he should run his boat into a row of piling on the north side of the canal, and this he did. The piling had been placed by the Butler-Ryan company, and after investigating the circumstances the latter brought suit against the owners of the tug and scow instead of the steamboat. . The gist of the decision is that tugs handling scows must keep them under control in the Duluth ship-canal, and that steamboats have equal rights in that waterway with tugs and scows at all times. S. D. Allen and Searle & Spencer were attorneys for the plaintiff and Baldwin & Baldwin and John Norton were attorneys for the defendant. The Pere Marquette Railway Co.’s car ferry Pere Marquette, en- gaged in transporting railway cars across Lake Michigan, crossed that lake last year 1,008 times, which constitutes 504 round trips. Of this number all were made to Manitowoc from Ludington and return with the exception of sixty-five to Milwaukee, and five which were known as mixed, trips, including stops at Manitowoc, Milwaukee and Chicago.’ The dis- tance covered aggregates 68,857 miles, the distance being 120° miles for the round trip. The schedule time for the ferry across the lake from ‘Mani- towoc to Ludington is 4 hours and 45 minutes, but the steamer has made the run in 4 hours and 10 minutes. With a capacity of thirty cars per trip it is figured that she carried across the lake both ways 30,240 cars, or a string 250 miles long. The North German Lloyd ‘Co. has now under construction fifteen steamships. Six of them are for the Mediterranean trade and two of them are to outclass the Deutschland and Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse.