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ARINE REVIEW Published every Thursday at 418-19 Perry- Payne Bldg., by the Marine Review Pub. Co. Voi. XXI. CLEVELAND, O., JAN. 18, 1900. Foreign Subscription $2.00 a year. $3.50 a year. No. 3 ANNUAL MEETING OF LAKE CARRIERS. Detroit, Mich., Jan. 18.—Only a year or two ago some of the leaders in the Lake Carriers’ Association had about made up their minds that a general reorganization of its affairs would soon be required. Vessel prop- erty on the lakes was gradually drifting into big hands and the individual owners, so-called, were getting fewer in number each year. The wooden vessels, and especially those of the smaller class, were soon to have no place, it was said, in this great carrying trade. They were to be shut out by the big freighters of 6,000 to 8,000 tons or more capacity. All this is still true of the future but the boom of the past year has changed the situation, at least, for another season or two. The gathering of the Lake Carriers here during the past two days has found the smaller owners very much in evidence, and there will be more of them in the association next year than for two or three years past. Their profits next year, on the basis of contracts already made, will be even greater than during 1899. They are not, of course, in control of the association, but the reorganized body of a few representatives of very large interests is still a matter of the future. Buffalo sent newspaper representatives to the meeting this year and there was a large delegation from the labor organizations interested in the grain shoveling contract, including P. J.. McMahon, president of the grain-shovelers union, Rowland B. Mahany, counsel for the union, and President Keefe of the longshoremen’s organization... The grain-shovel- ing question at Buffalo was heralded as the one important matter to come up at the Detroit meeting. It is, true enough, a subject meriting special attention from the vessel owners, and it will have the care of some of the best men in their organization, but for all that was done here the Buffalo people might as well have stayed at home... As much might have been said to them long before the meeting opened, in view of the conditions that exist at Buffalo this year. At these annual meetings everybody has his say. Discussion is free and unlimited, but important questions are in almost all cases referred to select committees, with the understanding that they are to give them deliberate and careful attention. So it was with the grain-shoveling matter. The committee simply granted .a hear- ing to everybody who wanted to be heard, received bids for the work, reported progress, and was continued, with the understanding that they are to act with the executive officers of the association and take all the time necessary until the opening of navigation to complete their work. The committee is a very strong one. It is composed of L. C. Waldo, Fdward Smith, M. M. Drake, C. A. Brunn, A. B. Wolvin, A. W. Col- ton, James Corrigan, D. Sullivan, W. E. Fitzgerald, Thos. Cranage and Howard Shaw. W. J. Conners did not submit a bid. It was not expected that he would do so, notwithstanding all that was said to the contrary just pre- vious to the meeting. A bid was submitted by James Kennedy, who was the first contractor, and also by several Buffalo men who were said to be acceptable to the shovelers. But it is true that these latter bids were complicated and could not be hastily considered, even if it was desired to do so. So the matter rests with the committee of vessel owners to thresh it out. They will undoubtedly try to turn the work over to the elevators, if it can be done, as this is the desire of most members of the association. Labor troubles in Buffalo next spring will certainly be avoided if at all possible, but the committee will have the full support of the association in anything they may do. Next to the grain shoveling question, the most important action of the meeting was that of sending a strong delegation to Washington to se- cure at the earliest possible moment appropriations for beginning three very important improvements in connecting channels between Lake Su- perior and Lake Erie. First of these and of most immediate importance is the construction of a second channel through the most difficult parts of the Sault river; second, the construction oi a second canal at St. Clair flats, and third, the widening of the Lime-Kiln crossing to 800 feet. All thesé’ propositions are urgently endorsed by the government engineers. It is appalling to think, as Secretary Keep says, of the damage in dollars and cents that results from accidents like the two of last season that blockaded the Sault river. The whole history of the improvement of the St. Mary’s river, the commerce of which is now four times what it was ten years ago, teaches the lesson that work begun by the government at the first warning, is not completed in time to cope with the increase in number, size and capacity of vessels. i ‘One other very important action of the meeting was the adoption of certain changes in the navigation rules of the Sault river, prompted mainly by the recent accidents, that will undoubtedly meet with the approval of the secretary of the treasury and be made effective on the opening of navigation next season. DETAILED ACCOUNT OF PROCEEDINGS. \ The opening session on Wednesday morning, Jan. 17, was called to order by the first vice-president, Thomas Wilson of Cleveland, in the ab- sence of the president. Secretary C. H. Keep first read a letter from Mr. Frank J. Firth, president of the association, who is in Europe. President Firth expressed sincere regret that he was unable to preside at the meet- ing and thanked the association for honors bestowed upon him. He re- ferred to the burden of the Buffalo grain shoveling trouble and the vig- orous manner in which it was handled by the counsel of the association, Mr. Harvey D. Goulder, and the members of the association. He sug- gested that definite action on important questions be avoided and that these questions after full discussion be referred to standing committees. “T am gratified to be able to call your attention,’ Mr. Firth said in con- clusion, “to the fact that your membership has included this year the largest vessel tonnage of any year since its organization. The year has been one of exceptional prosperity for our entire country and in this general prosperity the members of your association have fully shared. It is my thoughtful judgement that no owner of even a single vessel upon the great lakes should be found outside of your membership. I trust none may remain outside during the coming year.” ‘ The secretary followed with the presentation of the report of the board of managers and that of Capt. George P. Mc- Kay of Cleveland, the treasurer, both of which were on mo- tion adopted. These reports are printed in full elsewhere. For the first time probably in its history the association is - practically out of debt with a very large increase in tonnage for the past year. The total tonnage is 760,866, an increase of 75,000 tons over the previous year. It was explained in the report of the managers that this tonnage increase was not due to new vessels coming out but to the enrollment of vessels already in commission, which was prompted in part by improved conditions of business. The managers’ report also ex- pressed great satisfaction with the condition of the treasury. It was more gratifying than for several years past. There was collected in dues $21,- 500 in round numbers. Some of the old debts of the organization were paid off, so that the deficit in the form of unpaid liabilities was only $400. A year ago it was $2,500. From the report of the chief shipping master it was found that 16,681 men were placed aboard vessels in 1899, against 16,508 in 1898, 13,189 in 1897 and 11,383 in 1896. Expenses of the shipping offices aggregated $10,648.07, or about 42% per cent. of the entire expenses of the association. The cost of shipping offices per man put aboard vessels was about 64 cents. Following this summary of tonnage, finances, etc., the managers’ report discusses at great length the history of the grain shoveling trouble at Buffalo, and then recommends the establishment of an international cemmission to consider and deal with the problem of maintaining the water levels of the great lakes. This recommendation, brought on mainly through the construction of a very large power canal at the Sault, was, of course, taken up later on in the meeting. It is claimed that the power canal company’s plans call for structures in the unnavigable part of the St. Mary’s river that will compensate fully for water drawn from Lake ‘Superior through the canal. The report also recommends that an imme- diate effort be made in congress to secure appropriations for Sault river improvements that will provide two channels through the most difficult part of the river. All these matters were, of course, taken up by com- mittees. An invitation from the mayor of Milwaukee and from the secretary of the Citizens’ Business League of that city that the next convention be held in Milwaukee was received with thanks and with the understand- ing that an explanation be sent to these officials of the fact that the con- stitution provides that all meetings be held in Detroit. The report of A. R. Rumsey, chief shipping master, which is summarized in the report of the board of managers, was read and accepted, and Secretary Keep noted the receipt of several applications for the enrollment of new tonnage. Mr. H. Coulby of Cleveland called attention to the fact that there was pending action on a resolution which he had offered at the last annual meeting to strike out that clause of the by-laws making a president of the organization ineligible to re-election. A rather lengthy. discussion was entailed and when the resolution was finally put the question of its adop- tion was lost by a vote of 19 to 18, a two-thirds vote being required for adoption. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The election of a president was taken up immediately upon the open- ing of the afternoon session. Both Mr. Wm. Livingstone and Mr. J. Keith, who had been mentioned for the place with Mr. W. C. Farrington of Buffalo, had agreed two or three days ago that there should be no contest. Mr. Livingstone was in the east. Mr. Farrington was also un- able to attend the meeting. Mr. Keith nominated Mr. Farrington and the choice was unanimous. Then Mr. Keith was unanimously elected first vice-president. The other executive offices are to_be as they have been for several years—Harvey D. Goulder, counsel, C. H. Keep, secretary, and Geo. P. McKay, treasurer. The following committee was then named to select other officers for the ensuing year: M. A. Bradley of Cleveland,