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12 MARINE REVIEW. [January 18, ee rerlat feo Ba ake oe of Buffalo, G. W. Maytham of Buffalo, James McBrier of Erie, W. S. Brainard of Toledo, W. A. Livingstone of Detroit, Thomas Cranage of Bay City, D. T. Helm of Chicago, ‘William Gerlach ‘of Cleve- land, John. Mitchell of Cleveland and James A. Calbick of Chicago. This committee’s report, which was unanimously adopted, contained the fol- lowing list of vice-presidents, members of board of managers and stand- ing committees: Vice-Presidents—J. G. Keith of Chicago; H. Coulby, Cleveland; ec. Waldo, Detroit: CA. Brunn, Buffalo; A, ~B: Wolvin, Duluth; C. A. Eddy, Bay (Citys bs: Sullivan, Toledo; M. J. Cummings, Oswego; James 'McBrier, Erie; F. W. Fletcher, Alpena: W. E. Fitzgerald, Milwaukee; Edward P. Hines, Chicago; 'W. A Rogers, Tonawanda; L. M. Bowers, Cleveland. The president and first vice-president will be ex- officio members of the three standing committees. Board of pene Gaskin, Peter P. Miller, E. T. Evans, G..L. Douglas, J. J. H. Brown, John Kelderhouse, W. 4H. Gratwick, Ja Mi M: Drake, Edward Smith, W.-C. Farrington, C. H. Donaldson, rena Brunn, G. W. Maytham and L. H. Van Allen of Buffalo; Thomas Wilson, M. A. Bradley, James Corrigan, H. M. Hanna, George P. McKay, H. G. Dalton, Harvey H. Brown, John W. Moore, John Corrigan, William Gerlach, Henry A. Hawegood, W. C. Richardson, J. C. Gilchrist, W. D. Rees, John Mitchell, R. R. Rhodes, Caleb E. Gowan, L. M. Bowers, W. H. Becker,. W. A. Hawgood, W. H. Mack, C. E. Benham, ale Coulby, J. A Sheadle, W. G. Mather, E. S. Mills, J. A. McGean, T. F. Newman, W. W. Brown, Cleveland; James W.. Millen, William Livingstone, Jr., David Carter, D. C. Whitney, W. A. Livingstone, A. A. Parker, L. C Waldo, Alexander Mc- Vittie, J. W. Westcott and Thomas Adams ‘of Detroit; D. T. Helm, Jesse Spaulding, J. S. Dunham, John G. Keith, Joseph Austrian, CW. Bl phicke, Wiley M. Eagan, J. J. Rardon, James H.‘Calbick and Geo. J. Harris of Chicago; W. S. Brainard, A. 'W. Colton and L. S. Sullivan of Toledo; Charles A. Eddy, O. W. Blodgett, B. Boutell, Thomas Cran- age, Howard L. Shaw and J. 'W. McGraw of West Bay City; Alexander McDougall, F. N. LaSalle, G. H. Tomlinson, J. T. Rose and A. B. Wol- vin of Duluth; David Vance, H. J. Pauly, W. H. Wolf, W. H. Meyer, Albert Gibbs and W. E. Fitzgerald of Milwaukee; James McBrier of Erie; F. W. Gilchrist of Alpena; C. T. Morley of Marine City; R. KE. Schuck. of Sandusky, and G. E. Tener of Fairport. Executive committee—James Corrigan, H. A. Hawgood, Thomas Wilson, M. A. Bradley, L. M. Bowers, W. C. Richardson, J. C. Gilchrist, R. R. Rhodes, H. Coulby, J. H. Sheadle, John Mitchell, Edwin S. Mills, John W. Moore and William Gerlach of Cleveland: J. W. Westcott, L. C. Waldo and James Millen of Detroit; M. M. Drake and Jy ae. Brown of Buffalo; W. H. Meyer and David Vance of Milwaukee; J. S. Dunham, Jesh. Calbick and C. W. Elphicke of Chicago; and A. B. Wolvin of Dus - luth. Committee on aids to navigation—George P. McKay, W. H. Becker, John A. McGean, W. A. Hawgood, Edward Morton and C. E. Benham of Cleveland; J. G. Keith and W. M. Eagan of Chicago; W. A. Living- stone of Detroit: A. W. Colton of Toledo; Howard L. Shaw of West Bay City; M. M. Drake of Buffalo: W. W. Smith of Sault Ste. Marie; C. T. Morley of Marine City; and W. E, Fitzgerald of Milwaukee. Committee on Legislation—G. L. Douglas, E. T. Evans, P. P. Mil- ler, M. M. Drake, C. A. Brunn, L. H. Van Allen, G. W. Maytham, ISS H. Donaldson, TT. ED}: McWilliams and 4-H. Brown of Buftalo; 22 -C, Hanna and James Corrigan of Cleveland; William Livingstone of Detroit: C. A. Eddy of West Bay City; Alexander McDougall of Duluth; Dennis Sullivan and D. T. Helm of Chicago and F. L. Vance of Milwatikee. INCREASE IN TONNAGE DUES. The question of tonnage dues was brought up by Mr. A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, who suggested that inasmuch as the association was in need of a greater income the dues for the ensuing year be fixed at 2% cents for all vessels up to and including 1,400 tons and at 3% cents for all vessels of greater tonnage, being an increase of % cent in each instance. In answer to a question from Capt. M. M. Drake of Buffalo the explana- tion was made that not only has the association. liabilities amounting to $400, but no payment has been made for the services of the grain inspec- tor at the port of Buffalo during the season of 1899. The rates proposed by Mr. Wolvin were adopted. Mr. Coulby outlined briefly the result of a conference on the part of Cleveland vessel owners with Chairman T. E. Burton of the rivers and harbors committee of the house of representatives, regarding Sault river improvements, adding that the outcome was not entirely such as they would desire and closed with a motion that a committee be appointed to call upon Col. J. G. Lydecker, United States engineer at Detroit, and ascertain just what steps the government had taken or would take this year to guard against a repetition of the disastrous blockades in the “Soo” tiver. The motion was carried and the committee was appointed as follows: Capt. Geo. P. McKay and Capt. Thos. Wilson of Cleveland, David Vance, of Milwaukee, Alex. McVittie of Detroit, H. Coulby of Cleveland and J. W. Westcott of Detroit. Attention was called to the fact that there had evidently been different interpretations of the revisions in the rules for “Soo” river navigation, made at a conference held at the time of the last annual meeting. The particular point of misunderstanding was seemingly that many navigators had interpreted the rules to mean that both up and down bound boats could pass each other between the canal and Topsail island, whereas it was desired to limit this privilege to upbound boats only. It was also desired, it was explained, to so revise the rules that boats going in the same direction should not pass between Ballard’s Reef and the Lime Kiln crossing. On motion it was decided to appoint a committee to confer on these points with Capt. A. B. Davis of the United States revenue cutter service, and James Millen of Detroit, W. C. Richardson of Cleve. land, John ‘McGean of Cleveland, C. E. Benham of Cleveland, Henry Leisk of Milwaukee and John Green of Buffalo were appointed members of the committee. The committee was also. instructed to call into con- sultation any practical navigators whose experience might enable them to give advice. THE GRAIN SHOVELING CONTRAOT, The final matter for consideration at the session was the grain shovel- ing contract and a brief debate preceded the determination of whether or not this should be left to a special committee. It was finally decidea in the affirmative and the following were selected: L. C. Waldo of De- troit, Edward: Smith, M. M. Drake and C. A. Brunn of Buffalo, A. B. Wolvin of Duluth, A. W. Colton of Toledo, James Corrigan of Cleveland, D. Sullivan of Chicago, W. E. Fitzgerald of Milwaukee, Thomas Cran- age of Bay City and Howard Shaw of Detroit. = When the Recend day’s session was called to order Thursday alter- noon, Jan. 18, with Mr. Farrington, the newly elected president, in the chair, the grain-shoveling committee was ready to report, but resolutions on the death of members who died during the past year were first sub- mitted. Mr. Farrington in taking the chair said: “I want to thank you most heartily for the honor which you have conferred. I will do my best to. merit your approval and shall endeavor to fill the office to the best of my ability.’ Resolutions of regret were adopted upon the announcemc¢ nt of the death of R. H. Hebard of Buffalo, R. P. Fitzgerald of Milwaukee, , John F. Eddy of Bay City, and Capt. James McKenzie of Buffalo, each of whom was at the time of decease a member of the association. An- other resolution endorsed the bill now before congress providing for the reorganization of the weather bureau. This matter was dealt with very fully in the last issue of the Review. The meeting went into executive -session for the consideration of the report of the special committee ap- pointed to consider the award of the grain-shoveling contract, which was in effect that while all the various bids had been received and considered, and all parties desiring to be heard had been heard, more extended time would be necessary for the determination of the relative merits of the various propositions. The committee suggested therefore that they be continued in power and be authorized to act for the general body, and this, after a brief discussion, was acceded to. Another matter in the executive session was the appointment of a committee to deal with an unpaid balance of some $4,000 on account of the ice blockade at the month of the Detroit river in the fall of 1898. Cer- tain vessel owners who were expected to share in this expense did not do so for one cause and another, most of them claiming that they derived no benefit from the ferry boats and tugs that were engaged in breaking the blockade. Now it is proposed to investigate the claims of these owners in this regard and if they are to be released then it will be neces- sary to go back to the owners who were benefited for another pro rata assessment. It was also decided in the executive session to pay Inspector Dono- van, who. was employed in connection with the settlement of the Buffalo strike, $1,650 for his services during the past season. IMPORTANT CHANNEL IMPROVEMENTS. One of the first matters which claimed attention after open session was resumed was the report of the special committee appointed to con- fer with Col. Lydecker on the subject of important channel improve- ments in the connecting rivers. The report of the committee was as fol- lows: “The committee appointed by this body to call upon Col. Lydecker to ascertain from him the condition of improvements of the waterways connecting the great lakes has to report that they called upon Col. Ly- decker this morning, Jan. 18, and found that he was thoroughly in accord with the suggested improvements proposed by the committee, namely, that owing to the ever present danger of a blockade of the artificial chan- nels through disaster, such as those experienced during the past season in the case of the Douglas Houghton grounding at the Encampment, the North Star-Siemens collision at the head of Little Rapids cut, and the schooner Fritz grounding in St. Clair canal, the government be petitioned to, as quickly as possible and wherever practicable, provide two separate channels and to that end your committee would recommend to the honor- able body that it shall use all of its influence to have the government pro- vide an additional channel through the West Neebish, St. Mary’s river, in accordance with drawings and surveys exhibited to the committee by Col. Lydecker. In the event of the work being started at once it would, in the, judgment of the United States engineers, take five or six years to complete the work, and to take care of the rapidly increasing commerce of the great lakes during that period of time, your committee would also recommend that the government be asked to at once do the necessary work toward sweeping and lighting the old channel from Sailors’ En- campment through Lake George to Topsail island, so as to give, as soon as possible, a navigable channel for boats of light ‘draught, and which, in the event of the blockade of the present so-called 20-foot channel, could be used by vessels of light draught (16 to 17 feet). During the interview with Col. Lydecker, discussion turned upon the construction of the power canal at Sault Ste. Marie and its probable effect upon the present navi- gable channels, and your committee would respectfully suggest that this matter be laid. before the. proper government authorities and that they be requested to appoint a°commission to thoroughly investigate and re- port back to the secretary of war their findings with their recommenda- tion of what should be done to protect the artificial vessel channels from injury by the construction of this new canal. Your committee found that Col. Lydecker was also in favor of an additional channel through the St. Clair Flats, in preference to widening the present channel, which would entail the removal of one of the present piers; also that the present chan- ‘nel from Ballard’s reef through Lime-Kiln crossing be widened to 800- feet.” CHANGES IN SAULT RIVER RULES. As a result of the two serious accidents that occurred in the Sault river during the past season, and as a result also of the experience of the government patrol service, it was expected that the committee appointed to consider Sault river navigation rules would recommend some changes. Capt. A. B. Davis of the revenue cutter service advised with the com- mittee and the counsel of several well-known vessel masters was also sought in the matter, The committee did not recommend radical changes, but rather such modifications as will apply to small boats and to parts of the river most difficult of navigation where the rules have been a little lacking in the past. The full report of the committee, which was adopted, and which will be submitted at once to the secretary of the treasury, is as follows: Change second part of Rule 1 so as to read as follows: “Vessels of 500 gross tons or less are exempt from this rule,” © eens RSE A IEE Fe ee ee ete eee Peres ORO ee OR