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channels so that vessels are unable to get through, put- ting steam vessels in imminent danger of breaking their wheels or damaging their machinery, it becomes an out- rage on vessel owners, who are held to the strictest ac- countability to the government in complying with all its rules and regulations, and leaving the raftsmen compara- tively free to do as they please without restriction. “The breaking up of Capt. Green’s big raft in the St. Clair River, doing a large amount of damage, causing great delay to topnage passing up and down, and the imminent danger that will attend steamers for some time to come in picking up some of the floating logs in their wheels and breaking them, should emphasize in the strongest possible manner the necessity of the strong arm of the government interfering and prescribing such re- strictions as to size, navigation of them, etc., as would ne them comparatively safe for the tonnage of the akes.” There should be no question of collecting every cent’s. worth of actual damage done by rafts or through their breaking up, but when it comes to a steamer picking up a single stick of timber and damaging her propelling power, the process of identification and the proof that the obstruction could not have been avoided is a more intricate matter; another feature of the question is the risk and detention which these large rafts cause to general trafic while they are being towed through nar- row waters and at times not under proper control. The lake traffic is now so extensive that every safe- guard should be thrown around the conduct of the float- ing property, and in this connection proper rules and regulations for the make-up, size and safe navigation of - rafts seems to be one of: the nearest and most imperative requirements of lake commerce. ED ee LAKE shipbuilders did not enthuse very highly over the contract to build a revenue cutter for the lakes as only one firm the Globe Iron Works Co., of Cleveland ‘submitted proposals which in this case was equivalent to securing the order for construction. Shipyards on the lakes are considerably busy these times in building cargo and passenger boats so that government departmental contracts, accompanied as they are by a system of red tapeism and general detention of work, are not very eagerly grasped at. However, it is highly ‘to the credit of the Globe Iron Works Co. that they can turn out the _ latest and best class of tonnage irrespective of the most stringent inspection of the work and the highest techinal classification of material. EEE De LAKE FREIGHTS. Ore tonnage has been in fair demand all week and firm at 85, 75 and 55 cents from the head of the lakes, Marquette and Escanaba respectively... Complaints are growing more frequent of the detention at Lake Erie discharging ports and if this feature continues it is probable that rates will be forced a jog higher within a few days, at least from the head of the lakes, as an at- tempt has already been made to secure 90 cents. Chicago grain freights have fluctuated from % to1 cent with very light shipments during the week, line boats not having enough to carry even at those figures, in fact chartering has seldom been so dull out of Chi- cago. Duluth will have lively grain shipments in July, 2% cents for next week’s charters is now offered. Coal is beginning to move though chiefly to Lake Michigan, the Buffalo rate has held firm at 50 cents to Chicago and an effort made to reach 60 cents, Milwau- kee 45 cents, Toledo 25 cents and Duluth 20 cents. Ohio ports to Milwaukee or Green Bay ports 40 cents, to Du- luth 30 cents. ; The ore trade has been the life of lake traffic since the opening of navigation, but from this timae on it is expected that both coal and grain will enter into the freight market and better figures than has been hither- to quoted is looked for. ED THE COMING WATERWAYS CONVENTION. The first annual convention of the International Deep Waterways Association organized at Toronto last fall, will be held in Cleveland September 24, 25 and 26, 1895, beginning at3 p. m. on Tuesday, the 24th. This was decided upon at a meeting of the executive board held in Chicago, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. It is expected that President Cleveland will appoint the American members of the deep waterway joint com- mission provided for by Congress about July 1, and that the Canadian commissioners will be appointed a little later. Their report will undoubtedly be filed in ample time for full discussion at the Cleveland convention. Notices will be distributed announcing to the goy- THE MARINE RECORD. ernors and legislators of all states and provinces, mayors of cities interested, and to all members of the Houses of Congress, that the convention will meet, and that there will be discussed the effect of a ship canal between the great lakes and the sea, upon the iron, coal, grain, flour, and lumber business, and upon in- land ship building industries; upon the lake carrying and the ocean carrying trade; upon the export cattle and meat business; tpon New York and other seaboard cities; upon Buffalo and other lakeboard cities. In addition to this a number of so-called independent subjects are announced for discussion, as follows: Volume, character and value of commerce affected by deep water from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic; char- acter, cost, utility and value of present Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River improvement; impounding waters and controlling levels and outflow of the Great Lakes! free and toll canals; pneumatic and hydraulic locks; economy of joint arrangement between Canada and the United States; national benefits and international ar- bitration ; desirability of harmonizing conflicting Amer- ican and Canadian marine-laws and regulations on the Great Lakes ; proper attitude of the United States gov- ernment; of the Canadian government; an American secretary of commerce; status and fruits of the deep water campaign—thirteen subjects in all. The notice also invites each state, province and terri- tory, each city and town, each commercial body, and each university in the United States and Canada to send delegates. The formation of the program was left to the com- mittee of arrangements, Frank A. Flower, secretary of executive board, Superior; O. A. Howland, M. P. P., of Toronto; C. RK. Wheeler, of Cleveland Chamber of Com- merce: and C. D. R. McGinniss, of St. Paul. EE Oo NOTICE TO MARINERS. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA—NORTHERN RIVERS— MICHIGAN. LAKES AND WHITEFISH POINT LIGHT-STATION.—Notice is hereby given that, on or about July 5, 1895, the color of the skeletonsiron tower;at this station.on Whitefish Point, OK. part of Lake Superior, will be changed from brown to white, to render it nore prominent as a day mark. By Order of the Light-House Board: JoHN G. WALKER, Rear-Admiral, U. S. Navy, Chairman. OFFICE OF THE LicHt-Housk Boarp, : Washington, D. C., June 25, 1895. +0 — VISIBLE GRAIN SUPPLY, The stocks of grain in Chicago elevators last Satur- day evening were 17,460,000 bushels of wheat, 5,255,000 bushels of corn, 2,243,000 bushels of oats, and 32,000 bushels of rye. Total, 24,990,000 bushels of all kinds of grain, against 22,139,000 bushels a year ago. For the same date the secretary of the Chicago Board of Trade states the visible supply of grain in the United States and Canada as 46,225,000 bushels of wheat, 9,499,000 bushels of corn, 7,976,000 bushels of oats, 137,000 bushels of rye, and 130,000 bushels of barley. These figures are smaller than the corresponding ones a week. ago by 1,- 492,000 in wheat and 1,286,000 in corn. ‘The visible sup- ply of wheat for the corresponding week a year ago de- creased 1,253,000 bushels. oe LAKE YACHTING. More interest is being taken in lake yachting this sea- son than ever before and the clubs at the principal ports are enthusiastic in their determination to have a brisk yachting time during the next few months. During the week the handsome schooner-rigged steam yacht Sentinel, New York to Chicago, reached the lakes via the St. Lawrence canals. She is owned by L. C. Wachsmuth, of New York. Her dimensions are 125 feet long by 19 feet beam, built of live oak, with heavy frames placed close together, and extra heavy planking. She has a flush deck broken only by the wheelhouse and smoking room forward. The rails and all deek- houses and fittings are of solid mahogany, and are built extremely heavy in order to stand rough weather. They are polished as highly as ordinary furniture. The Sentinel carries four boats—a 21-foot naphtha launch, an 18-foot cutter, a 16-foot gig and a 14-foot dingy. Her speed is an easy 16 miles an hour. LIFE-~BOAT BUILDERS. ; The following is an abstract of the bids received by the United States Life-Saving Service, for the construc- tion of twelve 34-foot lifeboats : a“ For DELIVERY IN New York Ciry.—B. Frank Wood, City Island, N. Y., tobe delivered Feb. 1, 1896, $3,000; Clay & Torbensen, Gloucester City, N. J., Oct. 28, 1895, $3,395 ; Wyandotte Boat Co.,. Detroit, Mich., May 31; 1896, $2,292.65; Geo. Lawley & Son, Corporation, South Boston, Mass., December 16, 1895, $2,900;. Monroe & Nims. Sand Beach, Mich., March 15, 1898, $1,900; Henry | N. Botsford (Wolverine Dry Dock Co.), Port Huron, Mich., Aug. 31, 1896, $1,860, Received late—Racine Yacht & Boat Works, Racine, Wis., May 18, 1896, $3,600; Detroit Boat Works, Detroit, Mich., Aug. 1896, $4,350; Higgins & Gifford, Gloucester, Mass., Oct. 17, 1895, $3,307. FOR DELIVERY IN GRAND HAVEN, MICH.—B. Frank Wood, City Island, N. Y., June 15, 1896, $3,200; Clay & Torbensen, Gloucester City, N. J., Jan. 25, 1896,.$3,395 3 Wyandotte Boat Co.,Detroit, Mich.,May 10,1896, $2,269.65; Henry N. Botsford (Wolverine Dry Dock Co.), Port Huron, Mich., Oct. 31, 1896, $1,860; Monroe & Nims, Sand Beach, Mich., December 15, 1896, $1,900. Received late—Racine Yacht & Boat Works, Racine, Wis., Jan. 13, 1896, $3,500; Detroit Boat Works, Detroit, Mich., March 1, 1896, $4,350; The Truscott Boat: Mfg. Co., St. Joseph, Mich., Oct. 30, 1895, $1,350. For the construction of twelve 26-foot Monomoy surf- boats, the following is an abstract of the bids received: TO BE DELIVERED IN BUFFALO, N. Y.—Wyandotte Boat Co., Detroit, Mich., to be delivered Sept. 30, 1895, $261.80; B. Frank Wood, City Island, N. Y., Oct. 15, 1895, $325 ; Samuel Ayers & Son, Nyack, N. Y.; Aug. 10, 1895, $285; The Truscott Boat Mfg. Co., St. Joseph, Mich., Sept. 7, 1895, $315; The Wolverine Dry Dock Co., (Henry N. Botsford, owner), Port Huron, Mich., Dec. 15, 1895, $375; Detroit River Boat and Oar Co. (David N. Perry, owner), Wyandotte, Mich., Sept. 15, 1895, $360. To BE DELIVERED IN NEw York Crry.—Wyandotte Boat Co., Detroit, Mich., Oct. 7, 1895, $253.40; B. Frank Wood, Island City, N. Y., Nov. 15, 1895, $275; J. S. Bilis & Son, Tottenville, Staten Island, N. Y., 1 boat 30 days after contract, 1 every 15 days thereafter, $295; Samuel Ayers & Son, Nyack, N. Y., August 15, 1895, $235; The Truscott Boat Mfg. Co., St. Joseph, Mich.,Sept. 10, 1895, $330 ; ‘The Wolverine Dry Dock Co. (Henry N. Botsford), Port Huron, Mich.,. Jan. 15, 1896, $383; Detroit River Boat and Oar Co. (David N, Perry), Wyandotte, Mich., Dec. 15, 1895, $375; Fred. C. Beebe, Greenport, N. Y July 20, 1895, $245, : EEE Oe RAILROAD TRANSPORTATION. According to railway statistics issued by the inter- state commerce commission, 619,688,199 passengers were carried during the year ending June 30, 1894, an - increase over the previous year of 26,127,587. The gross earnings of the total railway mileage of 178,708.55 for the same period was $1,073,361,797, a decrease as com- pared with the previous year of $147,390,077 or 12.07 per cent. : The total amount of reported railway capital on June 30, 1894, was $10,796,473,813 or $62,951 per mile of line. During the year 1,823 railway employees were killed and 23,422 were injured, as compared with 2,727 killed and 31,729 injured in 1893. This marked decrease in casualty is in part due to the decrease in the number of men employed, and the decrease in the volume of busi- ness handled. The increased use of automatic appli- ances on railway equipment also may have rendered railway employment less dangerous and it may be that the grade of efficiency of employes has been raised. The number of passengers killed was 324, an increase of 25, and the number injured was 3,304, a decrease of 195. Of the total number of fatal casualties to railway employes, 251 were due to coupling and uncoupling cars, 439 to falling from trains and engines, 50 to overhead obstructions, 145 to collisions, 108 to Gerailments, and the balance to various other causes not easily classified. To show the ratio of casualty, it may be stated that one employe was killed out of every 428 in service, and one injured out of every 33 employed. The trainmen perform the most dangerous service, one out of every 156 employed having been killed and one out of every 12 having been injured. The ratio of casualty to passengers is in striking con- trast to that of railway employes, one passenger hay- ing been killed out of each 1,912,618 carried, or for each 44,103,228 miles traveled, and one injured out of each 204,248 carried, or for each 4,709,771 miles traveled. A distribution of accidents to the territorial groups ex- hibits the diversity in the relative safety of railway employment and of railway travel in the different sec- tions of the country.