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tinuous work only becomes practical when it is possible to stop and start the conveying carriage at any desired point without changing any stops or other parts of the bridge, and it is one of the great advantages claimed for this hoist that it is possible to do this without the operator leaving either of his two levers, and it should be further stated that it is the only hoist designed for direct load- ing into cars of ore as wellas storage where it is ac- complished so simply. The general arrangement of machinery, mode of operation arid important details and various safety de- vices are all covered by the Rasch and other patents controlled by the King Bridge Co., and it is their in- tention to operate this branch of their business here- after more extensively than they have formerly done. _ They are also at present engaged in perfecting 4 coal handling device for unloading cars directly into boats, of which we shall probably be able to givea description later. LAKE GARRIERS’ ASSOGIATION. CONTINUED FROM PAGE I6. special weighmaster at Buffalo, and have considered the facts presented to them by him, showing the gradual . but steady reduction in grain shortages at Buffalo, which have been reduced to less than one-fourth of their former proportions by the introduction of a sys- tem involving tallying by competent men, frequent testing of all elevator scales, investigation of all con- siderable shortages and overruns, by looking up the records of the loading and unloading elevators, and Prcuri ng tests of their scales, etc., and examination of all methods of delivery. Under this system a very valuable record of all elevators along the lakes has been obtained, and the weighing of grain is being made yearly by better construction of the elevators, better system of weighing, and more careful attention to all the details of acomplicated matter. a ‘ All the weighing at each port where the grain trade is carried on could be done by one man, who could thus get complete records and be able to look up ‘and investi- gate, both at the loading and unloading ports, all cases ~ could be brought to much greater perfection and better “UUSSiO” at’ the ‘same time. This was unjust to him,. involving any- considerable shortage. . ‘The. system results obtained; and since shortages are imuch'more frequent than overruns, money could be saved to-vessel owners. In the interest of greater accuracy .and smaller payments for shortages, your committee there- fore recommends to members of the’ association that they have their weighing at Buffalo and-all other grain ports done by the official weighmaster at each port;- that a circular embodying this recommendation and ex- plaining the reason, therefor, be sent to €ach member by the secretary. e ae aes FUELING STILL UNSETTLED. Tne coal shippers and fuél dealers were well repre- sented at the meeting and many of them. discussed the: situation before the committee Thursday morning. Chairman Millen, when the report was called for, asked for further time. Mr. A. A; Parker moved that further time be granted and that the committee be given full power to act, Capt. Dunham suggested that the com- mittee be made permanent, and Mr. Parker actepted the amendment. It was at first desired by some mem- bers that they should report the finance committee be- fore taking any final action but Mr. Pennington pointed out that the most the committee could accomplish in any event would be to draw up agreements between the coal shippers and fuel men at Lake Erie ports, and the one side, and individual yessel owners on the other. The agreement would be binding only upon signers, asthe association was not empowered to take action limiting the individual rights of members. Mr. Park- er’s motion then prevailed on a rising vote, which was unanimous. : BETTER NEWS FACILITIES. On motion of Mr. John Corrigan, the secretary was directed to do what he could to influence telegraph com- panies to locate offices at Detour and on one of the Manitou Islands, to give additional information regard- ing vessel passages. President Brown suggested some provisions be mace for securing information as to the time of arrivals and departures at the chief lake ports. The daily newspaper reports of port lists were criti- sized as inaccurate, and Mr. Homer J. Carr, manager of the Lake Marine News Association, pointed:out that the inaccuracies were due to the careleSsness of masters, who often took out clearances with inaccurate mani- fests, merely to save time. Some suggestions were made regarding a cipher telegraph code for the use of members of the Association. A vote of thanks was tendered retiring president THE MARINE RECORD. _ —<$ $$ $$ $$ $$ eee Livingston for the handsome way in which he enter- tained the visitors at the Detroit Opera House; also to the Detroit Art Association, which had invited the members to an exhibition of photographs at its rooms, VESSEL, BROKERS AND AGENTS. Mr. G, G. Hadley then presented the following: Resolved, That the Lake Carriers’ Association con- demns the action of brokers in contracting for trans- portation of large quantities of coal and ore, and then bearing freight rates with a view to increasing profits on such transactions. Mr. John Corrigan gave this resolution a vigorous second, and said that the question was purely one of common honesty. Mr. Livingston said that a vessel broker was supposed to look after the interests of his customers, who were his clients; and for a. broker to work against the vessel interests for hisown profit. was as improper and dishonorable as for the counsel of the association.to accept a retainer from the projectors of the Detroit river bridge. Capt. C. K. Benham said that the fault lay partly withthe owners. ‘There were brok- ers who took these contracts and there were others who did not.. He was a broker of the latter class, and he had noticed that many vessel owners, with full knowledge of these transactions, had continued to patronize brok- ers who worked in opposition to their interests. President Brown said that.the terms vessel broker and vessel agent had become somewhat mixed on the lakes, A vessel broker was in legitimate business when he made a speculative contract for carrying blocks of coal or ore; but the fact that he did this busi- ness disqualified him for acting in the capacity of ves- sel agent, who was supposed to act solely for the vessel. He suggested that Capt. Benham have hissign changed. A recess for lunch was then taken. The same matter was brought up after lunch, very vigorous speeches . being made. Mr. Hadley said that brokers had, in times past, contracted to carry blocks of his coal ata certain rate, and had afterwards offered the same coal to his vessels to carry at alower rate, charging com- both as a:‘shipper and an owner. Shippers were indif- “Férent about the amount of the freight rate, so it was the same for all. The freight rate, if uniform, would simply be added to the selling price of the coal. So long as it was not uniform, each shipper would strive for such advantages as he could get. He said that on “Lake Michigan one firm would soon contract for coal, this setting the price for all the coal which would go to Lake Michigan. He wanted to know if the vessel own- ‘ers were going to let this firm run their business next year as it had done in former years, or whether they « FRans. s 1 : : a would run it themselves. His remarks were received with applause, and his resolution adopted. The action of the meeting was, however, later criticised by Mr. Corrigan as insufficient, and he offered the following — resolution, which was adopted with the same en- thusiasm. ees Resolved, That no member, particularly owners and agents, contract for the transportation of any commod- ities without naming the vessel at the time of contract, thereby preventing the most ruinous practice now con- fronting the vessel interests. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. Capt. Alex. McDougall offered a resolution directing the secretary and counsel to make an effort to stop abuses connected with reporting and clearing at custom houses and reporting to engineers in charge of im- provements, particularly the latter. Capt. McDougall, in his- remarks, took exception to the whole system, which he claimed was burdensome and unnecessary. His resolution was adopted. Capt. J. C. Ricketson, of Milwaukee, offered a resolu- tion declaring it the sense of the meeting that a ship- ping office was needed at Milwaukee. Referred to finance committee. A resolution, presented by Mr. Livingston, was adopted, giving the Hydrographic Office and its work on the lakes the hearty endorsement of the association, and expressing the sense of the meeting that other branches should be established at Buffalo, Detroit, Sault Ste. Marie, and Duluth. J. W. Westcott offered the preamble and resolution adopted by the Deep Waterways Convention at Cleve- land in October, which were adopted by the Lake Car- riers. ‘The resolution is as follows: Resolved, That the present proportion of the traffic and its rapid increase render it imperative for reasonably safe navigation that the channels of St. Mary’s river ee a eee finance committee held a short meeting. -the Elba and one at the Genoa. Chicago, the senior member of the firni. His two elder ‘dock in Allouez Bay. The dock was originally laid out -in six sections,.to..have a .capacity of 2,000,000 tons. be enlarged to at least 500 feet; the Limekiln Crossing to at least 600 feet; and that of the St. Clair Flats came to 600 feet by the addition of a 300-foot passage along side the present westerly pier. It is the unanimous vot of the convention that the government be urged to take up these works, and carry them to completion at the earliest possible moment. : Capt. George P. McKay moved that the secretary be instructed totake up the matter of- desired aids to nay igationin Canadian waters with the Canadian officials by correspondence at once; and that if it be deemed de sirable, the executive officers of the association be at thorized to visit Ottawa and present the matter in th best manner possible to government engineers a d- others whose influence may bring about these improye- ments. ir: In support of his motion, which was adopted, Capt. McKay recited the facts regarding the situation near Pointe au Pelee and between Amherstburg and Bois Blanc Island, which caused so many strandings in thos localities last year. : 2.7 In view of action taken by certain Canadian vessel captains, Capt. W. S. Mack offered a resolution placing — at the service of ‘the United States government, in the event of any future hostilities the vessels of members of the association. This was carried. et On motion of Mr. Livingston, the following was” adopred : tat WHEREAS, This association has since the last meeting lost by death one of its members who was highly -es- teemed and respected all over the lakes, and who was at all times a most loyal and devoted friend of every cause which the association had at heart, and who could be counted on for vigorous and good courage in fighting the battles of the vessel owners, : kesolved, That this association sincerely dep!ores the death of Capt. John Shaw, and reverently pays this tribute of respect to his memory. Adjournment was taken at 4 o’clock, after which the TE EP a 5 '- DULUTH AND SUPERIOR. Special: Correspondence to The Marine Recora. Three more steel shovels have been ordered for min- ing on the Mesaba range—one at the Mahoning, one at : The Mesaba range shipped 2,760,000 tons last year. Poa The limber: market during the past week has been rather quiet, but lumbermen are inclined to think that things will be more prosperous from now until spring. The lumber for the ore docks’ at Two Harbors and Allouez Bay is being furnished by local firms, — The dredging firm of Williams, Dougherty & Upham has dissolved ‘partnership, the two latter gentlemen disposing of their interests to Mr. K. T: Williams, of sons will-probably have active charge of the business. The largest fire that has appeared on the Superior docks this season broke out last Thursday in‘the stock of the Ohio Coal Co. The-pile consisted of 12,000 tons, of which 3,000 tons were badly damaged. ES President Saunders, of the Northwestern Coal Co., has ordered the erection of a second section of the big © The first section, now in use, has a capacity of 300,000 tons. The construction of the second section will a little more than double this capacity. The No.2 dock in Duluth will be used till the capacity of the Allouez Bay dock will be sufficient to accommodate the business” of the company. BUFFALO. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. As a result of the extensive dredging job being done in the Ohio basin, a number of docks have been under- mined, owing to the shortness of their piling. Among them are the docks of Mann Bros.,’and the Buffalo Box Co. “The Buffalo Dredging Co. is deepening the chan- nel to 19 feet, but a further appropriation of $18,000 must be made before the work is completed. The com- pany laid up all its dredges for the season Thursday, but the drill boats will be kept at work on the reef above the turnpike bridge all winter. The channel is to’ be 140 feet wide and over 2,500 feet long. The contract calls for 19 feet of water, and the dredging company says there will be 20 feet. The work is being done un- der a state appropriation. The hearing of the Buffalo people on the need of the proposed breakwater extension will probably occur be- fore the River and Harbor Committee of the House, be- - tween January 21 and February 1. : Division Engineer J. L. Littleof the State Hngineers’ Department has selected his assistants for the work on the canal improvement on the Krie canal. ‘The canal is divided into eleven sections and each engineer is allowed twelve assistants, beside laborers. a - The tug North Muskegon will receive a thorough r-9 build at Burger & Burger’s yard, Manitowoc. e Z