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ESTABLISHED 1878. PUBLISHED EVERY ‘THURSDAY, AT 144 SuPERIOR ST., (LEADER BUILDING), CLEVELAND, O. : GEO. L. SMITH, IRVING B. SMITH, § - PROPRIETORS. WILLIAM L. MCCORMICK, - - EDITOR, CHAS. E. RUSKIN, - - BUSINESS MANAGER. é BRANCH OFFICE, Cuicaco, ILL., - - 238 Lake Street. THOMAS WILLIAMS, Associate Editor, SUBSCRIPTION. One copy, one year, postage paid, - One copy, one year, to foreign countries, Invariably in advance. ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. _ Allcommunications should be addressed to eae SMITH & SMITH, 144 Superior Street, j CLEVELAND, CG. Entered at Cleveland Postoffice as Second-Class Mail Matter. neciol iS ee Sa CLEVELAND, O., APRIL 9, 1896, ———————————————— THE underwriters are holding themselves very stiff this year, on aceount of last season’s heavy losses on small tonnoge. The provision of the new policy which frees the underwriter from losses of under $250, seems just and calculated to, lead to more care on the part of all in charge of the ship. But the rule requiring all damages to be reported within thirty days after their occurrence, seems hardly to correspond with the custom which the underwriters are trying to introduce, of docking vessels annually. To be sure it is desirable that losses should be reported promptly, froma business point of view; but some damages are liable not to. be discovered until the boat has been docked for some other purpose. It is pro- bable, however, that tne underwriters are only seeking a method of avoiding ordinary repair bills, which they have in several instances been asked to settle of late. rrr a CLEVELAND has at last decided that she had best ex- pend some municipal money on her harbor, and has asked the legislature for permission to borrow $500,000. This would be much more commendable did not the same bil), which it is desired shall be passed, contain authority to issue bonds for $1,000,000 for park purposes. Except for the dredging of the middle of the channel, and the money expended on abutting property, the harbor is in much the s.me condition as it was fiifty years ago, when vessels of three and four hundred tons burden were con- sidered large ships. Parks are all right in their way, but preference in expenditure should be given to that which will attract commerce to the city. In view of the liber- ality of the Federal Government toward Cleveland’s interests, as shown in the river and harbor bill, it would have looked much better had the million dollars been asked for the river and the half million for parks. BB IN EE ge ONS Ir seems that croakers are almost too ready to pro- nounce winter navigation on Lake Erie a failure, judg- ing only from the expericnce of the two Shenangos. A thinking observer, however, will notice that many of the numerous misfortunes of these boats were only indirectly attributable to ice, and they succumbed to a series of ad- verse circumstances. The Ann Arbor No.1 got into a great deal of trouble before she settled down to business, and all new marine enterprises, like many.on Jand, must pay fora deal of experience, north of which, in a well- managed concern, is gained duriig the infancy of the venture. There is no more reason why winter naviga- tion should not be.as practicable on lower Lake Erie as on Lake Michigan, saving during the rare periods when the ice gorges injsome localities to the bottom of the lake. Both route and boats will be in better shapenext winter than last, and there is little likelihood that they will en- counter so many woes as have been visited upon them. “disposition shown to close at those figures. THE MARINE RECORD. GOOD TIMES FOR WATER COMMERCE. . Monday deserves to be marked in Congressional history as a red letter day for water commerce. The House of Representatives, after two hours debate, and in a session when “economy” has been the watchword, passed a river and harbor bill authorizing expenditures of over $60,000,- 000, a sum far exceeding that authorized by any river and harbor bill in the history of America. The bill was not only passed promptly, but without opposition by any ae preciable number of Congressmen. The Fifty-fourth Congress has thus declared itself the champion of the commercial interests of the country, and if the body should accomplish nothing else, would deserve great credit for the liberal disposition shown: toward the efforts to rebuild the merchant marine. The appropria- tions for the construction of more large battleships were carried more because of this spirit than on account of any immediate war scare; and the outlook for American shipping has not been so bright for many decades.. The unusually large appropriations: for the more im- portant lake harbors are most encouraging to the Great Lakes interests, and reflect the energy and tact which has been shown by our Representatives in Congress, from Hooker to Towne (geographically speaking), .and by the many delegations of vessel owners and masters which have visited Washington during the present. session. They knew what they wanted and. why they wanted it, and were able to present all claims on behalf of them- selves and the commercial interests ot the Northwest briefly, but pointedly and lucidly. All the Congressmen worked together well, and no rivalries were allowed to stand in the way of what was “oom best for the coun- try’s welfare. Burton and Minor are two other leading % Congressmen who deserve much credit, and 0 have added bright stars to their records. While some of the others advocated measures which would work against the interests of many of their constituencies, it -will be al- lowed that they acted in good faith, according to their ideas as to what was best for the Great Lakes interests. By passing this bill the House has placed itself on record as opposed to any obstructions which would tend to neutralize the beneficial effects of the liberal river and harbor appropriations. through the Senate it will meet with’such a chilly recep- tion in the House that the active efforts of its opponents wlll be the only feature to keep it alive in the memory. Bat it will probably fail even in the house of its friends, and the great struggle will not be renewed for some years to come. rr 1 0 Now that Congress has established a precedent for doing river and harbor work on the contract system, much more economical work willbe done. The army en- gineers are energetic and capable men, but they have been sadly haddicapped by being expected to work mir- acles with dribbling annual appropriations. may proceed with the exercise of some foresight and are in a position to make their improvements substantial and permanent. qa. a —______ THE FREIGHT SITUATION: In the absence of sales of ore, and owing to the late opening, the ore freight market has remained rather quiet during the week. .The placing of a little tonnage from Marquette to Lake Erie at 90 cents is deplored by conservative owners as much as was the break to $1 on ore from the head of the lakes, and there is no further The state- ment that the output of ore for the year is to be ma- terially cut.down, as compared with last year, is offset ‘by the reports from'the mines regarding the large stock piles that have accumulated, and the evident prepara- tions for a heavy production at one of the more recently opened properties. The ore men continue firm in their position, but if they do not change their ideas to better fignres the bulk of the tonnage will run wild. There Has been considerable chartering of coal ton- nage for single trips, the rates being on the basis of 40c to the head of Lake Superior, a little lessit is true, than |. the contract rate of 42%c previously reported, but still an improvement on some former freights. Several loads have been taken on at Cleveland and other Lake EKrie ports, four whalebacks having been loaded at the fast plant at Ashtabula, The rate to Milwaukee is estab- lished at 50c by one or two Lake Michigan charters. The feeling in lumber is a little stronger, owing to the accumulation of stocks at the head of Lake Supertor. Shippers have made some charters to Ohio ports at $1.75, If the Detroit bridge bill gets: La Salle ~ - Ames, ‘William “Bilton, Warren Neosho ‘Wright, W. A.’ Chapman, D. We: Nyanza Duerker, Fiona Wellington, —— Pawnee. . Davis,.Ezra... _. Depuy, Harvey. Shores, EK. A. Olson, L. . Bridges, W. Sicken, M: Kuhn, John © | ’ Sicken; Wm. Servia | “Ahistrom, ~— ~=»*Buchanan, R.B: _ Syracuse, Fisher; John Mark,-J. W.- Now they - Veronica Soleau, O: J. ~ Reardon; W. J. Weed; E. P: McDonald; D. S. Millikin, W. ee 5 SCHOONER. co MERSEE RG Albany Scott Ae ee ee : Amboy Williams, W. R. Brake, Wm. _ Kerker, Frederick Butman, M. Lavoe, Oliver Brightie Lennon, F. H.. Campbell, R. Hanson, Peter - Cobb,- Ahira -Gifford, Nelson 3 =e Colwell, J... Van Slyke, R. oe pase a Gawn, Thomas Lawrence, J. = Helvetia Murphy, Cornelius Judd, K. T. Jex, H.N. ei Johnson, G. W. Munroe, Albert - Knapp, F. M. Powell,:J: : ‘McVea, E.. J. Chaltrand, Joseph Melvina Larson, ‘Henry ‘Merritt, T. R: (Br: ) Freeman; R. Ogarita ' Brogan;: M. ele O’Neil, John Leon, George Davis, and sailed by him. for the past15 years, is to be : 3 which is:the base for. a $2 rate to Buffalo: and - “Tonawan- da, according to-custom. An attempt will” likely be made by Lake Superior shippers to wipe ¢ out this distino- tion, and to make ‘the rate’ Seek established rue for all Lake Erie ports. gen aee ae é . Grainiis less’active - at- Dutath; ere sipaee are very careful in chartering; and‘while owners ask 34%c on — first loads, only 3c is offered now, and this is paid only in rare cafes for more than two trips: Flour will be car-— ried chiefly by the line boats" for'some ‘months to come. — ‘The Chicago - grain fleet are nearly all loaded, and still rates dé not advance. The situation ‘may change later — on; but thereis not enough ‘in thé talk “of ‘a-heavy corn shipment for any relianee to be placed upon it just now. Wheat in store at the head of Lake Superior is appor- tioned amount fie - various. aaa elevator lines as follows: ~ ; a ee , Belt dine. 00 Ges ec osee eae ook sacs a ae eS Mi; 311,031 Consolidated t.ho eas eer Sites 5,000,165 Globes cakes ink ween ove 44,354,707 Great Northern...... BS Ste eae BASES Fate a ae -1,336,582> Superior Perninal, si) ig oa Mee eet ve. 1,491 3017 Consolidated B Consolidated: H. + ga gle ee : ! if Lede : ri & ee Ransiace a A At Mintiéapolis.. 20.205 e 08 Gael) ae Geet i "APPOINTMENTS FOR NEXT ‘SEASON. "The following appointments of masters and. engineers for the season of 1896, have been announced by owners: STEAMER. MASTER. ENGINEER: Amaranth Stoddard, Louis- Beast eh 7 Arundel Stover,John, . McCartier, C. H. — Centurion Hutchinson; David Blauvelt, Chas. Cole, Darius Comer, WwW. Be Dubois, IW ee City of. 3 Z Toledo King, Gecuse: Curtiss George Nicollet ~ Clary, D: C: j ; Desmond _ Hunt, Tip ~ Pea eRe Eurydice Br} {Jacksou? Prous ba Munro, George | * Fay, J. S. Young, Lewis | Simpson, Robt: F..& P. M., N6.1 Thompson, Chas. F. & P. M., No.2 Nolan, John — F. & Pi M.,;No: 3 “Russell, ots F. & P. M.; No.5. Doyle,- John’ - Harper, John » Mills,.H. Le. . Hayward, A. Dz. _, Tormey, Edward, Depuy,. George — ea M’Laren, Finley ‘M’ Laren, Robt. “Nolan, Henry: Reilly; Edward ~ Greeves, D..M.; -- Helena ~ “'Leisk, oF oseph — Pratt, Scott Idlewild ©. ~ Lockridge; J. ° “Medear, R. Johnson,:H. J... Miner, Ghazies ; Seymour, John =~’ Kaliyuga . . Robinson, A. R. Blaine; Thomas © ; Ketcham, sd B. Christie, Martin | Santa Maria . Rathbone, qe Burns, Charles © Tilley,SirS.L. (Br. ) Irving, John Dawson, J..S.. _ Martin, John Gould, Samuel W. Sands, Isabella Spademan, C.' > Sprague, H. €. Johnson, August .__ - Gullett; Charles Clifford, Alex. St. Joseph Fertan, Charles St.. Louis (Br.) Griffin, John .. Teutonia Meldrum, Wn. G. Readers will greatly onli us by calling: our attention to errors or filling. in any omitted name. SPER E CORT ARES cs vor vio kOe baa sea SER eS : The old schooner Reliable, owned by Capt. ‘Thomas: turned into a steambarge. Her stern is being built to ‘accommodate the placing of screw and shaft, her main- _ mast will be-remoyed, and by May 15 she. will come out as a steamer at a cost of about $3,500.. __