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DREDGING EAST SHORE, LAKE MICHIGAN. Col. G. J. Lydecker, Engineer Corps, U. S. A., in charge of river and harbor improvements on the east shore of Lake Michigan and the west shore of Lake Huron, opened on Saturday, April 25, proposals for dredging harbors on the east shore of Lake Michigan. The bids are as follows: Dredging | Transfer No. Name and Address. ee of bane yard. mile. 1 | William A. Starke, Milwaukee, Wis. | 11% cts.| $2.00 2|C. E. Mitchell & Co. os Ludington, Mich. | 12,8, “ 1.00 3 Carkin, Stickney & Cram, P Detroit, Mich. 1334 ‘ 3.00 4 | Illinois Dredging Co., Chicago, Ill. 14 2.00 5 | Chicago Dredging & Dock As, Chicago, Ill. 24 2.00 W. A. Starke’s bid is evidently the lowest and will undoubtedly be recommended for acceptance. Maj. Clinton B. Sears, the government engineer at this point, opened bids recently for the dredging at Portage Lake canal. There were three bidders, Captain .C. S. Barker of Superior, Williams, Green & Williams of Duluth, and James Pryor of Houghton, Mich. The last mentioned bidder was the successful one. ‘The dredging estimate is about 30,000 yards and the bid of Mr. Pryor of $4,225 was accepted. This figure was only $25 under the bid of the Duluth firm and $125 under the bid of Captain Barker.. The work .for which the con- tract was let contemplates dredging out sandbars which have formed since last fall and of straightening the channel, The government makes a special allotment for this work, which it is found necessary to doannually- 3 EE Pe — EE THE FREIGHT SITUATION. Some members of the tacit combination of vessel owners have fallen over the breastworks, and some of the whaleback fleet and one or two other vessels have been put in at $1 to October 1, and $1.05 for six weeks thereafter from Duluth aud Lake Erie ports. M. A. Hanna & Co. and Tod, Stambaugh & Co. were the ore dealers who closed the season charters. About 400,000 tons is to be moved on their contracts before October 1, and a smaller amount afterward. While other Owners insist that rate will not be met by them, it is unqnestioned that they will now find it difficult, if not impossible, to secure the $1.10 rate which was almost conceded by the ore dealers. Wheat is still paying 3c from Duluth and Suipecior, but wild ore rates, while strong are still $1 from the head of Lake Superior and 85c from Marquette, By reason of a livelier grain movement from Chicago, the Escanaba ore rate advanced to 60 cents this week, and is firm at that figure. Corn from Chicago is pay- ing 13¢c and wheat 2c to Lake Erie. Coal rates remain practically unchanged, with a little more demand for tonnage. Lumber charters last made at Duluth were at the rate of $1.87% to Buffalo. Itis stated that a rate of $1.50 has been made from Bay City to Buffalo, but no boats are named. ae qo se ee THE BLOOMSBURG CIRCULATOR. Capt. Peter Bloomsburg, of H. Bloomsburg & Co., of Wilmington, Del., patentees and manufacturers of cir- culators and steam jets, arrived in Cleveland Thursday morning. Heis on a trip around the lakes, introducing his water circulator for Scotch.type boilers, and his jets, which are placed in smokestacks for inducing draft. Capt. Bloomsburg is both a licensed master and engineer, and has been for thirty years and morea prominent figure on the Atlantic coast in thesc capac- ities and as a prosperous shipowner. ‘he circulator and jets have proved very successful in the ocean grey- hound City of Paris, and fast coast line steamers, in- cluding the Brandywine, City of Chester, Al. Foster and the new steamer Middletown. The circulator forces the water up from the bottom of the boiler by means of an induced current caused by the entrance of the feed water, and has connected with it a steam circulator which admits of making steam in a boiler in two hours— certainly an improvement over the five to seven hours consumed by the old method—and this without any ex- cessive strain on the boiler. The jets made by this firm are placed in stacks in number sufficient to keep a solid THE MARINE RECORD. column of gases constantly emerging from the stack. Capt. Bloomsburg is coming into the lake trade with an energy and judgment which seem to insure him a good measure of success, and carries a number of excellent testimonials from builders of high standing on the coast, confirming the truth of hisclaims. ~ ED ae WRECKS AND WRECKING OPERATIONS. The Escanaba Towing ana Wrecking Co.’s tug Mon- arch made a preliminary visit to the Sheriffs and Bell, ashore on Big Sumner Island, on Wednesday of last week. Capt. C. H. Sinclair, wrecking master for C. A. Macdonald & Co,, of Chicago, accompanied the expedi- tion. The Sheriffs was found to be in much better con- dition than had been expected. She rests finally on a smooth rock bottom in seven or eight feet of water. She has about 1,100 tons of soft coal aboard, which has been purchased by the wreckers, and which will be re- ‘ moved at once. The wrecking company expected to be- gin actual operations on the Sheriffs this week, and will probably secure a contract for releasing the Bell, which lies in deeper water not far from the Sheriffs. Her coal cargo is still owned by the Green Bay con- signees. Capt. B. B. Moiles has begun the work of raising the wrecking tug Gladiator, which burned and sank at Kemp’s lower dock, at the Sault, Oct. 17, 1895. After raising the Gladiator he will take her to Saginaw, where she will be entirely rebuilt at Moiles Bros.’ ship- yard. The timber work for her was all gotten out and framed during the winter, and she will probably be ready for séa again in six weeks. She will be pro- vided with all *the modern steamboat equipment, in- cluding steam steering gear. Capt. J. V. Tuttle, who secured, last fall, some of the coppér jettisoned by the Centurion at Isle Royale, will return to the spot as soon as practicable this spring. There is»about 400 tons there, in from 12 to 18 feet of waterjand it can be recovered in a few days of calm weather. After’the attempt was made last winter by unauthorized persons to get the copper, Capt. Tuttle hired two men as watchmen, had them appointed deputy U. S. marshals, and furnished them with rifles. ‘These men have camped on the island within range of the copper. The big passenger steamer North Land caught fire last Thursday night April 23, at her dock in Duluth. The fire tug Lyon and harbor tug Carrington were called and soon put out the fire, with assistance from several hose companies on shore. The parlor cabin, forward section of the main cabin, captain’s quarters, pilot house, and other parts of the texas were badly damaged, but it is thought $8,000 will repair the dam- age, and the ship will be ready to go into commission at her usual time, June 1. The steamer Northern Light caught fire in the coal bunkers on her way down Lake Superior Friday, April 24. The fire was soon extinguished, and temporary re- pairs were made at the Sault. The entire deck load of flour was damaged by smoke, the loss on this was about $10,000. The damage to the hull consisted of sprung decks, deck beams, and hatch coamings. The W. D. Rees, which was close at had, helped to extinguish the flames. Barge 104 collided in Detroit River, Friday, the 24th, with the Philip Minch. The barge kept afloat until Lake St. Clair was reached, when she sank. She was raised Sunday morning by the tug Wales, and went to the Detroit drydock to receive a temporary patch. Her wale strake was badly broken, and she had a cracked plate amidships. The Wales had her stem damaged while towing the barge, and had to have a new rudder. The tug Wisconsin, bound from Tonawanda to Duluth, filled and sank at one o’clock p. m., April 27, in Lake Erie off Lorain. Capt. James Skeldon, Engineer Lea Coms, Fireman Kd Coyle, and Lineman William Car- roll, who were aboard, were taken off by George T. Smith, a fisherman who responded to the distress sig- nal. The Wisconsin is valued at $8,000, and had re- cently been purchased by Nagle & Hadley of Toledo. Foul play is suspected, but it is thought the mischief wrs done before the tug left Tonawanda. She will be raised atonce. The Cleveland Towing Co., has already sent an expedition to her. The Simon J. Murphy got on at Point aux Barques, Lake Huron, Wednesday morning, but was released without damage the same day, after jettisoning 300 tons of ore. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. Navigation opened at Port Arthur Monday. The Welland canal opened for traffic Tuesday. The House on Saturday last passed House bill 4,787, making Conneaut, O., a sub port of entry. The T. D. Stimson was libeled at Buffalo Friday on a $200 repair bill at the instance of John Mahar, of Tona- wanda. The Canadian Pacific Railway Co.; have plans ready for a new 1,500,000 bushels elevator, to be built at Fort Williain. Commander W. W. Mead has been authorized to de- lay until May 11, reporting as equipment Lagi at the Norfolk Navy yard. Wescott’s marine reporting service has gone into commission, with George Abrams and James Christie in charge of the boats. The members of the Lake Carriers’ Association have decided to leave port without trimming when trimmers refuse to work at the association rates. ‘The Senate has incorporated, in the Sunday civil bill, an amendment appropriating $40 for the establishment of two range light stations in Sandusky Bay. Gen. Manager Carter, of the D. & C. S. M. Co., re- ceived a conscience contribution of $3.40, fare and inter est from Cheboygan to Alpena, the trip having been made in 1890. Capt. J. P. Cottrell of the steamship Victory has been detained at his home in Redlands, Cal., by illness in his family. The Victory will be commanded by Capt. Ma lory until Capt. Cottrell’s arrival. O. S. Richardson & Co., Chicago, are completing the construction of an immense dock on the Chicago river with 50,000 tons capacity. They will have a five-ton derrick and two travelling derricks. It is expected that by Oct. 1 the Calumet river at South Chicago will possess a channel 20 feet deep from the harbor entrance to One Hundred and Tenth street, a distance of two miles. John Gordon has named his line the Great Takes Steamship Company, and is located in a neat office in the Guaranty building. No additions have yet been made to the Globe. The St. Joseph River Transportation Co., has been organized by Benton Harbor and Chicago capitalists to operate a line of river steamers between St. Joe and Buchanan, a distance of thirty miles. A new $34,000 steamer has been ordered. Manager EKdwii Ball, of the Minnesota Iron Co.’s Mines at Soudan, Minn., was discharged from custody in the case filed against him by union men, who claimed to have been discharged because they were such. ‘The court ruled that the state had made no case. The underwriters have instructed Capt. F. B. Hackett to place a light-ship over the wreck struck by the Teutonia, off Colchester. There is a good channel on either side of the wreck, from which light bears SK. % E., three miles distant, Colchester Point due north, and Bar Point light W. % N., according to peerage taken by the officers of the Santa Maria. The Sault Democrat had a guessing contest upon the opening of navigation this spring. The tug Merrick reached the lock at 4;01 p.m., Saturday April 18, and the first prize was won by Maurice Reidy, grocer, who guessed only one minute too early. April 18 was the date of the opening in 1858 and 1892, and the opening has occurred earlier in only three seasons as follows: . 1878, April 8; 1889, April 15; 1894, April 17, The Chandler-Dunbar Co., have completed the pre- liminary work on their dock above the railroad bridge at the Sault. It will be ready for use about July 1, and will be equipped with electric hoists of modern design for unloading coaland other heavy goods, about 5,000 tons of coal for the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad heretofore taken to St. Ignace or Gladstone, will be received at the Chandler-Dunbar dock this sea- son. ‘The owners of the steamer Coffinberry alleged that the Phoenix Iron Works were the cause of their ship going ashore; sued Orin and William Jenks for $30,000. Last Tuesday Judge Swan dismissed the foolish suit, as the steamer was 75 miles north of here when the boiler got adrift, and the craft went ashore because her officers did not know enough to let go their anchors. The boiler taking charge of the main deck was dueto their negli- gence, and Orin and William had no more to do with it than the man in the moon.—Port Huron Herald.