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NEWS AROUND THE LAKES. SL Eee ———————————————————————————————————— et CLEVELAND. Tue Port WILL PRESENT A FINE APPEARANCE WHEN ALL MUNICIPAL AND FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS SHALL HAVE BEEN EXPENDED—NEED FOR STATISTICAL AD- VERTISING—IMPROVEMENTS, ACCOMPLISHED AND CON- THEMPLATED. CLEVELAND, July 2. Now that the legality of the municipal bonds for har- bor improvement has been established, no more time should be lost in getting to work. The completion of the Greater Cleveland harbor will give the port one of - the handsomest entrances on the chain of lakes. The new west pier will be of concrete, 150 feet west of the present structure, and will be considerably shorter, so as to leave the entrance into the breakwater basin suf- ficiently wide, and to prevent the formation of shoals. This will prevent all comparison of the new concrete pier with the old wooden structure known as the east pier, until it shall be renewed in like manner. At the shore end of the new west pier, as soon as the title to the land can be established, there willbe erected handsome and convenient residences for the light-keepers, with suitable outhouses for storing oils. A little distance farther out along the pier an enlarged crib and concrete foundation will serve for the erection of the new life- saving station, which will consist of a keeper’s dwelling which shall look as well as those of the light-keepers and be just as convenient, besides a large boat-house and ample quarters for the crew. Thus the west pier will present a very business-like and ship-shape appearance, and when the breakwater is once putin safe condition the work of renovation will proceed on the east pier. One can see already in the mind’s eye, how the port of Cleveland will look a year or two hence. The harbor entrance will be majestic in true proportion to the im- portance of the port, and by that time the dock fronts on the lake front willhave multiplied till this city- will show other ports around the lakes what is being done here. In this connection, why does not the Chamber of Commerce present some adequate weekly statistics of what is received at and sent out from this port? Nearly every other city on the lakes does it, even to little Glad- stone. These showings look very well in print, and even if the figures on some lines cannot be obtained within a few hundred tons, the figures would show the people around the lakes that this port does a little ma- rine business outside of iron ore and coal. The immense lumber receipts of the port are hardly ever referred to, and Cleveland is allowed to drop out of sight and re- main there when the details on the growth of lake com- merce is being discussed. Cleveland is doing almost as much as any of the other ports to develop her commerce along new lines with a view toits permanent increase, and the Chamber of Commerce should see to it that she has a little credit for it. One of the new lines referred to in the above para- graph is the business which has been worked up by the Big Four Railroad Co., the Cleveland Commercial Co., the Cleveland & Buffalo Transit Co., and the Cleveland Steel Canalboat Co. Thisis the carriage to this port by rail of immense quantities of glucose and grape sugar from Peoria, the heart of the corn district, and its transhipment to the seaboard by means of the two water lines mentioned. The C. & B. boats are now taking about 300 tons per day of this stuff, and this, in itself, is a very convenient addition to the commerce of the port. The glucose is put up in barrels, about 700 pounds to the barrel, and its ease of handling and convenience for stowing make it one of the handiest water freights ever invented. The grape sugar, so called because it is made out of corn, is much in the form of maple sugar, and is carried in bags, making an excellent complement for the glucose, in a stevedore’s eyes. The warehouse of the newly leased Otis elevator is already in active service in this trade, besides which lots of business is left for the new freight house at the old Big Four dock. Cleveland’s growth as a passenger port during the last five years is something wonderful. In 1891 the De- troit boats, with the Put-in-Bay boatin midsummer, and the occasional calls of the Lake Superior liners and the Grummond boats, constituted the only passenger service Cleveland enjoyed. Now all is changed. The Detroit boats have kept upand increased their traffic. A fine side-wheel steamer leaves every evening for Buffalo,and another for Toledo. Daily service is furnished between Cleveland and Ashtabula by the handsome and fast lit- tle steamer Skater, and the equally attractive Riverside makes round trips daily between Cleveland and Lorain, where close connection is made, via electric line, to Elyria. The daily service to Put-in-Bay is extended to include connections for Detroit, Toledo, Sandusky and Lakeside. Service of the most elegant and speedy character is afforded between Cleveland and the head and foot of the lakes by the calls four times per week, of the magnificent steamships North West and North Land, whose fuel bills alone—their coal is purchased in Cleveland—amount to more than is consumed annually by many large factories combined. The swift steamer Arrow brings a boat full of people once or twice each week from Sandusky, and the two fine ferry boats of the Euclid Beach Park Line keep the river hot with their THE MarinE RECORD. hourly arrivals and departures. The fact that the en- trance and departure of most of these boats are more or less delayed every trip by the close engineering nec- essary to get in and out without injuring themselves or other people is a sufficient argument for proceeding with all haste to widen the river. In order to get the full benefit of its dock, the Detroit & Cleveland Steam Navigation Co., has purchased the Monroe property, with 58 feet frontage on both River street and the river, just north of St. Clair street, to which the D. & C. docks extend o1 the south side. The place was purchased from Mrs. C. White, the purchase price being $15,500. The brick building on the property was re-leased to its present occupant as the dock was all that the company wanted. The wharf now extends ten feet beyond the city dock line, making so sharp a curve that the D. & C. boats could not lie close enough to their own dock. Now this ten feet will be removed, and the dock line made to conform with the city surveys. This purchase gives the company the full benefit of the city’s dock atthe foot of St. Clair street, some 80 feet in width, and also of about 40 feet of lock room in front of the Floating Bethel Society’s property, which adjoins the new purchase onthe north. Thus the D. & C. Company has nearly $00 feet continuous dock frontage, or by ali odds the finest wharf property in Cleveland. Cleveland people have been all agog during the week owing to reports and denials of a race between the C. & B. Liner City of Buffalo, and the twin screw steamer North West. The two steamers left Buffalo at the same time last Friday evening, and the City of Buffalo arrived in Cleveland first. The side-wheeler reached her dock some time ahead of the North West, but the latter remained outside on account of thick weather for some little time, making it impossible 'to draw _conclu- sions as to how the trip resulted. Managing officials of both lines deny that there was any racing done, and the City of Buffalo has a record of eight hours and 45 min- utes, which is six minutes better than she did Friday night, while Manager Farrington of the Northern Steamship Co., states that the North West was running only on schedule time, with ironclad instructions to her master not toexceed it. ‘The North West certainly took a course in heading for Cleveland that put her far in toward shore, which would put her in water so shallow that high speed would be prevented. The City of Buf- falo has shown herself to be a very speedy boat, and General Manager Newman says he is so full of faith in her ability to make the trip in eight hotirs that he is willing to back her if anyone else wants to put up $1,000 as awager. He says, however, that if such a trial of speed is ever made, it will be on a night when no other passenger boats are leaving Buffalo headed this way. Word now comes from Buffalo that Capt. Stone, of the North Land, announces that his steamer made the run from Cleveland Monday night in 8 hours and 45 minutes, two minutes better than the City of Buffalo’s best time. Capt. J. S. Dunham, of Chicago, was mingling in marine circles Wednesday. ; Capt Joseph Bowen, who has been in command of the wrecking tug C. EK. Benham at Sault Ste. Marie, died very suddenly there last Friday. His remains were brought to Cleveland, and then sent to Lorain, where the funeral services were held at the home of his brother, Capt. James Bowen, of the tug Cascade. President ly. C. Hanna ,of the Mutual Transportation Co., accompanied by Messrs. H. C. Frick, H. W. Oliver, and H. M. Curry, ison atrip to Duluth on the steamer Corsica. Capt. Samuel Butman, of Lorain, has sold the schooner Smith & Post to Capt. Joseph Doville, who has parties from Saginaw associated with him in her purchase. The boat will be given a thorough overhauling at Saginaw. DETROIT. CONSIDERABLE CONTROVERSY OVER THE COMPARATIVE SPEED OF RIVER Boats—A LARGE STAKE DEPOSITED. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. DETROIT, July 1. The lately purchased and improved steamer City of Toledo is now creating a sensation along the river front by the time she is making in running from Detroit to Port Huron and back. For years the Kirby has held the records up and down, they being as follows: Detroit to Port Huron, making 13 landings, including Algonac, in 4 hours and 50 minute-; return trip, same number of landings, 4 hours and 17 minutes. On Sunday last the City of Toledo made the run up, stopping at 14 places, in 4 hours and 42 minutes, and the run down, calling at 13 places, in 3 hours and 55 minutes. A short time since she did even better than this, making the run wp in 4 hours and 52 minutes, making 20 stops. The yacht Bonita beat the City of Toledo a half mile in anthour in a race last week, and Mark Hopkins, her owner, has placed $1,000 with a friend, betting that either his yacht or the steamer Unique can run faster than the City of. Toledo. There are several boats at this port whose time is so nearly even that a slight ad- vantage in wind or current is likely to give them the victory. The D. B. I. & W. ferry steamers are now running to Fighting Island, which, under its new and improved management, is destined to become one of the most popular resor.s around Detroit. A determined attempt has been made to make it a favorite with the better class of people, and to do away with the objectionabl features of the resort under its old regime. President Campbell, of the ferry company, is much pleased with the new conduct of affairs, and is taking an active in-— terest in promoting the success of the place. eo Detroit ore-vessel owners are naturally rather blue over the steady depreciation in freight, and the old, old question of combin'ng for mutual protection and advan tage naturally crops up now and then. _ ese Captain Ruetle’s tug Lorman was a little longer in repairing than the captain expected. She is now out in as good condition as ever. aa The D. B. I. & W. Ferry Co. has undertaken to ru the route between the city and Fighting Island. Thi service is excellent, and for this season at least will probably now do away with the hotel people running a boat of their own. ‘The yacht Roberta was altogether inadequate, as 1,500 people went down last Sunday. — The steamer Un'que, after being a. week at the Frontier Engine Works for repairs, is again out. Ee The steamer Brazil was grounded and sank Wednes- — day morning opposite Amherstburg under peculiar cir- 2 cumstances. The Marina, going down fast, passed the Brazil, which was close to the docks, at such a speed as to draw the water away from her to such an extent as to allow her to settle on the bottom under speed, and so puncture her enough to sink her. The wrecker Saginaw released her at noon after lightering part of her cargo, and she proceeded to Detroit. She will make temporary repairs here. McC. BUFFALO. beg # Coat SHIPMENTS SEEM SMALLER THAN THEY REALLY | ArE—Tuc INTERNATIONAL ALL RIGHT—LAKE Com MERCIAL PROSPECTS, oe z Special Correspondence to The Marine Record, . BUFFALO, June 30. There is no change here in the midsummer: business on the lakes, but the slowing up of the coal shipments This is for the most part apparent rather than real, for there went out of this port over 86,000 tons of coal b lake last week. There is, however, a prospect of less this week, for the shippers have no coal on hand an say that they donot look for much at present. Other, wise the business is holding up well. Canal men ar saying that they are probably past the slowest part the season and they look for more business in th future, though for that matter they have had enough to do all the season. es It is to be hoped that the ambitious Cleveland cana men will do what they can to show us howto get hold o: something to carry east except grain, lumber and p iron. ‘The canal has had considerable glucose to handle but for the most part they do not like it any too wel It is sticky stuff and runs through the barrels too muc for comfort, especially when something else is to bi carried after it. : Some queer things came outin connection with the Friday night trip of the City of Buffalo and the Nort West from Buffalo to Cleveland. Most of the peopl here were foolish enough to suppose that they we racing, especially as there was an accepted challeng: between the two lines and from the dispatches sent ou from Cleveland it appears that some one there had th same idea. Of course Detroit would be sure to make the most of a boat that was built there, but when bo Manager Farrington and Manager Newman hold u their hands together, or separately, in horror at th idea, we all givein. Itiscertain now that both boat would have taken the overland route rather than hay any one suppose fora moment that such a thing as race was thought of. One really interesting thing did happen in connec tion with the trip of the two boats, in spite of the dis- claimers that have been sent out. When the steamers left here there were a great many other boats, large and small, loafing about and the swell they left behind them made it lively for the little fry. Many a skiff stood fairly on its head, if it can be said to have a head, and the little police patrol steamer caught it with the rest. When the big liners were away the captain of the police boat reported that his craft turned completely over and came up safe and sound. ‘That captain should be sent out at once to report on the sea serpent before the season is too far gone. : I was glad to come across Capt. Henrichs, of the © steamer Waverly, this morning, ready to take charge of his boat again. He was the victim on the.10th o June of an accident that came near costing him his life The Waverly was taking ore at Ashland and thro some one’s carelessness he was struck on the head with an iron bar, which knocked him senseless. Then th doctor in charge dressed the wound and left a clot blood on the brain that had to be removed before re covery was possible. The Waverly has gone into the iron ore trade to Tonawanda, towing the barge lL. W. Drake. ; Somebody took occasion to send to one of the city papers Jast week a letter criticising the captain of tl International bridge tug because the steamer Sim Langell got on the pier of the bridge on her last trip down the Niagara. This stirred up the ire of Capt George McLeod, who had charge of the work of rel ing the boat, and he wrote a reply that settled all q tion as to the matter. The tug International is on the most efficient in the service, and has a record th