The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

THE MARINE RECORD THE SEASON OUTLOOK. Secretary Haselton and Treasurer Whaling of the Met- ropolitan Iron and Land Co., state that no decision has been arrived at yet as to prices of ore for 1807, but that figures will doubtless be agreed to before the season for shipment opens. The indications are, however, that the prices cannot possibly be as high as those of 1896, for the simple reason that Bessemer pig iron, which sold a year ago last fall for an average of $17 and $18 a ton, is today selling for $11 per ton in the Pittsburg market, while steel rails, which were bringing an average of $28 per ton last year, and up to the recent collapse of the combine, are now selling at about $20, orders for thousands of tons having been taken recently at $17 and $18. While these conditions will necessarily lower the price of the ore, the activity in the manufacture of iron caused by the reduction in cost will, it is expected, greatly increase the demands for ore in 1897. As to output and shipments mine owners look for an active season and altogether a prosperous year. oo or oS A NEW ICE BREAKER. Capt. B. B. Inman of Duluth has secured letters patent on a model of a boat designed for ice breaking. He be- lieves the new model of vessel will solve the question of winter navigation on the lakes. The idea is a new one in that the ice is broken by being lifted upward instead of crushed downward. The form of the bow of the boat is not unlike the bow of a modern war vessel and projects forward under the water. The ram shaped bow lifts the ice and parts it instead of sliding upon it after the methods of the present ice breakers. Capt. Inman says the ice boat model has been approved by men that are authorities on such matters. His idea is to demonstrate the practicability of the bow and have it adopted by large vessels. He says the large modern ves- sels of the lakes if equipped with the ice breaking bow would have no difficulty in keeping winter navigation open on the lakes. OO A LARGE DIPPER DREDGE. The Breymann Brothers of Toledo, who-have secured a heavy government contract at Boston, Mass., have entered into negotiations with the Bucyrus Steam Shovel Co., at South Milwaukee for a machine which will rank as the ® largest dipper dredge in the United States. Some idea : of the power of the machine can be formed from the fact that it will operate a dipper of 9 cubic yards capacity, whereas the capacity of ordinary dredge dippers is about 4 cubic yards. The hull of the dredge will be built at Boston and the machinery at South Milwaukee. The Brey- manns have placed contracts for four dumpscows to ac- company the dredge. Two of these are to be built at To- ledo and two at Marine City. The scows will have a ca- pacity of 700 cubic yards each. The amount of money necessary to be expended by the Breymann Brothers pre- paratory to entering upon their contract is placed at $140,- 000, but it will no doubt greatly exceed these figures. oo oo AMENDED OWNERSHIP LAWS. According to Revised Statutes, 4131, amended May 28, 18096, vessels registered pursuant to law and no others, ex- cept such as shall be duly qualified according to law for carrying on the coasting or fishing trade, shall be deemed vessels of the United States, and entitled to the benefits - and privileges appertaining to such vessels; but no such - vessel shall enjoy such benefits and privileges longer than it shall continue to be wholly owned by a citizen or citi- zens of the United States or a corporation created under the laws of any of the States thereof, and be commanded by a citizen of the United States. ——$ Sr oe or A NEW SECRETARY AND TREASURER. The Record is pleased to learn that Mr. J. S. Porter has been elected secretary and treasurer of the F. W. Wheeler & Co.. Shipbuilding Co. of Bay City, Mich. to take effect April 1. Mr. Porter originally hailed from Saginaw and his relations with the Hon. Frank W. Wheeler are already assured to be cordial and long lasting. em aes A NEW LINE. A. W. Stevenson of Muskegon, Mich., informed Lud- ‘ington business men a day or two since that a rich corpo- ration will establish a steamer line from Muskegon to Manistee, touching at Pentwater and Ludington, in the early spring. The line will make connection with Traverse City through Manistee to reach northern summer resorts, with points on the Flint & Pere Marquette line, and with the Epworth League assembly in Ludington, and with all points east and north and southeast, affording us ready communication with Detroit through Muskegon, Grand Rapids and Lansing. OO A SANDUSKY REPORT. The steamer American Eagle has commenced her daily trips between Sandusky and the islands. She made her first run out on Sunday, returning on Monday. There is little ice in the vicinity of Kelley’s Island, but west of that point the lake is filled with heavy ice. The rains will soon destroy the soliditv of the big fields and if the weather continues this end of the lake will be entirely free of ice by the end of the week. The steamer did not rturn Tuesday and was lying at Put-in-Bay awaiting the lifting of a heavy fog which prevailed. — en a 2 CAPT. L. S. SULLIVAN. The many friends of Mr. L. S. Sullivan, of Toledo, are very properly congratulating him in being elected vice president of the Lake Carriers’ Association, at their last annual meeting in Detroit. He was born in 1858, and in 1870 and 1872 was employed in the Toledo Blade office. As a boy he was true and faithful and exhibited those ster- ling characteristics that have been so conspicuous in his business life—honesty, fine business ability and deter- mination. After leaving The Blade Mr. Sullivan was with aaa. roms CAPT. LAYFAYETTE S. SULLIVAN, TOLEDO, O. John Stevens for a length of time. His first venture in the purchase of marine property was in 1882, when he in- vested in the little steamer Sallie. He next purchased the tug Rooney, and since then has owned part or the whole of about 15 craft. He is now interested in the tugs Schenck, Andrews, Birckhead, and Rooney, steam barge Rust, and schooners Borneo, Schuette and Badger. He has for seventeen years past, or since 1880, managed the offices of the Toledo Tug Line, and has also carried on the business of vessel brokerage. The commodore has worked his way up the ladder of business until he now holds a prominent place, and his election as vice president of the Lake Carriers’ Association was a properly deserved compliment. —— a a CHANGE OF NAME. The Sandusky Fish Co., owners of the steamer J. F. Yattaw, have been granted permission by the secretary of the treasury to change the name of the craft to Ogontz. The Ogontz is a small steamer, which was once a sail yacht and was the property of J. F. Yattaw of Chicago. The grounds for asking the change of name were un- usual. The present owners of the boat asserted that the boat had been used in Chicago by a party of gamblers as a transport to a floating resort of questionable character, which was anchored in Lake Michigan. The name was obnoxious to the present owners, as the former uses to which the craft had been put were so well known that a stigma was still attached to the boat. A LIBEL SUIT. An action has been brought to enjoin the city of Cleve- land from entering into a contract with thé Cleveland Dredge Co. for doing the excavation necessary to the widening of the Cuyahoga River from the. Main street bridge to the Superior street viaduct. “The action was commenced ostensibly by W. E. Rooney of Toledo, though in reality by the L. P. & J. A. Smith Co. of Cleveland. Last Thursday bids were opened by the board of control tor the dredging of the river between the two bridges named. There were only two proposals, and that of the Cleveland Dredge So., $14,400 bengi the lowest, the board decided to recommend it to the city council. Suit is now brought because about’ two years ago the city’ awarded a five-year contract for dredging to W. E.° Rooney of Toledo. The Smith company bid for the work, but Rooney’s offer was lower and he was therefore given the contract. He turned it over to the Smith company, however, and the work has been done ever since by that. company. The company claims under the terms of the contract awarded to Rooney, and which it is fulfilling, that the city cannot give any dredging work to anyone else until the five years expire. This contract specifically covers the old riverbed, “between the easterly end thereof, and the westerly line of Weddell street; and Sycamore slip from the old riverbed to. Main street, and any special dredging that the city may at any time during the term of this contract require to be done.” The Smith company claims that the words “any special . dredging” ties the city’s hands and prevents it from giving any dredging to anyone else. ; The suit has been ruled against him and now appeal to a higher court. COMPASS DEFLECTIONS. “T feel certain that if a proper system of inspection of compasses were an accomplished fact,’ says.a writer in the London Nautical Magazine, “that out of seven thousand odd steamers under the British flag at the pres- ent time, four thousand of their navigating compasses would be at once condemned as totally unfit for reliable navigation, brought about firstly, by their bad position; secondly, by their inferior quality, and lastly, by their false adjustment; and I also aver, were present day ship- masters not constantly on the alert with the Palinurus and taking azimuths, hundreds of steamers would come to grief that now escape destruction by the above men- tioned instrumentality.” ——$—$— i ar DETROIT RIVER COMMERCE. . The following are the figures relative to the commerce on the Detrcit River during the season of 18096: 3 Rooney will Articles. : Tons. Tron and, finished 1rOMy escusecesis «css ne setae oaks 8,451,110 GOpper Ole sie ayia eomesegiaes at eatin 116,412 Coal tidigses J cca ae iM eRe Stic ate penta 7,146,068 Silverrone: as h.cGior tai oe ia ce te gees sspuetemieneye 240 Biuilding Stone ss ictf ta see ggeiccis Sree 59,501 Cement, (G80;f1g)DDIS)a.ccsieicahco eis aenapees te ae 113,452 Wheat: (83,583,059. tt), 25-5. -pisojernn apes uence pe « 2,532,820 Mlour 13,638,012 bbs). ice se re er ae 1,303,861 Gorny(80;502; 78a) case nee pried: Cio ees 2,230,145 Grain aa bA42s135cDO) ina nace: apoue ascites “1,178,222 Flax and grass seed (3,744,044 bu) .........-. 117,852 Salt (034,807 DbIS) (occ tor tos pay os hese 186,963 Shingles (71,560,000 pieces) .........+.2.++-++ 30,000 Telegraph poles (137,180 pieces) .......-.+--- 30,000 Logs! '(§5,000,000°B. M)8 Ub eee. vie eine 110,000 Lumber (948,484,000 B. M.) ......24s0ee eee e ee 1,896,968. Provisions oF). Hoh hae) 2 ae oat, eerie 1,627,662 Unclassified’ freight”. (282226. . ff, ad 1,700,000 Potaleeyt Saree ey Oa ee pb gore oS 27,240,283. Total number vessels, Detroit River, 34,336; tonnage, 27,240,283. : : ——$—— a oe ore TIME TO QUIT. In the course of the evidence in a collision action in the’ Admiralty Court at Liverpool, Eng., on February 16, a sailor, who was on board one of the colliding ships. at the time, said that he was now earning his livelihood on land as a chimney sweep, as he had eight ships. sunk under him, as the result of collions, and he had at length come to the conclusion that he had enough of the sea. ; oo LIST OF APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS. . Inter-Ocean Transportation Co., David Vance & Co., Managers: Steamer Maryland—J. E. Yax, master; M.? Conley, engineer. Steamer Manchester—T. Kelley, mas- ter; Jas. Grant, engineer. Steamer Manhattan—H. F. Loftus, master; W. R. Patterson, engineer. Steamer Merrimac—Matt Smith, master; Louis Allison, engineer. Steamer Massachusetts—Peter Anderson, master; Wm. Ahem, engineer. Steamer Minnesota—Berlin Sniffin, mas- ter; Wm. Pinkham, engineer. Schooner Metacomet— Warren Shields, master.