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THE MARINE RECORD. NEWS AROUND THE LAKES. CHICAGO. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. U. Grant Grummond, of Detroit, Mich., general man- ager of Grummond’s D. & C. Line, was in the city Tues- day and Wednesday, attending the meetings of the Cen- tral Freight Association. There will be launched at the shipyard of the Chicago’ Ship Building Co., on April 24th, at 2:30 p. m., the steamship Minneapolis, and at 3:30 p. m. the steam- ship St. Paul. Leaving the steel barge Amazon the only vessel on the stocks. Clearances have been rather brisk this week as ship- pers are inclined to force loaded vessels out at the first opening of the Straits, steel iron and wooden steamers have cleared with their grain for Lake Erie and the rest must follow in short order. The propeller Lora, which has been rebuilt and length- ened by the Milwaukee Dry Dock Co., at their south yard plant, is completed, and her name has been changed to the Alice Stafford. Wm. E. Fitzgerald, of Milwaukee, is her present managing owner. Lumber freight rates start in somewhat higher this sea- son, the rate per thousand feet from Menominee to Chi- cago being $1.12%. Last year there was considerable complaint regarding low rates, and the indications are that the present rate will be maintained. Work on the Great Lakes Register, under the supervi- sion of Surveyor General F. D. Herriman, is coming along nicely and the work will probably come from press soon, and it promises in all respects to be the superior of anything in that line ever attempted, There is to be a new line this season put on between the Chicago and South Haven route, as advised in your last issue, however, as the company has only one small steamer and incorporated for $20,000, it is not likely to cut a very great figure in the trade and cut freight rates are likely to be looked for. _Ground has been broken at the south shipyard plant of the Milwaukee Dry Dock Co., and work is being rapidly pushed on the steel ship building and repair plant that the company are adding to their already large facilities, and they will be in shape to take care of iron and steel repair work within a very short time. The Inland Lloyd’s Vessel Register is just from press and is already in the hands of the Chicago representa- tives of the Lloyd’s. The work is something of an im- provement over previous issues, though fewer boats are given a valuation. This is probably out of regard to owners who do not care to have a valuation set upon their vessels. Grain shippers who have grain afloat are commencing to complain at the delay in opening navigation. Vessel- men are not over anxious to reach Buffalo, as they would have nothing to do after discharging their cargoes, owing to the undecided condition of freight rates. At present there are 6,828,843 bushels of grain afloat in and about Chicago harbor. The South Chicago fleet consists of some of the largest vessels afloat on the lakes. Among the vessel agents who are or contemplate movy- ing their offices to new quarters, are: J. A. Calbick & Co., who will occupy the office at No. 12 Sherman street, © formerly occupied by Carr & Blair. P. H. Fleming & Co., will probably remove from the corner of Sherman and Jackson streets, but to what new location I have not yet learned. Geo. L. McCurdy, at present located in 808 Royal Insurance Building, will after May 1st occu- py a handsome suite of offices on one of the top floors of the several stories which have been added to the height of the building. The insurance firm of Chas. E. & W. F. Peck will also occupy handsome offices in the new part of the Royal Insurance Building. - The Boiler Maker, a monthly journal published in Chi- _ cago by the well-known iron and steel house of Joseph T. Ryerson & Son, in its April number just from press, has the following editorial relative to the business outlook: Trusts are nut feshicnable nowadays. Prices are at bed rock,’ the collapse of the ‘steel billet’ and ‘ore’ trusts hav- ing squeezed all the water out of artificial or inflated values, and for the first time in years there is unrestrained competition. Whether this relentless cutting of prices is a good thing we cannot discuss here, but it at least has the benefit of giving buyers an intelligent view of the markets, which, from now on, will be subject to the laws of supply and demand. We can report a larger inquiry, a growing tonnage on our order books, slower deliveries by the mills and better collections. No one is boasting of profits, though we think the habit of crying ‘hard times’ is too deep-seated to enable many to confess to an improvement, even though it actually exists.” ro or or DETROIT. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. | The Frank E. Kirby has been fitted out for the season, and will start April 15 for Sandusky. _ The City of Alpena, Capt. Slyfield, will start to Mack- pea 15, opening the D. & C. Lake Huron division John I. Adams is hustling for marine insurance since he has removed to the foot of Griswold street, and is meeting with some success. pons Stevenson has recently secured the local agency of the Ogdensburg Transportation Co., and now repre- sents more rail-lake lines than ever before, and more than any one else in Detroit. Mr. Stevenson starts: his new steamer Mascott on Thursday, and expects to do a fine trade along the west shore of Lake St. Clair. Parker and Millen have secured the agency for the Peck marine insurance syndicate, having headquarters in London, Chicago and New York. There was a rumor started last week, that David Carter, on behalf of the D. & C. Co., had paid the Grummonds $35,000 to stop running on the Cleveland-Detroit route. Both Mr. Carter and Mr. Grummond deny that any such move is being made. The steamer State of Michigan is lying here doing nothing, though Mr, Grummond says she is waiting for some machinery repairs, and will run again as soon as they are made. The situation in Detroit among vessel interests is prac- tically unchanged from a week ago. The same uncertain- ty regarding the ore future. The same low and dull coal market, and the same suspense among vessel interests cover all points of trade. Detroit vesselmen, of course, are looking for changes soon, and the opening of the Straits of Mackinac, and the starting of the Chicago grain fleet, together with the appearance of Lake Superior, presaging an early opening, all point out that some busi- ness must very shortly be done. oO oO owm—r CLEVELAND. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. The most chartering being done now is in coal cargoes. Ore is still quiet. The steamer J. C. Gilchrist will be fitted with a new smoke preventer. The steel steamer Andrew Carnegie, just built to the order of the Wilson Transit Line, is now loading coal for Sheboygan. Mr. Robert Logan, naval architect and consulting en- gineer, left here on Tuesday for Bay City, expecting to re- turn today. Carnegie & Co. now occupy’ large offices in the Perry- Payne building. W. H. Mack has moved his office, re- maining in the same building, however. Capt. Killeran, the lately appointed Lloyd’s surveyor, was in the city this week on business connected with the London Association of Underwriters. Capt. C. E. Benham has chartered the steamer H. B. Tuttle to the Elk Rapids Iron Co, for the season. She will carry ore from Escanaba to Elk Rapids. At the Ship Owners’ Dry Dock, the Bessemer Liner George H. Corliss, is in for overhauling. There is also considerable job work and repairs being carried on. Treasurer Geo. P. McKay, of the Lake Carriers’ Asso- ciation, received a letter yesterday from President Millen confirming the report concerning a reduction in grain shoveling charges. Capt. Albert M. Shepard left this port on Saturday night for Chicago, to join the Wilson Line steamer Olympia, loaded with grain for Buffalo. Chief Mate Ben Tripp left on Sunday night. The next launch from the yards of the Globe Iron Works Co. is expected to take place Saturday, April 24th. This will be the large schooner or tow-barge building to the order of Mr. Tener, of Pittsburg. It is now expected that the large schooner Constitution building at the yards of the American Steel Barge Co., to the order of the Inter Lake Co., of this port, will be launched on Saturday next, April 17th. : A. E. Thompson, representing the Union Transit Co., announces that the Eber Ward will leave Cleveland on Tuesday next. The company’s business will be done this season at the corner of River and Front streets. A small block of coal, to go. to Portage, has been cov- ered at 30 cents and boats are getting that rate for first trips. It cannot be learned that any coal for Milwaukee or the head of Lake Superior has been covered. The Mona Transportation Co. will operate the steam- er George Presley and schooner Nellie Reddington this season. The officers of the company are: J. B. Cowle, president; F. H: Taylor, vice president; Capt. W. W. Brown, secretary and manager. Capt. H. C. McCallum, presiding officer of the Masters and Pilots’ Association, Detroit Harbor, No. 47, visited this port on Saturday. As announced in these columns last week, Capt McCallum has been appointed master of the Manola, owned by the Minnesota S. S. Co., now lying at Fort William. Mr. Herman, general passenger agent of the C. & B. Line, has issued a very attractive card entitled “Coming out for the Season.” The illustration shows the large handsome side-wheeler City of Buffalo breaking through an iceberg and showing about two-thirds of her length in’spick span order. I think Mr. Herman is to be con- gratulated for getting up so appropriate a notice for the C.-& B. Transit Co. Capt. William Gerlach, who left the Onoko to take charge of the steel steamer I. W. Nicholas, when she was built, has been appointéd manager of the Minch Transit Co., Mr. Philip Minch having resigned. If a thorough knowledge of the customs at all lake ports and the proper handling of vessels are conducive to good management, then Capt. Gerlach will be a commercial success, an- other thing, he is certain to satisfy the stockholders of the line and he has considerable interests, or money, there himself. The steamer State of New York will hereafter run on schedule time between Cleveland and Toledo. A gas buoy has been lighted near the mouth of the channel out of Toledo and stakes have nearly all been set. She will leave Toledo Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. At the Cleveland Dry Dock, the whaleback barge James B. Nielson is receiving a new propeller wheel and.a num- ber of new shell plates. The George Presley has also been thoroughly overhauled. The Nellie Reddington has been given new bulwarks and rails. - Pickands, Mather & Co. have placed whalebacks for 700,000 bushels of Duluth wheat at 2 cents. It is said that boats have been chartered at Duluth for between — 3,500,000 and 4,000,000 bushels of grain, the rates ratiging from 2% cents to 1% cents. The former price applies to vessels which loaded last fall. The Coralia and Zenith City were paid a good rate for taking cargoes at that — time. Two-cent wheat is equal to ore at 74 2-3 cents. : It is expected that the Chicago grain fleet will be forced to go in ordinary when they get to Buffalo. Some of the owners are figuring on discharging the crews. Very little business is being done in freights. The steamer George Spencer has ben chartered for coal, Buffalo to Duluth, at a rate which the owner will not name. The Andrew Carnegie will get away the latter part of this week. The Rhoda Emily will carry a load of coal to the Soo for 30 cents, and the Voges, Benson, Everett, and Andrews go to Sandwich for 20 cents. The Aragon has been chartered for coal from Ashtabula to Sheboygan — at 30 cents, and the Porter Chamberlain will load here for Alpena. : sh, hyPyLERE Gs SAULT STE. MARIE. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. i Capt. J. B. Mondor will sail the Ossifrage and Capt. Wm. McCarty the Minnie M. on the Soo Cheboygan ~ route this season. ~ ‘ : The yacht Waupoose, which C. T. Gilmore and T: R. ~ Harvey used as a reporting and collecting boat last sea~ son, will not be put in- commission this year. ee Capt. Jay Hursley, Sault Ste. Marie, has sold the ~ steamer City of Grand Rapids to Capt. Smith, of South Haven, and Chicago parties. A stock company will be formed and the boat placed on the South Haven-Chicago route. ; ee Capt. Jay Hursley, Leon Bellair, Jos. Rouleau, A. Be Roach, Thompson Tug Line, T. R. Harvey, Geo. T. Ar- nold, of Mackinac Island, and Alva Butterfield, of De- — tour, have put in bids for carrying the mail between the — “Soo” and Detour. ; : : Supt. E. S. Wheeler is authority for the statement that the present stage of water both above and below the locks is almost exactly the same as last season. This ought to give a depth of nearly 16 feet on the opening of navigation. The most shallow point now in the chan- nel of the St. Mary’s River is in the Middle Neebish, op posite the dike. ; fa The ferry started to run between the two “Soo’s” last week. The ice is quite rotten down as far as Detour Capt. Jos. Rouleau will go to Sailors’ Encampment to place targets and range lights on St, Joe Island, showing the center of the new cut that is being dredged. He in tends also putting a light ship on Johnston’s Point and one on the lower end of the cut. He will have his ranges targets, lights, etc., in operation by the opening of navi- gation. & Dunbar master; C. Payment, engineer. master; W. M. Shewfelt, engineer. Campbell, master. Sault Ste. Marie Ferry Co: International—Chas. Rip ley, master; M. Frichette, engineer; Chas. Ripley, Jr. cletk.= i Frank Perry tugs: Samson—Fred Ryers, master; Joh Minnie, engineer. Smith—F. D. Quinlin, master; Nor- man Rains, engineer. Seymour—Albert Payment, mas ter; Fred Lapish, engineer. ec Ainsworth & Ganley tugs: Clark—Frank Nichols, mas ter; Robt. Grierson, engineer. Doty—Jas. Garret, master; Chas. King, engineer. oc! U. S. Government tugs: Myra—Frank Dolsen, mas ter; Rupert Rains, engineer. Antelope—Arthur Powell, master; George Hodge, engineer. ja 4 ants tn BUFFALO. pee Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. = The steamer Isabel Boyce has been chartered for coal, Erie to Marinette, at 30 cents. She will tow the schooner Cahoon, which has also been chartered for coal, Erie : Escanaba, at 30 cents. Manager Farrington, of the Northern Steamship C assumed charge this week and leased nearly the enti twelfth floor of the Guaranty building for offices. vail) also have charge of the new elevator building for t ine, - The Baldwin and A. A. Carpenter went into Mi Dry Dock for repairs this week, and the excursion stea er Corona went into the Union Dry Dock for a geu overhauling. It is said that quite a large amount will spent to put the Corona in good shape. as Capt. J. H. Killeram has been appointed marine its spector and surveyor for the English underwriters en gaged in lake business.. The position is a very important! one and was formerly held by J. R. Oldham, of Clevelan The appointment comes through Johnson & Higgins. The Woodlawn Beach Co., John C. Fitzpatrick mi: ager, will have the steamers Puritan and Sailor Boy. run ning on schedule time this season. The Beach is a favor- & Sullivan tugs: Phil Sheridan-Robt. Mains, Spalpeen—M. O'Brien Paddy. Miles—Jno