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a 4 ‘white iron? THE MARINE RECORD: ESTABLISHED 1878. Published Every Thursday by ‘THE MARINE RECORD PUBLISHING CO., Incorporated. C. E, RUSKIN, - - - - Manager. CAPT. JOHN SWAINSON, - - - Editor. THOS. WILLIAMS, Chicago, - - Associate. ~ “CLEVELAND, CHICAGO. Western Reserve Building. Royal Insurance Building. SUBSCRIPTION. One Copy, one year, postage paid, - - $2.00 One Copy, one year, to foreign countries, - > $3.00 Invariably in advance. ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. All communications should be addressed to the Cleveland office. THE MARINE RECORD PUBLISHING CO., Western Reserve Building, Cleveland, O. Entered at Cleveland Postoffice as second-class mail matter. CLEVELAND, O., JUNE 22, 1899. Se IN A LEYTFR to the RECORD last week, Mr. P. Quinn, Houghton, Mich., desired to find some trace of his son whom he last heard of several years ago as sailing on the lakes. ‘Three days after the publication of this notice in the RECORD Mr. P. C. Quinn was located at Toronto as first officer of the steamer White Star. . i oe om ACCORDING to the official ‘‘ Notice to Mariners’’ ‘con- tained in this issue of the RECORD, we note that Petoskey beacon light will be suspended from a red iron post. Now, why red iron, pray? What particular virtue is there about red iron any more than gray, brown black or even The next paragraph throws a light on the sub- ject, because, we are told that a small red lamp house stands immediately in the rear of the red iron post. Therefore, we may infer that the iron post, as well as the lamp house, will be painted red. I _ApMiIRAL GEORGE DEwEy, U.S.N., doesn’t favor resid- / ‘ing in a home purchased for him by a ‘‘ tarpaulin muster.” The Admiral is an old widower and no doubt would prefer living at his club. A palatial residence, and nothing less could be offered him, would be like a “‘ white elephant ”’ on his hands. Who knows that he wants to go housekeep- ing any way? The Admiral is very comfortably fixed as regards this world’s goods, moreover, he has ballast enough aboard not to be Hobsonized, also, he is a good deal of a sailor, in word and action. Popular craze hunters, from the citizen’s subscription faddist to the $1oo-a-plate epicurean gourmand is not of the Dewey stripe by any means. The shipshape way to honor the Admiral lies with and through the people’s representatives when assembled in Congress, rr Loner navigation is the crank’s favorite fever just at this time. A few days ago Adolph Frietsche, Milwaukee, Wis., left San Francisco for Manila in a small boat, having only a cat for a shipmate. Frietshe is well known on the lakes; he is, of the Norse type of physique, also of nativity. He crossed the Atlantic successfully, after clearing from Mil- waukee and calling en route at all lake ports. Howard Blackburn, a Gloucester, Mass., fisherman, cleared from that port last Sunday, for Gloucester, Eng., in a small sloop rigged boat, and at the same hour William A, Andrews left Atlantic City, N.J:, in a little craft twelve feet long, five feet beam, and twenty-two inches deep. Andrews expects to make the Azores ( Western Islands) to refit, etc. This is a free country andits citizens are at liberty to shuffle off this mortal coil any way they: please, but, for a fellow to bring the end of his back to an anchor in the stern of a skiff for forty or fifty days, is, to say the least, a slow, poor way to do it, and then perhaps not quite finish the job either, GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECK AND HUMANE SOCIETY. It would be an excellent departure if a representative society was formed or organized on the lakes having for its aim the principles of humanitarianism, as embodied more directly in the temporary relief of wrecked and destitute seamen of good character, and a worthy recognition of skill, bravery and personal acts of heroism in the rescue of life from drowning. af Societies and organizations founded on broad principles, as suggested in the foregoing, are not only in existence, but in full and active working order in nearly all maritime countries. In New York we have ‘‘ The Life Saving Bene- volent Association,’’ and at Boston ‘‘ The Humane Society of Massachusetts,’’ which was instituted in 1785 and still flourishes. These are the only local institutions, of any note, that take cognizance of special acts of bravery, etc., performed by members of the marine community, or at least they are the most prominent local societies that we call to mind at this writing, and their power for doing good has been, and still is, very far reaching. It is quite apparent that a society of this sort, organized so as to include the waters of the Great Lakes, would be of inestimably greater benefit than purely local institutions, such as we have alluded toin the foregoing. Besides the strictly humane lines on which this society would be founded, with honorary agents at each of the prominent lake ports, it would be the province of the association to take cognizance of all deeds worthy of emulation and award suitable marks, or tokens of appreciation to those who had risked life or limb in efforts to succor or rescue others in distress, and all this, from a distinctly nautical or marine standpoint. The working plans, system, as well as the routine and special lines of procedure taken in hand by these established societies have been thoroughly developed on the other side of the Atlantic, and, in quoting the British alone, we may point out that in England they have The Royal Humane Society, founded in 1773; The National Lifeboat Institution, established 1825; The Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, instituted in 1839; The Shipwrecked Fishérman’s and Mariner’s Benevolent Association, established 1839; The Mercantile Marine Service Association, established in 1857. All of these Associations are sustained by voluntary contributions and annual subscriptions, and in view of the necessities of the British Islands were instituted ‘more to preserve life from drowning. They all grant medals, certi- ficates or pecuniary awards in recognition of bravery in risking life to save others; also, give relief to destitute families of any who may unfortunately perish in their at- tempts to save life. The Humane Society of ie Great Lakes should be founded on broad, generous principles and so that no act of bravery, or the worthy castaway sailor in neéd of temporary assis- tance, so far as regards food, clothing or eaten: would be turned away in his dire distress. Anyone taking an interest in this laudable innovation, would naturally be led to inquire, to whom shall we look as founders and originators of this generally beneficent and humanely influential association of philanthropists. The mind of the inquirer will at once revert to that sterling body of men known as the Lake Carriers’ Association and not to the assistance of naval, military, legal, clerical, scientific, mechanical or manufacturing bodies of these respective pro- fessions, trades and callings. The powerful, influential and indissoluble Lake Carriers’ Association, as now organized, are the men to whom posterity may render tribute, long after the founders of the Great Lakes Humane Society have passed away. Those who may have only an inkling of the wording of the by-laws and constitution of the Lake Carriers’ Associa- tion, will readily understand that a humane branch, as such, could not be added to the organization, therefore, we speak advisedly in alluding to the membership as ‘‘that sterling body of men.’’ The acting president of the Lake Carriers’ Association organized the original and most worthy institu- tion of Lake Carriers, the present Ist vice-president, who is also an ex-president of the association, has for years partici- pated in, and toa great extent, been the main stay of a much similar institution, its legal counsel is a leader of men and minds, also, beneficence personified, such are the heads of the association, and its membership is teeming with gen- erons, whole-souled and upright men of integrity, also of wealth, (not omitting in this particular such men as John D, Rockefeller, M. A. Hanna and others, “‘too numerous to mention).’”? It is a foregone conclusion; that, if the presi- dent of the Lake Carriers’ Association, in his individual” capacity, will but take into consideration the merits aid ee wide-reaching beneficence that would be attained by the formation of a Humane Society for the Lakes, the initial work of organization may be said to have been accomplished, that his hands would be sufficiently strengthened, we hayen’t the shadow of a doubt, and thus would be launched an organization that thousands would thank the day it was founded, as well as the originators who were generous- minded and liberal enough to build it on such a foundation as to admit of its ever increasing sphere of influence on the broad lines of humanitarianism in, around, and sgontay = i ‘ marine community of the Great Lakes. ee OWNERS, masters and engineers of lake vessels are being changed every month. An officer joining a vessel by no ~ means marries her, is not bound or tied to her by any legal \ is or civil process may perhaps be a clearer way of expressing it. There is a transfer of ownership in floating property — recorded in the customs district, almost daily during the year, therefore, any publication purporting to give the names of owners, masters and engineers would require fre- quent revision to be in any way reliable. The changes. in officers’ berths during a season are also too numerous to make such a list accurate for twenty-four hours at a time. National tonnage, or naval vessels when in commission, usually keep their ownership and the officers remain aboard until, or unless, they are detailed for other service and duties, but in the mercantile marine, included in which is the cargo and passenger carrying craft, there is no tenure of © office beyond the disposition of the owner or shore manager of the ‘‘wave churners’”’ or ‘‘wind jammers.’’ It will there- fore be seen, that unlike the Army or Navy, officers serving in merchant ships, not owning a timber head in them, are liable to be, and are, shipped and unshipped at a moment’s notice. In the case of vessels being chartered for the © season, it is usually the charterer and not the owner who © te pays the supply bills, wages accounts and other disburse- ments. We mention these facts because the lakes are being — deluged with all sorts of ‘‘fake’’ advertising schemes, some of them embodying a misleading and erroneous list of own- ers, masters and engineers of vessels, giving the names of men who had at sometime been engaged on board of the vessel, but of whose whereabouts, in many cases, nothing is known regarding them by the officers at present in charge. The Treasury. Department publish each year ‘‘a blue book”’ in accordance with the provisions of section 4177 of the — Revised Statutes, containing an annual list of all merchant vessels of the United States, also of naval and departmental — tonnage, in fact of everything under the flag from five tons — upwards, showing the rig, name, tonnage, dimensions, where built and port of hail. This government and_there- fore official ‘‘blue book”’ omits the names, and very rightly, too, of those who are placed in temporary charge of the vessels and their engines, or other motive power. The MARINE RECORD announces all important changes in. the transfer of ownership as well as changes in officers in its | regular issues. : oa Major CLINTon B. SEARS, Corps of Engineers, U.S. A., Duluth, Minn., has been detailed for service at Porto Rico, W.I., to be succeeded by Capt. Fisk, Corps of Engineers, U.S. A., lately stationed at Portland, Ore. Lake Superior interests are loud in the praises of Major Sears and the ex-_ cellent work which he has accomplished. Appeals, peti- tions and influences have been brought to bear for his reten tion, but there is no doubt the War Department has given - the question full consideration and awarded the distinction of a very important detail to Major Sears, whom all marine — interests are at one in acknowledging as one of the best officers in the distinguished Corps of Engineers, U.S. A. All honor to the Major and a hearty welcome to Capt. Fisk, his thoroughly qualified and courteous successor. Sr STRIKES among dock laborers, longshoremen and freight handlers have been the order of the day since navigation opened. Buffalo led off with the grain scoopersand a dozen — minor ports fullowed suit. Good judgment and concessions ~ on both sides surmounted the difficulties at several points, but Buffalo is still in the throes of the groanings of dissatis: fied dock labor, The present outlook indicates that bot sides are beginning to agree to disagree and the final out- come is not yet,