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APRIL, 5, 1900. CHICAGO. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. Capt. D. Hutcheson, of Port Huron, is here this week visit- ing friends. Capt. Thomas Barry succeeded Capt. Pitman as master of the F. & P.M. No. r on Monday. The steamer City of Louisville on her arrival Tuesday morning went to dry dock for a new Sheriff’s wheel. W. W. Whitney arrived here last week from Duluth to succeed R. Dunham as Sec’y of the Great Lakes Towing Co. at this port. Capt. W. E. Moore has given the barge Shawnee new bulwarks all around and her topsides and center board box have been calked. James Elliott, of Saugatuck, is building a passenger steamer go feet over all, 16 feet beam and 5 feet hold at Paw Paw Lake for Capt. Lyman Feltus. The custom’s barge office, from April 2nd until further notice, will be open for business from 9 a. m, until midnight. Deputy Collector J. M. Nash is in charge. Capt. G. E. Benham has given the steamer Isabella J. Boyce a thorough overhauling and some new decks. She has also received new cylinders to her engine. A. A. Parker, of Detroit, was in this city Monday. He had been enjoying a vacation and sea bathing for two months at Palm Beach, Florida, and will visit French Lick before re- turning to Detroit. : : A fire on board of the steamer J. H. Prentice, under her boiler pan, caused damage to the extent of $825.00, on the night of March 28th, whilst laying at the Soper Lumber Co.’s slip at 22nd street. Capt. Tom Williams has been giving his schooner Libbie Nau extensive repairs, comprising new decks forward, new ceiling forward and aft, new hatch coamings, new sheet posts and a general overhauling. Chicago Branch No. 3 of the Shipmasters’ Association have given up their hall at the Le Grand Hotel and removed their quarter to Hall C. in the Schlosser Building at the north-west corner of La Salle and Adams streets. The steamer Hdwin S. Tice, Capt. Sam’l. Neff, arrived here with salt from Manistee for Joy, Morton & Co., Friday morning March 30th on her maiden trip this season. She was the first freight steamer to arrive here this season. The Benton Transit Co.’s steamer Frank Woods arrived here Tuesday morning from St. Joseph on her first trip this season, and commenced running tri-weekly trips Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 9 p.m. from Barry Bros.’ Dock Co.’s dock to Benton Harbor. The steamers Ira Owen, Viking and Parks Foster, J. H. Prentice and consorts and Kalkaska have been chartered for corn. Some for Buffalo and others for Port Huron on the basis of 234 cents to Buffalo, so report says. It is diffi- cult to obtain actual rates when there isa decline in freights. The H. W. Williams Transportation Line passenger and freight steamer, City of Kalamazoo, arrived here Tuesday morning from South Haven on her first trip this season. Her officers are, David Morris, master; Charles LaBounty, chief engineer; Georga Hale, purser; Charles Rogers, steward. / The Barry Bros. Transportation Co.’s steamer, City of Grand Rapids, arrived hereon the 28th March and was put into service in place of the company’s steamer City of Fremont, which has been laid up for repairs. Capt. Edward ‘Evans, the engineers, mates and crew of the Fremont are running the rapids. The Goodrich Transportation Co. will put the steamer Atlanta on the East Shore route between this port and Grand Haven and Muskegon for tri-weekly trips the !atter part of this week. The Atlanta has been laid up at Manitowoc for 75 days and has received a thorough overhauling of hull and machinery and is in splendid condition for the coming season’s work. : Local marine men are somewhat surprised to find the name of Capt. Singer of Duluth in the new list of officers of the L. M. &L. S. Trans Co. Mr. Singer, who was president and principal owner of the White Line Towing Co., of Duluth, absorbed by the tug trust, has bought a large block of the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior Co’s., stock, and this re- sulted his election to the position of vice-president. The Goodrich Co.’s steamer Indiana, which has been in service on the west shore of Lake Michigan all the winter, was laid up Tuesday at Manitowoc for a thorough overhaul- ing and spring outfitting. The company’s steamer Iowa, which has been laid up about a month at Manitowoc receiv- ing a thorough overhauling and having her cabins and state- rooms redecorated, will replace the Indiana on the West Shore route. “Our men are not back at work to-day,”’ said General Manager Babcock, of the Chicago Ship Building Co., Monday, “but we expect that everything will be running smoothly by the middle of the week. Some of the men who have resorted to slugging and who have made themselves generally. ob- noxious will not be taken back under any circumstances, and there is nothing in the settlement agreement which con-. templates the taking back of such men. It will probably take several days to restore things to their normal conditon, but we expect to be working as usual by the latter part of - the week at the furthest.”’ THE MARINE RECORD. Robert B. Wilcox, the city harbor engineer, has compelled the Lehigh Valley Coal Co., to move its dock line back four and one-half feet at Harrision street andthe river. This ac- tion is only the first of many that are to follow at different points in the north and south branches, Itissaid that dock owners have driven piles outsidetheir dock lines for repair work, and that this has been done so often that that the river has been materially narrowed at certain places. The prop- erty owners will be forced to curtail the docks to their old boundaries. Apparently there is going to be greater difficulty in get- ting coal to Lake Michigan ports than there will be to Lake Superior, during the coming season of navigation. There are so few free boats of more than 2,000 tons capacity that have not been chartered for iron ore, that there is considera- ble doubt being expressed as to whether there is any tonnage worth mentioning left with which to carry either anthracite or bituminous coal in sufficient quantity to fill the docks be-. fore the close of navigation. This may appear somewhat pessimistic, but from the information at hand, that is the way it looks just at the present time. It is now quite under- stood that there was a shortage of soft coal at the head of the lakes last season, and there is no relief in sight for the coming season on account of the increased tonnage of iron ore to move. The sequel is enigmatical.—The Black Dia- mond. , “I am going to present to the sanitary board a plan outlin- ing what we expect to do in the future,”’ said Trustee Jones. In this I shall ask that the substitution of six or eight center pier bridges by those of the bascule type be made at once, that the river be dredged to a uniform depth of 26 feet, and that it be widened wherever . possible to at least 200 feet. These improvements will easily permit a flow of 400,000 cu- bic feet a minute without creating a current overa mile and ahalf. It is to be hoped that the tunnels will be sumk to a depth of at least 26 feet when the Union Traction Co., lowers them in compliance with the ordinance that went into effect today. ‘‘I am in favor of advertising for bids on six new bridges at once, and I see nothing to interfere with the be- ginning of active work on them within two or three weeks. Mayor Harison is in favor of giving the sanitary district po- lice control of the river, but will not commit himself posi- tively untll he acquiants himself with the legal phase of the proposed transfer of power. The framing of a set of rules to govern the handling of boats in the river will be one of the first details to be taken up. William Saville, shipbuilder, has been making extensive repairs on the Soper Lumber Co,’s fleet. Their steamer J. H. Prentice has received new stem, apron knight heads, sheer strakes, all new stanchions, new covering board built solid inside and out, new rail, new decks, promenade deck lengthened 8 feet to give her 4o tons more bunker capacity, new carlings, hatch coamings and chocks, all new bulwarks forward and aft and new spars. She has also had about $2,000 expended on her engine and $600 on her boiler. She will go into dry dock for calking all over. Their steamer Albert Soper is receiving new deck beams and deck, new boilerhouse and coamings around the boiler house, new plates under promenade deck for boiler house, new beam under promenade deck, about 200 feet new stringers, 100 feet new covering board and rail, 2 new planks under stern, and new spars. She will go into dock for a thorough re- calking. About $600 has been expended on her boiler and $200 on her engine for repairs. Their barge Halsted is re- ceiving new stern and port bow, 5 strakes of plank on star- board bow and new spars. Their barge Middlesex received one-third new decks, some new outside plank and had decks calked. : fy RN ne CLEVELAND. Special Correspondence to the Marine Record. James H. Hoyt, Esq., is one of the leading admiralty law- yers in this city, furthermore, Mr. Hoyt represents very ex- tensive interests. Mr. Hoyt can carry a jury every time, so it is said. The Mack estate and John A. McGean sold out their interests this week in the steamer George W. Roby. Mr. W. H. Becker will still manage the boat for the new owner A. T. Kinney. : The steamer A. Y. Gowen was the first boat to bring a cargo to this port this season. She entered at the custom house on Tuesday reporting from Kelley’s Island with a cargo of stone. The Bureau of Navigation, Treasury Department Wash- ington, D. C., issued official number this week to the steam- er William E. Reis, 4,748 tons gross, and 3,154 net built at and hailing from this port. The Inland Star Transit Co., which will operate the steamer C. B. Lockwood, has been organized. The officers are: J. C. Gilchrist, president and treasurer; F. R. Gilchrist, vice- president; A. J. Gilchrist, secretary. President W. C. Farrington, secretary C. H. Keep and counsel Harvey D. Goulder, Esq., of the Lake Carriers’ As- sociation are in Washington this week on business connected with the mainteinance of lake levels. Capt. James Corrigan, of the Lake Carriers’ Association, is one of the firmest men affiliated with that body. Capt. Corrigan is positive in his views and never hesitates to ex- press what is for the best interests of the lake marine inter- ests at large. Vessel men and Lake Michigan coal shippers are still sparring over rates and no business is being done. The owners are holding for 75 cents and the shippers say that energetic and businesslike and is sure to stir up trade in thi | they will take their chances on pay that figure. Mr. Frank G. Bolles, representing the Bullock Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, O., visited the port week in. the business interests of his firm. Mr. Bol wild tonnage rather tha locality for his house. j The many friends of Mr. Robert Logan, Naval Architec and Consulting Engineer will be pleased to learn that hei gradually recovering from his recent serious attack of illnes though it will be some weeks yet before he will be ready attend to business with his old time vigor. DAC I hear‘nothing but regrets this week at the loss of Cap’ Thos, Wilson, every one I meet says that no better m n ever lived. Probably Capt. Morton the ships-husban : the fleet will now take charge, but, Capt. Wilson can replaced, although Capt. Morton is spoken of in every as an excellent man. : The Detroit & Cleveland line will open navigation bet Cleveland and Detroit next Monday, when the steamer of Detroit, under command of Capt. A. J. McKay, will st on the first trip from Detroit to this port. The steamer w leave Detroit at 9 o’clock Monday morning and will reacl here about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Last year she opene the season on March 27, AS: fo There is no let up in the demand for grain carriers, and offerings of tonnage are light the market ig strong. Car goes are offered freely at Chicago and Milwaukee anda ports at the head of Lake Superior. Two vessels were cha: tered for wheat at Duluth on Wednesday, to load during th first ten days of navigation at 3% cents to Midland or cents'to Buffalo, shippers’ option. The Cleveland owners are holding for the last named rate and they are confide that it will be established before the close of the week. Another old vesselman has passed away. Mr. Valentin Fries, who has been connected with the lake trade for mor than forty years, died at his home at Shinrock, near Milan Monday night of heart trouble. In the early *60s Mr. Fr built a number of sailing vessels at Fries’ Landing on tl Huron river. Among the vessels he turned out were th schooners Amaranth, Atmosphere and Marion Page. Hi built the schooner Golden Age in 1883. She was the large: vessel on the lakes when she came out. He sold’ th schooner Charles Foster to Mr. J. C. Gilchrist of this city a few years ago. Mr. Fries owned the steamer William Ed- wards and schooner Golden Age. Before the consolidatio: of the local drydocks and shipyards Mr. Fries was a large stockholder in the Ship Owners’ Drydock Co. cla Up The committee on rivers and harbors will give an import- ant hearing this week on the Sheldon bill, which authorizes. the construction of the power canal at Sault Ste. Marie. It will be recalled that the lake marine interests fear that the construction of the canal will lower the level of the water in the ship canal at this point. One hearing has already bee: held on the question. The engineers for the company, some of them the best known to the profession, are confident that there will no injury result to the marine interests. The Lake Carrie1s’ Association, as well as allied associations, are doubtful. Harvey D. Goulder, Esq., will as usual represent the Lake Carriers’ and lawyers and engineers innumber = will represent the power canal company. It is very proba- — ble that the Sheldon bill will be amended so that instead of — placing the entire control of the caual in the hands of the ~~ War Department a commission will be created, composed of 4 engineers, both of government and civil, who willbe onthe __ ground to watch the effect of the turning on of the water in — the canal, and will be empowered in the event levels are’ affected to shut it off without going into court and starting ~ a large legal fight. ~ The Iron Trade Review says and I have varified their state- ment, at least in part, that the approach of the navigation — season has brought up some questions of transportation — charges for settlement. On Tuesday of this week Lake Erie dock managers met at Cleveland and fixed the charge for un- loading ore at 22 cents, an advance from 16 cents paid through the greater part of last season. As recently stated, © ore shovelers have been advanced to 14 cents for the season = of 1900, Since January 1, there has been no rebate on ore © shipped to furnaces from the docks. What the rebate on direct ore shall be, if anything, in the coming season is yet to be decided. Though revised tariffs have not been pro- ~ mulgated as yet, the announcement is made of 20 cents ad- vance on ore freights from dock to furnaces in the Pittsburg district, effective May 1, making the rate $1.18, which also applies to the Wheeling district. To the valleys the new rate is 69 cents, an increase of Io cents over last season. There is a steady movement of ore from the docks and room is being made for the accommodation of larger stocks in the coming season than the docks have ever carried. . While the shipment of direct ore is far greater than ever, the prodig- ious increase in ore handled cannot all be moved direct. The 12 new machines the C. &. P. dock in Cleveland is provid-~ ing will not be available at the beginning of the season, but they are counted on to add 300,000 tons in the season to the amount of ore handled at this dock. The reports from upper lake ports in the past week are more encouraging than those noted one week ago. At Escanaba the expecta- = tion of loading ore on April 20, is now entertained, as against ; April 29 last year. The indications at Duluth are also rather more favorable. An incorrect figure crept into the statement concerning Escanabe season contracts, in this column last week, All the ore placed from that port has ~ been at $1.