Maritime History of the Great Lakes

Marine Record (Cleveland, OH), September 27, 1900, p. 7

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SEPTEMBER 27, 1900. THE MARINE RECORD. . CLEVELAND. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. Iron ore charters have been placed this week at 70 cents, but, 65 cents has been taken from the head of the lakes. There is no change in coal freight rates, 30 cents holding to all ports except Green Bay, which is paying 5 cents better. Capt. John Preston has been appointed master of the steamer George W. Roby in place of Capt. Robert Pringle, who resigned. *-Mr. Martin Mullen, the well known coal man, is home from Europe, where he spent two months visiting points of interest in England, Ireland and France. Shippers are not in need of tonnage, as most of them have about all they can do to handle their contract vessels. This month will show a falling off in the movement of iron ore. The coal movement to Lake Superior is very light, noth- ing going there but contract tonnage. A few boats are chartered now and then to Portage, and a few more to Ash- land, but to Duluth the contract tonnage is carrying all of the coal. The movement of lumber has become a matter of interest now even as the conditions surrounding it have been a mat- ter of surprise for the last few weeks. Marine men have not been able to count on the lumber market for months, be A has been a matter of surprise to many how it was con- ucted. The Brown Hoisting and Conveying Machine Co., has just issued a handsome illustrated catalogue of 150 pages. The book is substantially bound, is printed on heavy paper and contains numerous photographic reproductions in which some of the various plants installed by this firm are shown. The typography and illustrations areas nearly perfect as possible and combine to make an unusually attractive volume. The contractors having in charge the extension of the east arm of the breakwater lowered into position another crib yesterday, this being the second on the deflection toward the shore. They have arrangements made for put- ting down another crib soon, which is now under construc- tion in the yards of the Ll. P. and J. A. Smith Company, which will be lowered as soon as done, if the weather permits. M. H. Sullivan, first vice president of the International Longshoremen’s Association, states that he and H. Coulby, manager of the N. Y. P. & O., docks in Cleveland, have agreed upon Robert C. Moodey of Painesville as arbitrator in the trouble over the unloading of the iron ore cargo of the steamer Simon J. Murphy, which wastied up at the N. Y. P. & O. docks some weeks since. It is understood that Mr. Moodey will act as arbitrator. Coal shippets are pretty well filled up with tonnage for this week and the tonnage feeling is easier. The cutting off of the hard coal movement out of Buffalo has increased the offerings of tonnage at Ohio ports and shippers are getting all the vessels they can care for. A large number of vessels are under charter to load for Lake Michigan this week. Wild ore cargoes are not offered very freely, but there are few vessels on the market, and there is no indication of a change. About the first of October, Capt. Ben Tripp intends to go to Georgian Bay, to act as a pilot for grain boats coming into that district. From the first of October to the end of the season of navigation the movement of grain to Georgian Bay is quite heavy, the shipment being made to these points reached by the Canadian railroads for shipment to Montreal. The demand for pilots there is large during those seasons, as the channels are treacherous, owing to the number of reefs which must be avoided. There is a better demand for lumber carriers, both because the smaller boats are pulling out of the trade and because some of the shippers have been making heavier sales of late. There has been no marked change lately in the rate, how- ever much the vesselmen might wish it. Grain boats are in better demand, therefore, the rates being upheld more rigidly than they have been, but no advance noted. The ore situation is about as it has been, a few cargoes being taken now and then at old rates. It was decided some time ago to settle the trouble over the unloading of the iron ore cargo of the steamer Simon J. Murphy, by arbitration, and it is expected that the gentle- men who will have charge of the matter will get together next week. The men will be represented by Mr. W. H. Sul- livan of Fairport, first vice president of the International Lonshoremen’s Association, and Mr. H. Coulby will look after the interests of the dock company. The third party up to the time of writing has not been decided on. Arrangements have been made for a number of autumn excursions to Niagara Falls by the Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Co. In speaking of them this week W. F. Herman, the general passenger agent, said: ‘‘Who is this person who has been saying that the Niagara Falls season for this year is over? When that time comes the C. & B. boats will know of it, and we haven’t heard the horn blow yet. Weare just running two or three down there ourselves and we find that the autumn season, when the weather is fairly cool and the leaves changing, brings out fully as many people as go during the summer season.’’ Capt. John Mitchell, as one of the committee of the Lake Carriers appointed to investigate the subject, returned from Port Huron on Monday. Capt. Mitchell said that Col. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, U.S. A., is going to have the wreck of the schooner Fontana removed, and the chan- nel cleared as soon as possible. The spars of the schooner John Martin will be taken out and the channel over the wreck will be swept to learn how much water there is over: the vessel. If the wreck isin sixty-two feet of water, as stated by some parties, the wreck will not have to be re- moved. As there will be plenty of water over her to con- tinue safe navigation. Mr. R. L. Ireland, vice president of the American Ship Building Co., closed a contract for another large steel steamer, making thirteen vessels he has closed for with local parties, to come out at the opening of navigation next season. The order for the new steamer, which will be a duplicate of the beats ordered by Mr. J. C. Gilchrist last week, was placed by Capt. Charles L. Hutchinson. A num- ber of local parties are interested with him in the deal and a company will be organized to operate the new boat. will be 366 feet over all, 346 feet keel, 48 feet beam and 28 feet depth of hold. She will have Scotch type boilers. The steamer will cost about $215,000. The Cleveland Naval Reserves have a training ship of their own. The name of the new boatis the Hawk. Sec- retary Hay obtained permission from Lord Pauncefote for a boat to be brought through Canadian waters to Lake Erie. The trip will be up the Atlantic coast, the St. Lawrence and thence through the Welland canal to Lake Erie. Following is a description of the Hawk, as sheis today: The United States steamer Hawk (formerly the Hermione) was built by Fleming & Ferguson, Paisley, Scotland, in 1891, and pur- chased by the United Statee government from the Henry L, Pierce estate April 2, 1898. She is a steel, single screw steamer, schooner rigged, with quadruple expansion engines and of the following dimensions: Length on water line 145 feet, length over all 160 feet, breadth 22 feet, mean draft 11 feet 6inches, displacement 375 tons, gross tonnage 270 tons, net tonnage 99 tons, bunker capacity 70 tons, indicated horse-power 1,000, speed 14.5 knots. She was first commis- sioned in the United States navy April 5, 1898, with a crew of four officers and forty-six men. By a recent discussion, an old idea touching the ability of boat passengers to get out of the hollow along the river, has been revived. The plan is under contemplation by the Detroit & Cleveland Steam Navigation Co., although a pro- ject with a broader scope is discussed along the river. The idea of that concern is to some day add to the building they now occupy another story and run an elevator to the top. From this structure a bridge is to be placed across the foot of Superior street to the viaduct, thus allowing the pass- engers to get up and down easily, without the danger and an- noyance of the railroad track. The other planis toimportune the street railroad companies until they put a street car line down along the river so that passengers may get to the top of the hill without straining every muscle to accomplish the feat. Sucha street car line might be rather unhandy to construct, but it is believed that it is possible if gone at in the right way. It is altogether possible that one or the other of these plans will be matured before the opening of the season of navigation next spring. : General Manager James C. Wallace and Vice President R. L. Ireland, of the American Ship Building Co., visited all the plants of the company last week and on their return they decided at which yards the keels of the twenty vessels now under contract for 1901 delivery will be put down. Fight of the vessels will be builtin this district, whieh means Cleveland and Lorain. The big twin screw car ferry for the Pere Marquette Railway Co., which will come outa year from next month, will be built at the local yard. In addi- tion tothe car ferry, the two big steamers for Capt. John Mitchell and a 4,000 ton steamer for Charles . Hutchinson and others will be built at the old Globe yard: The Lorain yard will get four of the six steamers ordered by Mr. J. C. Gil- christ. The other two Gilchrist steamers will be turned out at the Detroit yard, as will a steamer for David Whitney of that city. The schooners for the Calumet Transit Co., of which Mr. D. R. Hanna is president, will be built at Bay City and two steamers for the same company will be turned out at West Superior. The keels for five steamers will be laid down at the South Chicago yard. Four of them are of the Welland canal size and will be sent to the coast. There are also a number of others under consideration some of which may be closed within a few days. ——$— $$ THE torpedo boat Barney was recently launched at the Bath Iron Works, and her sister ship, the Bagley, was launched at the same place on Tuesday. The vessel which was named for Ensign Worth Bagley, who fell at Cardenas Bay, Cuba, May 11, 1898, was christened with champagne by Mrs. Josephus Daniels, a sister of Ensign Bagley. Mrs. Bagley, mother of the ensign, and other relatives were among the guests of the builders. These two little craft were designed by the Bath Iron Works and resemble~in design the torpedo boats Dahlgren and Craven, already in commission at Newport. The Barney is named for Capt. Joshua Barney, who commanded the Hyder Ali in the action of April 8th, 1782, when she captured the English vessel General Monk. The Barney is considered one of the finest torpedo boats ever constructed for our navy; she has a speed of 28 knots, is 157 feet in length, 17 feet extreme breadth, has a mean draft of 4 feet 7% inches, and a displacement of 167 tons. She carries three 18-inch Whitehead torpedo tubes and three 3-pounder rapid fire guns. When in com- mission she will have a crew of twenty-six men and three officers. Her engines are considered by naval experts as extremely fine, being vertical, quadruple expansion, having a horse-power strength of 4,200. The Barney and the Bagley are twin-screw ships. The contract price of these vessels is $161,000. She _ DETROIT. Special Correspondence to the Marine Record. The Jenks Ship Building Co., Port Huron, has laid the keel for a steamer which will be a duplicate of the steamer Ravenscraig. She is being built on speculative account and will be for sale when finished. The rock drill Destruction, while working on Ballard’s reef, Detroit river, was run into by an oil barge a few nights ago and had one of her sides stove in. She was brought to Oades’ shipyard at Detroit for repairs, : Passing vessels which may pick up any bodies of the Martin victims are requested to notify the Kendall Marine Reporting Co., Port Huron, Mich., which is looking after oe on the account of M. A. Bradley, owner of the sunken oat. Harry C. Barter, secretary and treasurer of the Interna- tional Longshoremen’s Association, will go to New York next week to organize longshoremen there into the inter- national association. A review of the past season’s work which Mr. Barter is issuing, shows a prosperous condition of all the unions. The wrecker Wales returned: from the Specular wreck and the examination shows that the holein the bow can be readily patched up, and in the opinion of Capt. Quinn, sub- marine worker and one of the most expert divers in the country, who went down to make the examination, the steamer can be easily raised. Judge Swan, of Detroit, heard arguments Tuesday in the suit of Stephen Baldwin vs. the Liverpool & London & Globe Insurance Co., an action brought to correct a clerical error in a fire insurance policy on the wrecking tug Seagull, and to enforce the policy. On April 24, 1894, application was made for a $4,000 policy of insurance on the Seagull in the defendant company. Six days later she was burned, and the company refused to pay the insurance on the ground that the policy was dated May 2. Bids were opened this week in the office of Col. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., for the removal of the wreck of the schooner Leader, which sunk in the Detroit river, midway between Belle Isle and Windmill Point last spring, after a collision with a Montreal Co.’s steamer. The hull lies west of the channel, about eieven feet distant, and is under water. There are 5vc0 tons of coal on board. John S. Quinn & Co. bid $1,750 and the Michigan Wrecking and Salvage Co. bid $3,500. The contract will be awarded in a few days. ‘ ; At the yardsof the Craig Ship Building Company, Toledo, a steel steamer for Atlantic coast service is being finished up for J. I. Crosthwaite, of Buffalo, who represents large southern lumber interests, and at this yard also a steamer of Welland canal dimensions is to be built for the Hawgoods of Cleveland, but there is still room for another ship or two that might be completed about the opening of navigation next spring. A second Crosthwaite steamer, also intended for salt water service, is neariug completion at the works of - the Union Drydock Co., Buffalo. While dragging for the cable chain lost off the steamer James Watt at the time of her collision with the steamer Maruba near the Limekilns a few weeks ago, the crew of the wrecking tug Reliable brought to the surface a section of wheel chain about thirty feet in length and about thirteen feet of an old boiler flue. The chain and the flue are sup- posed to have been a part of the old-time passenger steamer Brooklyn of the old Northern Transit line; which, during the early seventies, was operating a line of passenger steam- ers of the then Welland canal size between Ogdensburg and Chicago. The Brooklyn was lost through an explosion of her boilers in 1874, and she carried with her several lives. Some steamboat captains have failed to pay any attention to the rules of Col. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, U.S. A., for running past the wrecks in the river and it is his inten- tion to proceed against the offenders in the general interest of navigation. Under the law he has full power to do this, and captains who have run the rapids when they were told to wait for orders will be asked to pay some big fines. Col. Lydecker was pleased to learn that as a general rule ship- masters have obeyed the regulations and everything has gone off smoothly. It is hoped within the next day or two conditions may be so improved by the removal of the obstructions caused by the Martin that a modification of the rule may be made. The wreck of the steamer Martin lies in water from 30 to 60 feet in depth, and pilots say that if her spars and cabin are removed, it will scarcely be necessary to blow up the rest of the hull, as the deepest draft boats will then have no difficulty in getting over it. Col. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, U.S. A., in charge of these waterways, after conferring with a committee of the Lake Carriers’ Associa- tion, has announced that he will at once take charge of the wreck and that the Martin’s mizzenmast and that portion of her upper works which might interfere with the passage of boats over her will be pulled off. Soundings will then be taken to ascertain if it will be safe to allow deep draft boats to go over the wreck. As regards the wreck of the Fontana, it will be about a week before work will be started on its re- moval. Bids will be opened by Col. Lydecker Oct. 2. After the job of blowing up the wreck is let, there may be some delay on account of adverse conditions in the channel. _—— i oe oe Freight rates: ‘Chicago, 30 cents; Mllwaukee, 30 cents; Duluth, 30 cents; Racine, 35 cents; Lake Linden, 35; Mani- towoc, 30 cents; Gladstone, 30 cents; Toledo, 25 cents; Green Bay, 30'cents; Sault, 30 cents.

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