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: FEBRUARY 27, 1902. , _ CHICAGO. Special Correspondence to The Marine Record: : Outside of a few charters for storage purposes last December little has been done’ in the grain ‘trade this winter. Vessel: agents do not recall a time when there was absolutely no business offered at any prices up to so late a time in the winter. As the grain is not accumu- lating to any great extent, the absence of chartering now does not indicate any rush of business later on. The Lake Seamen’s Union, of Milwaukee, will vote in favor of a scale of $2 a day in wages to apply on sail- ing craft atthe opening of navigation at all ports on the Great Lakes. A similar vote will be taken at all ports on the lakes in an attempt to establish a uniform scale for the season. Some trouble is expected at Chicago by the attempt to fix the scale at $2 a day, as the wages at Chicago have usually been placed at a lower figure. It is said that despite the expected attitude of the employers at Chicago, the other lake ports will vote with Milwaukee in favor of $2 a day. Sales of vessel property have been more numerous this winter than for several winters past. The prices obtained for the craft transferred are said to be fully up to what was paid last winter, although not as high as during the boom of the winter before. ‘The principal demand has been for lumber carriers, and several old time steamers, whose usefulness in general trade was over, on account of the great increase in the size of modern carriers, will be con- verted for the lumber trade. One of these was the steamer A. Folsom, which was sold by William Mitchell, of Bay City, to the Hines Lumber Co., of Chicago, for $30,000. The Folsom is. at Manitowoc, ‘and. it is thought she will be cut down for the Jumber trade at that point. The banks of the Des Plaines river, at, Riverside and Lyons, are strewn with the bodies of dead fish, and for miles the water under the ice is completely filled with dead carp, sunfish, bass, and ‘bullheads: Some of the fish weigh two pounds. Men who have been fishing along the river for years say that never in their recollection have any fish been caught. so large as those now dead in the river. It is thought that the water of the stream has been poisoned. by refuse from the tanneries: at Maywood, or by the sewage from La Grange. The residents of Riverside and Lyons are now hoping that the usual spring freshet will come early and carry the dead bodies away, as they fear disease if the decaving fish are not soon dis- “posed of. “ The first boat scheduled to reach Chicago from the east shore will be the Soo City, which will be sent out from St. Joseph next Saturday. ‘The ice field at the end of the lake is remarkably heavy, and now extends as far as the eye can reach. The field extends down the lake some sixty miles, and is believed to reach from shore to shore. Unless south- erly winds prevail, which will drive the ice northward, it is doubtful if the Soo City can force her way across. Al- though the weather has not been severe, it has been favor- able for the formation of ice, and old-time mariners say thev have never seen more ice in Lake Michigan at the end of winter than there is now. They predict a late open- ing of navigation, for southerly winds will drive vast quan- tities ofssice’into the Straits, where it will stay until it melts. Against the protest of Trustees Carter, Wenter and Webb, the sanitary district trustees awarded to Lydon & Drews the $450,000 contract for the river dredging and widening work of the coming year. The price to.,be paid is 25%4 cents a cubic yard, a figure 1 cent higher than was paid last year and 3 cents higher than the national govern- ment ever paid for river dredging in the Chicago or Calu- met river. Trustee Carter tried to induce the board to do its own river dredging and asked that the board advertise for bids on a complete river dredging plant, which could be used when contractors charged too much. He renewed his accusation that the local contractors were in a com- bination against the district. By a vote of 5 to 3 the board rejected this proposal and by the same vote gave the con- tract to Lydon & Drews. Grand Haven lays claim to being the pioneer in the grain shipping trade on Lake Michigan, which has now reached such enormous proportions. It is a fact not generally known that Grand Haven sent the first cargo of grain down the lakes that was shipped from a Lake Michigan port. Away back in 1836 3,000 bushels of wheat reached that port from Grand Rapids and up the river points, and the brig John Kenzie carried the consignment to Buffalo. Interesting to think that Grand Haven started the great grain carrying trade on Lake Michigan. It was two years later ‘that the first load of grain was taken from Chicago, destined a few years later to be the greatest grain shipping point in the world. Then the steamer Great Western carried down to Buffalo thirty-nine bags of wheat consigned to Ottawa county, N. Y. oe ‘Capt. C. E. MacArthur, Daphne, Ala., is the author of “Navigation Simplified.” This book is an. elaborate tech- ‘nical work, it contains problems reauired in examinations that are given by government inspectors to masters. and mates of sea-going vessels, and other useful and valuable information for sailors, yachtsmen and navigators. $r. Price THE MARINE RECORD. BUFFALO, _ Special Correspondence to The Marine Record. nae The libel against the tug Champion ‘and the schoonet Rounds, by the Western ‘'ransportation’Co., was dis- missed in the United States District Court at Detroit on Tuesday. The trouble dates back to September 21, 1900, when the steamer Buffalo crashed into the dock causing damage to the amount of $11,800. The Western ’Trans- portation Co., owners of the Buffalo, claimed that she had been crowded by the tug Champion and her consort, the schooner Rounds, and therefore libeled the latter boats for the damages sustained by reason of hitting the dock. Judge Swain held that the tug and schooner were not responsible for the accident, and dismissed.the libel. ‘The costs were assessed against the Western ‘l'ransportation Co. ‘The Rounds was owned in ‘Toledo at the time of the accident, but was sold shortly after. A special from Cheboygan. states that the ice bridge at the south end of the Straits of Mackinaw, is impassable, even for men on foot, and has not been safe for teams at any time this winter, séveral teams having been lost through the ice. If the present weather keeps on, the south passage will be open March 1, and old navigators say the Straits will be open clear through by April 1. A ‘southerly wind would now clear the south passage half way to Mackinaw City. While we shall undoubtedly have a “spell of weather” during March, it is not likely to make much ice in the Straits. Those not initiated do not under- stand that the great trouble the ferry boats have. had in the Straitsthis winter, the worst on record, is due to light ice, which breaks up, floats around in the current and winds, packs up on the bottom and becomes small: mountains on top of the water. The boats never have trouble when the ice is twenty-four inches thick. Capt. Playfair, of Owen Sound, Ont., has been in Buffalo obtaining a final settlement for the work he did as a wreck- er in trying to save the stranded Wetmore and tow. He considers the task a very difficult one and says it would have been impossible to save all the vessels. He is asking about the late fall insurance rules, as he wants accomoda- tion later than he is always able to get it. He feels somewhat aggrieved because his: steamer Midland Queen failed to get the cargo of wheat that she went to Fort William for “at the end of last season and is suing the Northern Elevator Co. It appears that the steamer was chartered for a cargo at 4% cents, the top rate last fall, and when she arrived at Fort William there was nothing for her and she had to go away light, which was to run more risk than if she had been loaded. Had she been able to obtain later insurance she would probably have got the cargo, as the charter pro- vided for loading her just before insurance expired.. There is a well-defined rumor among local vesselmen that the Northern Steamship Co. intends to abandon Detroit as a stopping place for their freight and passen- ger boats. One of the things that has led’ to this surmise is the fact that the Northern Steamship Co. has not made any effort to renew its six-year lease of the Edward W. Bissel dock at First street. The dock and warehouses and offices at the foot of First street cost the Northern Steamship Co. close to $60,000 for the past six years, and the lease expires the first of next May. ‘The failure of the officials of the Northern line to say anything in regard to a renewal of the'lease is causing uneasiness among the managers of the Bissell dock, as the opening of navigation for freight boats is hardly a month away. It is known that General Manager W. C. Farrington, of the Northern Steamship Co., has said more than once that Detroit bus- iness is not worth the expense of stopping there, and he has at times threatened to change the route of the’ boats. The North West and the North Land, the two big passen- ger boats of the Northern Steamship Co., are to run be- tween Buffalo and Chicago next season. ‘The line will in all probability charter next year for the Lake Superior run, the steamer Manitou, of the Manituo Steamship Co. The lumber dealers of the Tfonawandas are now hust- ‘ling to secure the best grades of stock to be shipped to their yards in this city during the coming season of navi- gation. Some of the largest lots of different kinds of lumber ever recorded at this early date by local dealers are under contract. ‘The indications are that the receipts of lumber at the Tonawandas for 1902 will be fully as large of those of the last season. However, some of the local dealers and vessel owners predict that the amount to be shipped here during the coming season will be even larger than that of the season of 1901. ‘Their predictions are based upon the fact that the lumber tonnage is being chartered more extensively now than heretofore and that more lumber has been bought this winter than last season. Among the local lumber firms reported from Western and Canadian ports to have closed deals for large blocks of stock, are the. Kastern Lumber Co., Skillings, Whitney & Barnes and White & Gratwick. The Eastern company is reported to have bought 42,000,000 feet of stock in Canada and the west. The Turner Lumber Co., of the Georgian Bay district, has sold 29,000,000 feet of lumber to Skillings, Whitney & Barnes, of North Tonawanda. This. lumber is yet to be manufactured and shipped to the yards here during the next navigation season. ——]_{]$2$_—— eS The. steamboat Montauk has been sold to the Algoma Railroad Co., of Ontario, and will run under the British flag, leaving New York for the lakes about March Ist. X ydock, has been.towed to her do river by the steamer Conger. ~ pene The Meswald case recently decided by Judge Law will be appealed to the supreme court. ‘This is the case where most of the estate was eaten up in attorneys’ fees and ex- penses. : Rie Bae VE Rid The members of the Port Huron life-saving crew ha been notified to report for duty at the life-saving station April 10. The. government: evidently believes that the pe bone of winter is broken:and that. spring is near aj hand. sic aiie: betty eee ee Capt. E. F. Matteson, of the steamer Aztec, and © Harry Lareson, of the Miztec, have been re-appointec They will report in the ‘city March 1, to take charge of th refitting of their vessels. ‘They made an. excellent * last season in sailing these vessels. ne tah Ow ieee The new steel steamer building at the yards of the Jenks — Ship Building Co., to the order of Cheesebrough Bros., will be launched on Saturday next. The next craft to be laid on. the ways will be the large lighter for wrecking pt poses, ordered by the Great Lakes Towing Co. ; The sailors of the city attended the Ross Memorial — church in a body last Sunday, and listened to a special ser- mon by the pastor, Rev. P: C. L. Harris, | Mr. Harris spoke — of the sea-faring life. and gave many illustrations. This was the annual sermon and«was largely attended. «* Vessel Inspectors Stewart and Van Liew have received circulars from the department. at Washington to the effect — that all licenses issued to officers of vessels under the act: of May 28, 1896, may be renewed for another five years. at. any time within 90 days previous to their expiration... — Health Officer Mills announces that the quarantine against Sarnia, on account of smallpox has been raiséd.’ He says. those afflicted with the disease there have all recovered or practically so, and no new cases haye developed: Coni- ce between the town néed no longer be interfered with. fprericamren I It is said that one reason the ferry service between Port” Huren and: Sarnia was discontinued, was because the town of Sarnia did not want to employ an inspector to keep up the border quarantine. The boats were losing about $25 per day and the ferry company was glad to quit. It was unable to do so of its own accord, owing to an ordinance — in force in Sarnia. en at The. Times understands that James D. Austin is'a candi- — date for deputy United States marshal in place’ of ‘Thos. Lomasney, whose resignation is at present in the hands of the United States Marshal. Mr. Lomasney has given out’ that he will not continue in office unless a salary is attached to. it, while Austin’s friends say he will do the: work for the — fees connected: with the office. - Scant. roar vies eee fit LETTERS AT DETROIT MARINE POST OFFICE. FEBRUARY 26, 1902. 13 ae a To get any of these letters, addresses or‘ their authorized” agents will apply at the general delivery window or write to the postmaster at Detroit, calling for “advertised” matter giving the date of his list and paying one cent. _ Advertised matter is previously held one week awaiting delivery. It is held two weeks before it goes to the Dead Letter Office at Washington, D. C. i ataierts Ackley G M. Patterson: Walter... 92) Baumbard Wm, Madden . Ryan J W, City of Cleve-: Berney J, Wright. land. ; Pearce Edwards Wm. - Thompson: Jas S, T’ampai McQuitter W G. Wallis Fred, Siemens .>.- Millekin E.. P,, Filer. Whiting: C, Black Rock. + Pliske EC, Matoa. :, ss Bee F. B. Dickerson, P; M. *: 2s rr rcs THREE LAUNCHES ON SATURDAY. | The steel steamer, William Nottingham, building to the. order of the United States Transportation Co., Capt. W. W. Brown, manager, will be launched from the Buffalo yards of the American Ship Building Co., Saturday. The steel steamer building for Cheesebrough Bros., Bay City, by the Jenks Ship Building ,Co., Port: Huron, isto: be launched Saturday afternoon. Tene 1 There will be launched on Saturday :next,, from’ the’. Lorain yards of the American Ship Building Co., the steel steamer, C. W. Watson, building. te the order. of: J.; C- Gilchrist & Co., Cleveland. : is i ; OS ya te V. L. Emerson, who recently at Ottawa ran a 30-foot launch almost 30 miles an hour by,a Buffalo gasoline motor, announces that this year he will build a launch about 48. feet long and'5 feet beam, to riin 40 miles ah hour. The boat will have three screws attached to a 4oo h. p. engine, and the total weight will be about 1,500 pounds. *