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CHICAGO. The new steel cargo steamer Milwaukee of the West- ern Transit Line, recently launched from the South Chi- cago yards of the American Ship Building Co., will be ready to go into service June 10. She will proceed direct to Buffalo on her first trip. Charters were made on Monday for 310,000 bushels of corn and 100,000 bushels of oats. Boats were offered more freely than for a week, having come from outside ports for loads. There is a possibility cf over 1,000,000 bushels of corn being loaded out this week, of which 500,- 000 is already under charter. “The following meteorological cbservations are_ fur- nished by the office of the U. S. Weather Bureau, Chicago, for the week ending May 21st. Prevailing wind direction for the week N.E.; highest velocity 38 miles, from the SE. on the 18th; mean temperature for the week, 64; highest temperature 86 on the 18th; lowest, 45 on the 15th. An enormous timber land has just been closed at Mil- waukee betwen the John Schroeder Lumber Co. and E. B. Simpson, of Milwaukee. Mr. Simpson represents the Interstate Land and Lumber Co., a Wisconsin corpora- tion, which has sold 200,000,000 feet of fir located in the Nehalem country and over in the state of Washington, adjacent to the Columbia river. The Lydon & Drews Construction Co.,of Chicago, have just accomplished a feat unprecedented in pier work. Three cribs, each 100 feet in length, have been sunk and placed in’ position in 18 days. The fourth crib will be in position before the end of the month. Last year, during the entire season, only six cribs were sunk. The com- pany expects to finish this big contract at St. Joseph by Noy. I. At The big steamer Mauch Chunk, the largest boat that ever went up the north branch of the Chicago river, came out of the Shipowner’s Dry-dock after extensive repairs to her bottom plates and frames. The damages to the Mauch Chunk cost over $20,000 to repair, and were in- flicted at the Limekiln nearly a month ago. The steamer City of Berlin will take the berth just vacated by the Mauch Chunk and will have her deck raised. This will increase ther: carrying’ capacity. The charter of the steamer Manitou. has been. made for a round trip to Duluth, the north and south shores of Lake Superior, and thé’ copper country, by the Retail Coal Dealers’ Association, of Illinois and Wisconsin. A special train will carry the party into the copper mining districts, and the underground workings will be shown as they have never been shown before. This is the third annual excursion taken by the retail coal men on the Manitou. ‘The. start will be made from Chicago, June 12, and the trip will require eight days. Eastbound shipments of flour from Chicago last week by the all-rail routes were the lightest in’ nearly a year. Grain shipments, on the other hand, were the heaviest in 12 weeks, and provision shipments were the lightest in four weeks. . Flour shipments consisted of 56,697 barrels, a decrease of 1,624 barrels from the previous week, and of 37,797 barrels from those of the corresponding week last year. Grain shipments for the week were 1,530,000 bushels, an increase of 158,000 bushels over the previous week, but a decrease of 565,000 bushels from the corres- ing week last year. Shipments of provisions were 23,- 055 tons, a decrease ‘of 1,170 tons from the previous week, and an increase of 1,773 tons as compared with the cor- responding week last ‘year. During the dense fog which hung over Lake Michigan on Wednesday, the steamer Colgate Hoyt and whaleback barge 202, which she had in tow, stranded off Glenncoe, about twenty miles north of Chicago. The captain made made his way to shore in a small boat, and communicated the news of the disaster to Capt. D. Sullivan, local agent of the beats. The two vessels are on a sandy bottom two miles from the beach, directly off Glencoe station. Owing to the tug strike at this port, no wreck expedition could be secured to send to the stranded boats, and the captain was ordered to secure all the men he could at Glencoe to threw the iron ore cargoes overboard. ‘The steamer W. P. Palmer, which the steel trust has been using as a tug at South Chicago, was at once dispatched to the wrecks, and with favorable weather it is believed the two boats can be released to-morrow. — Both the stranded vessels are owned by the United States Steel Corporation. Thé two vessels are worth about $300,000, and each has on board three thousand tons of iron ore. They were bound from Escanaba to South Chicago. Uuless heavy weather should set in both boats will probably be released without great damage, although the ore jettisoned will amount to several thousand dollars. ; THE MARINE RECORD. Prices of bituminous coal all through the lake district, from Buffalo to Duluth, and perhaps all over the. country, may take a sudden jump upward during the coming week or during the next two weeks at the most. It is not known to what extent the price will be increased, but it is understood that the addition will be’ sufficiently large to make a material difference to the large consumers. Sixty members of the Lake Erie Coal Shippers’ Associa- tion, which controls practically all the coal business of the Great Lakes, have met insecret at the Auritorium annex in this. city, and reached a unanimous agreement to take advantage of the shortage in anthracite coal caused by the strike of all the miners in Pennsylvania and give the prices for bituminous coal a healthy lift. Members of the association refused to give out any details of the meeting. The merits of the bascule type of bridge in preventing cars from running into an open draw was demonstrated in Chicago, on the rsth inst. The motorman of a train on the Metropolitan Elevated Ry. failed to get his train under control in approaching the bascule draw-bridge over the Chicago river, while it was being opened to let a boat through. ‘The train failed to stop at the danger signal, and collided with the bridge in the raised position. The front end of the motor car’ was lifted up, as though to climb the structure, and the rear of the car smashed into the roof projection of the car behind. The motor- man, the guards and the few passengers on the train were badly frightened, but no one was injured. The Railway and Engineering Review takes occasion to state in noting this casualty which might have been attended with such serious results, that, had the drawbridge been of the ordi- nary swing type, the train would undoubtedly have gone into the river. ‘Traffic was blocked about 20 minutes, three cf the four tracks being cleared as soon as the bridge was lowered to place. An exploration of the crown of Washington street tun- nel, or “McCarthy's Reef,’ was made yesterday by City Diver Donovan, acting under the direction of City Engi- neer Ericsson. The Chicago Record-Herald says: The discoveries were quite important, and the exploration will be continued until the true status of affairs in the bottom of the river at this point is made clear. It was found that a row of piling extended well across the west draw along the north side of the tunnel, and that the tops ‘of these piles were fully two feet higher than the crown of the tunnel. ‘This explains why a steamer drawing only sev- enteen feet of water could not get over the top of the tunnel when the latter showed eighteen feet. Back of the row of piling were several other piles, laid lengthwise of the tunnel and making an adequate protection of it againts the impact of any south bound boats. Although the diver was only down an hour he discovered enough to’ make it certain that. the steamer Parnell and all the other boats’ that have gone on the tunnel have rested on the piling and did not touch the tunnel crown at all. City Engineer Ericsson said that the investigation had not gone far enough to disclose whether the piling was put down by the traction company as a protection to the tunnel, or whether it was a portion of the old cofferdam erected at the time the tunnel was built. In any event, he said, that the piles would be jerked up without delay. The diver’s report shows that the tunnel top is as level as a table and almost as smooth, and that the current down there is very strong. ‘There is not a scratch, crack or any other mark to show where the heavily loaded boats:have rested, and the diver was disposed to argue from this that the protection piling on the south side of the tunnel was as complete against outgoing as against incoming boats. a cr 2 a 0 ea BUFFALO. Owing to the scarcity of west-bound package freight, some of the railroad lines are putting their boats into the ore trade. It is learned that the Union Steamboat Co. had contracted to carry 90,000 tons. The following meteorological observations are fur- nished by the office of the U. S. Weather Bureau, Buffalo, for the week ending May 21. Prevailing wind direction for the week N.E.; highest velocity 28 miles, from the S.W. on the 19th; mean temperature for the week, 50°, So hiee temperature 81, on the 18th; lowest, 40° on the 5th. Of nine boats departing on ‘Tuesday from this port, eight went light, and it is stated that everyone of them intended taking on cargoes at Ohio ports. In some of these vessels, where thé captain feared he would run short before reaching his loading port, a few tons of Buffalo fuel was placed, but not enough to prove of much advan- tage to the local dock. ‘Thus, by the coal strike, which has stopped shipments of that commodity, the men who sell soft coal are seeing their usually large and lucrative business cut down to a bare existence. The Canadian Pacific steamer Athabasca struck a rock on Friday last, five miles off Detour. The Athabasca had a cargo of steel rails aboard which, it is supposed, caused the compass to deflect, and the captain supposed his ship was three miles from the rock on which she fetched up. Temporay repairs were made at Detour, and she pro- ceeded to Owen Sound for further survey and repairs. MAY 22, 1902. CLEVELAND. A meeting of the executive committee of the Great Lakes Towing Co., was held here on Wednesday after- noon. President Newman said that no business of ‘im- portance was transacted and that no action in regard: to. the strike was taken. We have made known our policy, said Mr. Newman, and there will be no change. The survey of the collision damage of. the steamer George Spencer, shows eighteen broken frames. , Twelve outside planks will have to be renewed at the break. The shelf pieces on both sides of the hull also are cracked, It will take about three weeks to complete needed ‘repairs, and the cost may reach $8,000. ‘ ; Mr. A. C. Diericx, chief designer in the hull department of the American Ship Building Co., who has resigned to accept the position of general superintendent with the Risdon Iron works, left for San Francisco Tuesday. Mr. Diericx was presented with a beautiful diamond pin by: the office employes of the company here and at Lorain. . Mr. Edwin S. Mills, the assistant general manager of. the Pittsburg Steamship Co., “has: returned from Cali- ‘fornia, where he went in February_to regain his health, which had been impaired by hard work and by an illness which required an operation. He’ has been at his office in the Perry-Payne building for the-tast few days, but is. not taking up the very active duties: of his post as yet. He seems to have recovered -his health almost completely. The Cleveland & Buffalo line has. started its Saturday excursion between Cleveland and Buffalo and Niagara’ Falls. The business was popular last year, and the de- mand for the trip has already been so heavy that while it was not the intention to start them until after June 1, the company being persuaded has determined to: put them on two weeks in advance. General Passenger Agent Herman announces that the rates and conditions will be the same this year as heretofore. The following meteorological cbservations are fur-. nished by the office of the U. S. Weather Bureau, for the week ending May a2ist. - Prevailing wind direction for the week N.E.; highest velocity 50 miles, from the west cn. the 19th. Mean temperature for the week 60; highest temperature, 82 on roth; lowest, 7g, on the 15th. Sun- rise and sunset date computed for local time; May 23rd, sun rises, 4:31; sets, 7:21; May 26th, sun rises, 4:29, sets. 7:24: May 20th sun rises, 4:27, sets, 726. Lieutenant Commander George Clark, who has had charge of. the Cleveland hydrographic office for more than a year, has been transferred to the training ship Monon- gahela. Lieut. Clark came to Cleveland after his return from service in the Philippines. ‘The assignment to the Monongahela is very satisfactory to him, in fact, it is just what he asked for. After Lieut. Clark’s departure Nauti- cal Expert Dovale will have charge of the local office, it, being understood that the Navy Department will not send another man to this city for some time, if at all. The contractors at work on the reconstruction of the’ west pier at Huron, are preparing to sink two more cribs in their work. Until the superstructure has been added the cribs will be buoyed that vessels may be in no danger’ of running afoul of’ them while trying to enter the harbor. The work at all ports along the lake in this district is be- ing pushed with vigor this year, as Major Dan C. King- man, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., in charge of the con-- servancy and itiiprovement of the rivers and harbors within ‘this’ district, is systematically urging the men to their best efforts. From the speed attained at this early date it is expected that there will be more work done in this district this year’ than has ever been accomplished, ’ and some’ records are looked for. : There will not be’ any more conferences between the. officials of the Great Lakes Towing Co. and the repre- sentatives of the organized tugmen. In discussing the strike which has been on at this port for seven weeks, an official of the company said: “Our policy has been’ fixed and as long as the men that are in control now con-- tinue to boss the job; we will not have any more dealings with the grievance committees of the Licensed Tugmen’s Protective Association nor the Firemen and- Linemen’s Union. We will always be glad to meet our employes,” he said, “but hereafter when they make an agreement with us it will be as individuals and not as members of an association or union. It may take some time,’ the official said, “to, reach'an agreement along those lines, but when a settlement is made it will be on that basis.” The steel "structural work for the new factory of the Brown Hoisting Machinery Co., Inc., at the corner of. Hamilton and Belden streets, Cleveland, O., is being put — in place rapidly. ‘The foundation dimensions of this shop . are 500x312 feet, and the enclosed space will be all in one room. ‘The entire shop is composed of'seven bays, each equipped with mammoth traveling cranes. ‘The wings on either side are to have saw tooth roofs, with light gables — facing the north. The three main bays are very high, the center one being 84 feet clear, from the ground, so. ar- © ranged for erecting machinery. The entire building is ~ constructed of iron, steel, glass and cement, making it as fire-proof as possible. The floor space of the new shop is double that of the old one. The roof and sides are to be constructed of a new sheet steel, dove-tailed, which was invented for the purpose by Alexander E. Brown, vice rpesident and general manager of the company. ‘The en- tire building will be lighted by electricity, and heated and ventilated by force blast.