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Pe there came a sudden hail out of the darkness, (HE FERRY SVEAMER ST. IGNACE. | Tne railway lines reaching the straits of Mackinac cross to the upper peninsula of Michigan by ferry, which in winter has ‘been much embarrassed and interrupted by heavy ice. The first attempt at crossing through the ice by steamer was made by the Algomeh, a screw steamer, built especially for that service. She had a spoon-shaped pow which crushed the ice beneath her, and heavy machinery to force her through "jt, but proved a failure, owing to her ina- bility to force 9 passage through the wind- rows of ice. It was found that the Algo- mah did her best work in broken ice by going astern, her propeller serving in a ineasure to clear her'path. The idea,gained by this was reduced to practicability ® by Prank E. Kirby, of the Detroit Dry Dock ©o., and the result is the steamer St. Iynace, She is a double-ended steamer, having a heavy propeller, driven by an independent engine, at the bow, in addition to the usual one astern. She was completed late in March, and immediately set out for Mack- jnac. On Lake Huron she encountered 250 miles of ice, averaging about two feet in thickness, but in places piled to a hight of ten feet. This she passed through with- out any trouble, and was welcomed on ar- riving at her destination by almost the entire population of Mackinac city, who came out on the ice in sleighs to meet her. She has not bad much work this winter that would test her ice-breaking powers very severely, though che is likely to have from this time on, Her ordinary cargo is 12 freight cars, and she makes the eight miles between Mackinxe City and St. Ignace through two feet of ice in one hour. The Michigan Cen- tral ferry steamer Transfer, built last year at Cleveland at acost of 325,000, to run be, tween Detroit and Windsor, Ont., carries 21 freight cars. WORSE THAN DAMAGES. About 10 o’clock of a dark night. as we were speeding down the river from Natchez, 4 nd next instant our steamer crashed into a pole barge floati:g with the current, ing no light out, our wheel smashed oar and made the splinters fly e boat had been checked be- rson or the barge appeared in asa bare-headed man, who head out of a cabin wed by a woman, but she took mat~ “What I’m talkin’ ’bout ga ng yere and tumblin’ me j, and, cap ain, ’ll make ye holler I have to foller ye all the way down to the ocean to git my hands.in yer ha’r.’”’—Detroit a Free Press. OUR MERCHANT FLAG. Additions to the fleet of American steaur- ships: Two building fo- the New York and Cuba Mail Steamship Company; one for the Mallory Steamship Company; two for the Red “D” line, between New York and Curacoa; two forthe United States and Brazil Mail Steamship Company; a magnificent _ steel steamer of 5,000 tons for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, to ply between San Francisco and Hong Kong; one for Morgan’s line; the eteamer Connecticut, of the Long Island Sound fleet, for the Providence and Stonington Steamship Company, anda fine steamer, the Sandy Hook, forthe New York | and Long Branch Railroad Company, All _ be from a yard near Glasgow. > long, On January 14, says the Glasgow Herald, Mr, Charles Spinks exhibited in Leith Har- bor a small working model six feet of | a vessel with improvements in the costruction | of the propeller, which he has invented and | patented. The vessel is constructed in the ordinary manner until toward the stern, where, instead of ending ina single keel, ; a double keel is formed, which completely encases the propeller, and on either side the ‘keels are fitted with sluices, to be used as re- \quired. It is ciaimed that from the position ‘of the propeller between the two keels, it ean never be thrown clear of the water, con- , Sequently rendering it safer and greatly re- ducing the strain on engines and machinery, and also, from the protection so afforded, is ot nearly so liable to accident as is the case y ith propellers as at present situated. It is further held thata higher rate of speed ill be reached by the improvements. From the tests the vessel appeared to go as fast as. tern as ahead. In the case of going ahead by raising the starboard sluice, an additional mo- hive power was gained by the rush of water though the apperture acting on the propeller 48.0n a horizontal turbine, and on reversing the engine, by closing that sluice and opening one on the port side, a corresponding ac- elaration of speed was the result in the back- Ward movement, oe l'old subscribers are kindly invited to re z aoe, and readers not subscribers will 6 welcome to our list, _ will be American built save the ship for the \ _ Pacific Mail Steamship Company, which will SF? refines Fi ge nn ee CUNSLERUCLUKS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION OF Steel, Iron, Composite and Wooden Ships. IRON SHIP BUILDING WORKS AT WYANDOTTE, MICH Dry Docks and Repair Yard, ft, of Orleans-st., Detroit, Mich. SAMUEL F. HODGE & CO., MANUFACTURERS OF WA ASR IO Ss Stctionary & Portable Engines, MINING MACHINERY AND PROPELLER WHEELS, Riverside Iron Works, 314 to 326 Atwater Street, DETROIT. MICH. BUFFALO, N. Y., MANUFACTURER OF Triple Expansion Marine Engines, 7 Three Cylinder and Fore and Aft and Steeple Compound Marine Engines, High and Low Pressure Engines SECTIONAL PROPELLER WHEELS, PROPELLER, TUG & YACHT WHEELS These wheels are noted for their extra speed and towing power or aproportionate saving of coat, PRICES QUOTED ON APPLICATION. BOSTON & LOCKPORT BLOCK C0., (Successors to BAGNALL & LOUD BLOCK CO.) BOSTON, MASS. MANUFACTURERS OF THE CELEBRATED : self-Adjustable Five Roll Roller Bushed 131 Or SS. which for DURABILITY and STRENGTH, are far ahead of any other make. Que trial will convince any one of their GRE PURCHASE. i = sa uae! Be sure and call for the STAR BRAND in ordering your Blocks. ~ call attemtion to onr DIAPHRAGM PUMP, which will pump “ta stroke and work easier than any other make in the n trial, YORK STORE, 33 South Street, -F. BALDWIN, Manager. specialty of furnishing the handsomest style of X for Wachts, with special designs to suit the place, ARTHUR & BOYLAN, Steamboats, Tugs, etc , Coaled Day and Night. DEALERS IN LACKAWANNA ANTHRACITE COAL. Woks: Ft. West River St., Whisky Island, C. P. R’y. Slip, Gov ernment Pier OFFICE 130 RIVER-ST.. CLEVELAND, OHIO. ‘Chase Hog Whistle Machine This machine has been placed on the following steamboats during the past year: Spokanny, WALLULA, Kasora, CHAR- LEMAGNE Tower, JR, YAKIMA, Missouna, SITKA, FaYETTE Brown. R. J. Hackurr, Forest Crry, Sparta, Havana, VI- ENNA, OSCAR TOWNSEND, CITY OF OLEVELAND’ HENRY CuIs- HOLM, Supertog, E. B. Hare, M. B. Grover, J. 8 Fay, R. KANNEY, SMITH MoorE,CHartxs J SHEFFIELD,'IRA H.OWEN, Camsrta, Corsica, J, H. Ournwarre, SAMUEL Marugr, R, R. RuopeEs, CovumBia, Aurora, On10, WM. Epwarps, 8S. E. SHELDON, AUSTRALASIA, RALEIGH, BULGARIA, Roumania, J, F. Eppy, Hiawarna, THos. Apams, A, P, WRIGHT, GAD. stony, E. P. Witsur, Soo Ciry, E, M. Puck, Roper L, FREYER 4ND NorTHERN Lieut, To the President and Board tors of Steam Vessels: Your committee to which was referred the “Ghase F Whistle Machine” beg leave to report: ‘‘That we have carefully examined the same and find that it blows at regular intervals, being worked by the engine, thereby insuriog regular and continuous blasts for any length of time that may be required and wo recommend it or similar device to owners of steam «Js as an addi. tional safeguard to nvi to, H. 8. Luspgocg, Gro. H. SrarBucK, W. D. Rozinson, We also make a blocks in the market mw of Supervising Inspec- The manufacturers are the Chase Fog Whistlé Machine Co., corner of Elm and Comnittee, Spruce streets, Cleveland, O, yea base.) Svat OLEDO, OHIO. ; MONTPELIER, OHIO. NEPTUNE ANCHOR WORKS. DEGRAUW, AYMAR&CO,, MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS OF CORDAGE OAKUM, WIRE ROPE CHAINS. ANCHORS, OARS. BLOCKS COTTON AND FLAX DUCKS, FLAGS BUNTINGS, RUSSIA BOLT ROPE: MARINE HARDWARE AND SHIP-CHANDLERS' GOODS GENERALLY Nos. 84 anp 39 Souta Streer, NEW YORK. THE ATN& GRATE. G. C. BARNES, Agt. This Improved Shaking Grate Especially Adapt. 2d to Burning Slack. Glob Iron Works. manufac’s,, Office and Foundry, corner of Elmand ~ Spruce-sts,, CLEVELAND, O -R. DUNBAR & SON, — MANUFACTURERS OF— Hoisting Engines, Single and Double Drums FOR VESSELS & DOCKS. Accompanying Cut shows our Double Drum Hoister, operated by ONE engine. Two hatches can be unloaded at once. Two machines in one, at low cost. Send for descriptive circular. R. DUNBAR & SON, BUFFALO, N. Y. Hi, B. & & B. BURGER, Ship-builders and Contractors. MANITOWOG DRY DOGK. Dry Dock will admit Vessels of 1100 tons drawing 12 feet. Have also a set A Boxes in connection with the Ship yard capable of lifting Vessels of 350 tons. of large stock of SPARS CONSTANTLY ON HAND. VESSELS DOCKED AND REPAIRED ON REASONABLE TERMS, MANITOWOC, WIS. DETROIT BOAT WORKS. SOLE MANUFACTURERS OF Clank’s Patent Metallic Life Rafts. | HIGHLY INDORSED BY THE sOARD OF SUPERVISINGIN- SPECTORS. Life Boats * ** Steam and Hand Steering Wheels to Order Shons ft. of ORLEANS ST., DETRO1L MICH, a THOS. DREIN & SON BUILDERS OF METALLIC LIFE BOATS and LIFE RAFTS of all classes Governmentand PleasureBoats ot Wood. Biock Cork Life Pre- u servers. Sole manutacturer of Capt JONATHAN Conx’s celebrated PatentLifeRafts ‘Tatnal and Railroad Wilmington, Del ION C0. en MILLS LEE IE CP LLIL I oe PDE. LISD SIZES Mize ZZ Soe ear LILLE R ia i ies Yaw I B oats in stock 14, 16, 18,20 and 22 feet long. 16, 18, 20 and 22 feet long. © es Ship Chandlers,iand Head-quarters for Best Steel and fron Tiller Ropes. 2 ito 26 Market-St.' near Randolph-St, GInhicafo, - We 60.,_ J. E. SINS°SON CHET IEER_LA Tu CONTRACTOR : AND BUILDERS OF SIMPSON’S PATENT. IMPROVED TIMBER DRY DO NO. 83 BROADWAX,! NOW YORK CITY. —