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Marine Record. | Published a Thursday, at 144 eae Street, ‘apt (Leader Building,) CLEVELAND, O. p eS cin } - - Proprietors. ; BRANCH OFFICE, — Omcago, In, = 35 Franklin St. 7 . THOMAS WILLIAMS, Associate Editor. SUPSCRIPTION. One copy, one year, postage paid, . - - ‘One copy, one year, to foreign countries, - 9 - - . Invariably in advance. ADVERTISING. Rates given on application. Ba Subscribers and others are respectfully invited to use the columns of THE MARINE RBOORD for the discursion of pertinent topics and all mattors relating to the welfare of the Lake Marine, N. B.—We do not hold ourselves responsible in any way for the views expressed by our correspondents. Contributions must in every cxse be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer, and be at this office not later than Wednesday morning. Hntored at the Post Office nt Cleveland as second-class mail matter. CLEVELAND, 0., APRIL 14, 1892. In the amalgamation of vessel-owning interests on the Great Lakes the Cleveland Vessel Owners’ Association would do well to hold on to their organization until the new order becomes established, that is to say, a hasty dissolution ought not to be countenanced. The tonnage now in the Association could pay their dues to the gen- eral treasury as well through their present secretary as by any other means. There is lots to be said in favor of a general and inclusive organization and a strong effort, should be made to bring all possible interests into line oo A Brut has been introduced in the House of Repre- sentatives providing for a survey of a proposed ship canal connecting the lakes with the Hudson River. Deep water communication between the lakes and the sea- board is a foregone conclusion, it only remains for the present Congress to have the honor of accelerating the project, or the alternative of doing nothing and thereby retarding the development. The majority of sailing in- terests on the lakes are not moving heaven and earth for the success of a measure which will open up competition in the carrying trade, but, the next generation must ac cept the inevitable,and by the time the canal is com- pleted the transportation industry may be so changed as to bring palliating if not beneficial features into the business. oe EE ESSE SenatTor James MeMillan, of Michigan, is interesting himself in the Senate to find out just why vessels for the U.S. Government may not be constructed at Lake ship- yards. The standing remains of an abrogated treaty is apparently the cause of this illogical and unfair discrim- ination between citizens of the United States, and if so, the Senator will doubly damn it by working for a second Presidential proclamation of its nullity. The large iron, steel, composite and wooden shipbuilding yards of the Great Lakes want work, Barkis like ‘they are ready and willin” to fulfill all orders, Having brought the lake ma- rine to a level of superiority they are now desirous of placing their handiwork on the oceans of the world, both in naval and mercantile circles, and no moss covered nul- lified treaties ought to be permitted to stand in the way of their competing for ship construction of any form, type or service. rs THE ways of the Chinese are proverbially devious, yet they are not a circumstance to the contradictory wind vane style of action which the Congresses of 1891-92 have brought to bear upon the mail subsidy project. The last Congress after going into the subject thoroughly, was eminently convinced of the commercial beneficience to be derived from carrying our own mails instead of sending correspondence as well as freight to South American ports via England,etc. To accomplish this de- sirable end and so that trade would follow the flag, the Postmaster General was authorized to receive bids for the carriage of these mails. It is now learned that a bill has passed the House and is on its way to the Senate seeking to repeal the steamship subsidy act. After the voluminous reports and numerous arguments brought to bear on this question last year there should be no further action taken against its adoption. The Farquhar ton- nage bill as well as the mail subsidy bill are both worthy of support and present the only known means for a rehabilitation of our oversea mercantile marine. 5 cao PosTMASTER GENERAL WANAMAKER may have grasps ed the postal service and mailing arrangements of the eountry in a more comprehensive manner than any of THE MARINE RECORD. his predecessors, but the postal service which require a portion of three days to handle and deliver second class mail matter between towns only a few miles distant has certainly a screw loose, a hole in the skimmer as it were, or there is a lack of superintendence. Wonder wky some one don’t tell the big chief that it takes from Thurs- day to Saturday to make an exchange of second-class mail matter between Cleveland and Detroit? If the secret service officials were put on the scent they might ascertain from the postmasters of the above named towns that one of the most superior Lines of steamers inthe United States traverses this distance in a few hours, and by sorting the mail en route a valuable twen- ty-four hours could be saved during about nine months of the year. A supplementary mail put on board a D. & GC. Line steamer at 10 p. m. would have four hours for delivery after arrival, and then discount the present ante- diluvian method by a whole day and night. Why not apply this service? ee ce BAR POINT LIGHTSHIP. Several vessel-owners not having paid their private light assessments for last year no provision has been made for the Bar Point Lightship this season, and that important location will have to go unmarked, unless some arrange- ment is made for a continuance after several groundings of valuable vessel property has taken place. It is univer- sally conceded that supporting the establishment of pri- yate lights for general and national uses is wrong in prin- ciple, but what are the men handling the commerce of the Northwest to do? Simply and solely pay out a share of their earnings to save the remainder! If the action of Congress had been depended on during the past several years the lake commerce would have been retarded a de cadeat least, and nowthat the lake tonnage has assumed such splendid proportions as to be the back-bone of theUni- ted States mercantile marine, the apathy and possibly the ignorance of congressmen on marine affairs is responsible for exacting not only an unjust tax on vesselmen but ir reparable injury to the present industries of the great North-west. Should the combined action of vessel-own- ers cause a cessation of lake commerce through the inad- equacy of aids to navigation, for only a few days, we ven- ture to say that the chief magistrate of the nation would soon realizethat a commercial revolution of alarming proportions was centred in the north-west, then, prompt steps would be taken for the public weal, and lights, where lights were needed, would soon mark such ranges and tarning points that vessels could not get ashore, so as to longer delay commerce, for want of an illumination. The president ordered the blockade at the St. Clair Canal to be raised in short order, at the requet of a Detroit firm of vessel-owners, and the same authority has, no doubt, the power to order the continuance of a light which has the best possible plea for its raison d’ etre in that it has been kept stationed for several years by private subscrip- tion. The Bar Point Lightship is a necessity to safe nav- igation at this time, and the government should now take a turn at its keep up. + + RAILROAD ENCROACHMENTS. The entire history of railroad developments, especially in the immediate vicinity of lower lake ports has been and is to-day marked by the most illegal and unwarrant- able methods of encroachment ever perpetrated by ex- tensive monopolies on a quiescent, patient, though educated commonwealth. How much longer the octopus like attributes of these legislature purchasing “want the earth and will use it” landshark grabs, are to be allowed to continue in their rough shod systems of obtaining all they desire, we know not, yet, it is in the power of those newspapers and periodicals of the lake States (not already under the heel of railroad influences) to point out to the people the in- cessant accumulations and encroachments which these keen coteries of commercial and agrarian dupliotty in- sist upon embezzling from the people’s exchequer. The constantly recurring though plausible attacks made upon the now much used navigable rivers, chan- nels and waterways of the Great Lakes, and the firm honest protests entered against these monopolistic steals of commercial and transportation rights and privileges, will no doubt go far towards warning the people of what may be termed the assumptive assurance of those who direct the movements of the ‘‘iron horse” and its com- mercial appendages. With the methods of aggrandizement pursued by rail- road magnates at interior points we have no possible concern. It is only when these absolute rulers of “ways and means” attempt to filch from the lake commerce its natural and God given navigational facilities that a voice can be heard from the marine fraternity, and it is a fortunate circumstance for the Northwest at large, that there is at least one element which can not be sub- sidized or overawed by the sinister influences of these giant corporations. The vessel owning community of the Great Lakes is | ! and, therefore, unlimited, instead of being limited regularly called upon to elucidate the eventual reg would be railroad schemes in their relation to struction of both local and national navigable ways, and were it not for the broad and comp views entertained by the Engineer Corps Department, under whose charge the co channels, fairways, rivers, etc. are placed, the © tion of the Republic would be violated almo month in the year and probably every day of th while the work of violation was in progress, ‘ recurring inquiries into the demands of the railro porations to build bridges, drive piles, alter dock ; boundary lines and otherwise encroach upon nay waterways fully bear out the assertion that these mense combinations assume or knavely believe in | omnipotent supremacy over the will, rights and p leges of the people, who, nolens volens, must suk sively bend the knee to the march of monopolistic gress as evidenced by the right of might. af Hitherto the interests of navigation have ably % tended against this hydra headed monster of usurpatio in spite of all lobbying tactics, local steals have b perpetrated we admit, but, when general maritime ests have been placed in jeopardy, the owners of fi property usually get to the front and offset the machina. — tions of their transportation competitor and whilom 4 enemy. The Detroit River bridge scheme, affecting ag it would have done the greater portion of lake tonnage, was nobly fought to an issue and conquered, for the time being. The gateway now sought to be thrown across the entrance to St. Louis Bay will we hope also meet the same fate, nor do we question the result of the railroads’ petition to secure control of the Chicago River, The War Department is the proper conservator of the navigable waterways and the specious arguments of wily advocates can make no impression in that quarter — when the rights of the Nation are in question. As indicating the procedure of railroad companies we quote the following case brought before the Circuit Court in Akron, Ohio, this week by ex-Congressman Burton: — “The relator, Mr. Russell C. Humphrey, Mr. Burton's client, owns a quantity of land on the Ashtabula River, above the Lake Shore freight bridge. He says that the defendant company owns and operates a branch line extending from Lake Erie, at Ashtabula Harbor. The route of the branch line crosses Ashtabula River at a distance of about a mile from the mouth, At the place of crossing the Lake Shore has for nineteen years maintained and wperated a bridge for the passage of freight trains. In the original construction of the bridge, in September, 1872, there was a draw therein afford- ing a passage of thirty-six feet in width for the passage of vessels and such articles of commerce as might be fluated on | the river. In 1880, as nearly as the relator cun ascertain, the draw was removed and a truss bridge was, located by the Lake Shore across the river there, where it is still maintained. The frame work of the bridge is located some twelve feet above the usual level ot the river and there are abutments at each end which extend for a considerable distance in the bed of the stream. The Ashtabula River at the place of crossing is about 140 feet wide. At the middle it is not less than twelve feet deep and as the relator is informed at the time of con— structing the bridge there was eighteen feet in depth. From its mouth to # point a considerable distance above the river is” a navigable stream upon which for nearly all the distance below the bridge on both sides of the channel, docks are located doing a very large business in the handling of various freights brought from or carried out upon Lake Erie and con- necting waters by boats and but for the obstruction caused by said bridge, docks would be located and freight handled by boats above the bridge. * The bridge was first consiructed and the truss bridge located without the consent of the Board of Public Works of Ohio ard without lawful authority from any source. The bridge is a nuicunce, a greatand irreparable injury and an unlawful obstruction to a nuvigable stream located within the State of Ohio. In erecting and maintaining the same the defendant has misused its franchise and exercises its franchise in contravention of law. The relator asks that the defendant be compelled to set forth by what right it maintains the bridge and that the de- fendant may be ordered to remove the same or locate in it @ Nie sufficient draw. rio Judging from the foregoing it, can be seen that this — spirit of encroachment has been in existence quite a number of years, and having gone along unchallenged it has now assumed such proportional rights as to appro- priate in several instances the water, air and sky on the lake front as well as rivers. There are several importa shipping points in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michig: now coming more into prominence and they would d well to profit by the lessons taught the lower lakes railroad manipulations and encroachments. co STATE TAXATION OF VESSEL PROPERTY. Again is the bugbear of State taxation on vessel pro erty coming to the front, and this time it is at D Officious assessors, finding the general offices of sel-owning firms not represented on the eity tax list, | learned the names and values of boats handled th out the season in these offices, and on this basis 1 assessments for taxing the property. i It would seem to bear sufficiently hard upon the ers of vessel property, that under the existing la liability of a part owner of a vessel is that of tit n to liability of his individual share in its relatio1