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THE. MARINE. RECORD. - THE LAKE CARRIERS’ ASSOCIATION. The regular semi-monthly meeting of the finance committee of the Lake Carriers’ Association was held on Monday in President M. A. Bradley’s office. After an examination of the map of Ashtabula Harbor sub- mitted by Colonel Jared A. Smith, Corps of Engineers, U.S. A., a week previous, the committee decided to re- commend the plan originally proposed—that the east pier be moved forty-five feet, to widen the channel be carried out, and that both piers be lengthened. The Lighthouse Board recently asked for the views of the Lake Carriers’ Association in reference to the num- ber and position of the lightships to be built with the appropriation originally passed for a lighthouse at Bleven Foot Shoal. Captain George P. McKay, H. D. Goulder, and James Corrigan were appointed a commit- tee to investigate and report. a THE AMERICAN STEEL BARGE CO. TO BUILD FOUR NEW WHALEBACKS. The large shipyard of the American Steel Barge Co., at W. Superior, Wis., is more than active in laying the keels for new ‘‘Whalebacks”’ to enter into the lake trade. The company has decided to build four large steel freight steamers, specially adapted for the Duluth- Buffalo flour trade, they will have three large gang- ways on each side, so ar- ranged as to permit of flour or other merchan- dise in barrels or sack packages being transfered from the warehouse or mill directly to the hands of men stowing in the hold of the vessels, thus avoiding the time and expense of handling, or at least, re- ducing it to a minimum. The new vessels are to have no ’tween decks and all interior iron work will be so arranged, being rounded on the outside, as to prevent chafe on bags, bale goods or similar pack- ages. When the hold is filled as far as the gangways or sideports will accommo- date, the cargo will be blocked off through the main deck hatchways by means of compact swift- working derricks, made to reach over each side of the steamers, this mechanism is original in design and is pronounced by experts as.far excelling any sim- ilar appliance used in the handling of ligat. package freight. Two of these steamers are now nearly completed and will be in service this season, under the house flag of The American Steel Barge Co., who apparent- ly intend to carry all the flour in the future that there is to be shipped over the lakes. } In addition to these four new ‘‘ Whalebacks”’ which, by the way, are expected to cut a wide swath in the Lake Superior flour carrying trade, the keel has been laid and work is progressing briskly on the large new steel passenger steamer of ‘“‘ whaleback’’ type for ser- vice at the World’s Columbian Exposition next summer. The almost natural formed and commodious dry dock is nearly. completed and is expected to.be in full working order before the close of the present season. Work has also been commenced on the keel of the first ‘‘ Whale- back’’ steamer at the company’s yard in Everett, Wash- ington. 8 rr 6 THE WASHBURN IS A PACKAGE FREIGHT- CARRIER. BurFFALO, N. Y., Sept. 9, 1892. To ‘THE MarInz RECORD: I noticed in your issue of September Ist that your Buf- falo correspondent stated that the new whaleback Wash- purn discharged her cargo of package freight through top deck hatches, and that her large gangways on the main deck was not opened. I don’t know who your cor- respondent at this port is, but I'll bet a good cigar that he don’t know a hawse pipe from a gangway; and knows more about a sugar candy than either. Now, the steamer STEAM DERRICK ON { washburn used all four of her ports on the trip men- tioned, and there is not a boat coming into Buffalo that can discharge a load of package freight as quick or as easy. Ihave been in the package freight trade for 26 years, and know what I am talking about. Hoping you will give this space in your paper, Yours, respectfully, Capt. P. M. MCFARLANE, Master S. S. Washburn. oo A NEW TRANSPORTATION CO. Edward T. Peck, James Findlar, J. B. Baugh and S. A. Baugh of Detroit, are the incorporators of the the Vulcan Transportation Co., and have acquired by pur- chase the steamers R. J. Hackett and Forest City, and their consorts the schooner Harvy H. Brown and Wm. McGregor. ‘These vessels were built for the Northwest- ern Transportation Co. between 1869 and 1872, and have been owned and operated by that company, and there has probably never been a more successful fleet in all respects on the lakes. The paid up capital of the new organization is $100,000, which is understood to be the price paid for the vessels. By this deal the Northwest- ern Transportation Co. may probably be ready to con- tract for more new tonnage, unless indeed, the veteran vessel owner FE. M. Peck who is largely interested, is de- sirous of withdrawing from active participation in the transportation business of the lakes. Sa nEEEeeeendieetee A CARGO HANDLING DECK CRANE. The accompanying engraving, for which we are in- debted to the courtesy of The Railroad and Engineering Jownal is taken from a photograph of one of the three steam power cranes placed on the deck of the steamer Pioneer, recently built by the Detroit Dock Co. to the order of the Cleveland-Cliffs Co., specially for the pig- iron trade on the lakes. ‘The motive power cor t sists of a double upright steam engine acting on the shaft, which carries the spur gear. ‘The cranes have three movements, hoisting, swinging and topping, and are very rapid in their work, the hoist- ing speed being about 100 feet per minute, the two for- mer movements being operated. by the hoisting engine and the topping movement or gear by hand. The boom of the cranes are 21 feet 6 inches, giving a circular working radius of about 18 feet from the stand- ard or pivotal point. The gearings used are all cut gears, and the entire mechanism is of the most substan- tial description. Although three of these cranes are placed to work the hatchways, they do not encumber the decks as much as would ordinarily be expected, and while the outfit is the STEAMER “PIONEER.” BUILT BY THE DETROIT FOUNDRY EQUIPMENT CO. special work of taking pigiron from the hold and p ing it at almost any point on the wharf alongside of t steamer, or Vice versa, ge. ——————— THE U. S. LIFE SAVING SERVICE ON THE LaKEs, General Superintendent S. I. Kimball of the U.S, Life Saving Service, visited Cleveland on Tuesday in the interest of the service. - It is learned that the Gen- eral recently received a letter froma member Of the British parliament asking for a copy of the laws and regulations governing the United States Life Saving establishment. He says he regards our system as stper- ior to the one in use in Great Britian, and that he proposes to secure if possible its adoption by the British — government. His main object, he explains, is to Haye the service placed entirely under government control, Regarding the complaints recently published about the Life Saving crew at Manistee, Mich., Mr. Kimball is not inclined to credit the story just as published. has made public, however, the following statement réla- tive to this incident and the needs of the service gener- ally: 3 ‘* An examination of the chart shows that the scene — of the disaster is thirteen miles in a northerly direc- tion from Manistee, and hence I do not believe the crew stationed at the fat ter place could have been engaged in the work of rescue. No formal chatge has been filed at this Office against the crew, however, but for the good of the service it has been decided to have a thorough €xami- nation into this matter. Concerning the statement that some of the créws at lake stations are incompe- tent, I want tosuggest in- experience as a better term. Owing to the low rate of compensation ‘paid surfmeh, many of dtr best men have left the service to accept more lucrative positions, and the efficiency of the work has therefore been impaired. But the recent action of congress increasing the pay of the surfmen from $50. to’ $65 per month will probably have a salutary effect, and we will undoubtedly” be able to get many of our best men back. pe Everything possible Will be done particularly on the great lakes to improve the life-saving service-in every branch. There are forty- five stations on the lakes, containing an area of 80,- 000 square miles, and a coast line within thelimits of the United States of nearly 2,500 miles. Strand- ings ustially occur near the harbors, as is shown in the present instance, for the City of Toledo was found bottom up, half a mile from the beach at Hopkin’s Pier neat Pierpoint having struck the outer bar, The situation is so serious on the lakes that in some instances it has been found impossible to obtain men with any experience as boatmen, and common laborers have had to be taken. In one station one-half_ of the crew consists of such. The keeper reports that he could not do better at the rate of compensation allowed.” ee a ee The whaleback steamer Charles W. Wetmore went ashore in a thick fog last Thursday morning near Coos Bay. Owing to the dense fog it was not until 10 o’clock a.m, that she could be reached. The life-saving crew took off the entire crew, twenty-two in number. The steamer left Tacoma, Washington, bound for San — Francisco with 2,400 tons of coal. ‘The Wetmore will no doubt prove a total loss, she was valued at $300,000, and was built in 1890 by the American Steel Barge Com pany, of West Superior, Wis. ‘The casuality was entire- ly due to the foggy weather conditions and although the Wetmore was the only, whaleback type of vessel on the coast, her construction or seaworthy properties no means entered into the ultimate loss of the steam He © by