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|__. the loc —_] Although iron ore shipments on the Great Lakes during November were second best for the month since 1956 at 7,768,688 gross tons, the total for ore, coal and grain for the season until Dec. 1 came to 127,946,968 net tons, the least since 1963, the Lake Carriers' Association re- ports. Canadian strikes, blockage of the Welland by the STEELTON Bishap and the faltering world economy drastically reduced the number of vessel passages in the Detroit River in 1974. The total for up- and downbound passages by lakers and salties was only 7 225 compared with 13,937 me 1973. The breakdown for lakers was 5,021 upbound and 4,962 down while the salties numbered 621 both up and down. It looked for a time like one of those salties wouldn't make it out of the Seaway in time to es- cape being locked in. GEORGIOS A. was the last vessel downbound on Dec. 17 with a crumpled bow from her collision Dec. 11 with H, LEE WHITE in the St. Clair River. GEORGIOS A., which enter- ed the Lakes as PATIGNIES and changed her name at Duluth, went to the Vickers drydock at Mont- real for repairs. Speaking of the STEELTON's mis- hap with Bridge 12 at Port Rob- inson, destruction of the bridge split Port Robinson in two with residents on the west side un- able to reach the shopping cen- ter in the east half. Even worse was the fact that the fire house in the east half ceuldn't reach fires on the west side without a long, potentially disastrous de- tour. The Seaway Suber, has agreed, according to John N. Bascom in the Toronto Marine Historical Society's "Scanner," to erect a shelter fora fire truck on the west side and pro- vide a pedestrian ferry. Mean- while a footbridge is being set up for the winter months. On another front, shipowners who claim damages for loss of busi- ness because of the blockage of the Welland Canal have filed suits in U. S. Federal Court at Cleveland against STEELTON's owner, Bethlehem Steel Corp.,and it seems probable other suits are in the offing. "Scanner" names the plaintiffs as MARIS II, PALLAS and BOW ROGN, and adds that the Welland is to stay open until Jan. 17 so that coal and ore needed by Hamilton for its steel mills and delayed by the closing could be deliver- ef befere the closing of naviga- Oe Skip Gillham disputes the date of the ROY A. JODREY sinking in the December issue of the His- torian, citing the Watertown N, Y. Times and St. Catharines Standard as reporting that she went aground on the night Nov. 20 and sank in the morning of Nov. 21. Thanks Sk: We treasure accuracy and those who correct our inaccuracies. Also with regard to the December Historian, George Ayoub comes up with some requested information on the Gilchrist Lumber fleet. He reports that the MAXWELL A. was rebuilt in 1909 at Southamp- ton and registered Sept. 23 of the same year with dimensions of 80 x 21 x 7.3, 98 g.t., 66 ret, Destroyed by fire 1915, Saet S at Port Burwell. Registration closed June 11, 1923. DORE 2 ie registration closed June 8, 1938. No report of fate given but likely abandoned much earl- ier and no further word received from past owners. STEPHEN C,. HALL. "There's no record vessel was renamed W.R.RITCHIE. Regis- tration was closed in 1921 nes the same name after burning. Possibly renamed unofficially??? before record was completed???"