Fountain City (Propeller), 17 Dec 1891

      Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 17--With the close of navigation through the great inland waterways the east shore transit lines once more find themselves burdened with freight for the seaboard cities. This freight consists chiefly of flour and provisions, although an unusually liberal movement of grain is now promised via the Ludington route which is the only one provided with elevator facilities for transferring from boat to cars. The Grand Haven line is again being served by the steamers WISCONSIN and ROANOKE, while the Ludington line has the F. & P. M. steamers numbered from 1 to 5. Of these the NO. 2 will handle freight out of Manitowoc almost exclusively and she may be assisted in the service from time to time by the No. 1. A third route to the east has been opened during the season by the establishment of a line of boats between Milwaukee and St. Joseph, but it cuts a very sorry figure because of the formation of a dangerous bar at the entrance to St. Joseph harbor. There are now three steamers in commission on this route, the CITY OF MARQUETTE, CITY OF FREMONT and FOUNTAIN CITY, the last named craft having be en recently acquired at a purchase price of $20,000. It is proposed to lay up and sell the CITY OF MARQUETTE and keep the CITY OF FREMONT and FOUNTAIN CITY in commission the year, round; but in the light of the experience of the past six months the transit company will save a large amount of money by laying up everything until settled weather sets in next spring, as it has been impossible to average a round trip a week apiece with the boats since the advent of stormy weather early in November. The game of hide and seek which the steamers are playing at now is all expensive one to the company and amounts to almost prohibition with shippers. Shoal water and westerly winds also interfere with the movements of the Grand Haven and Ludington steamers but they manage to get around with tolerable frequency nevertheless. The west shore business of the Goodrich line is being attended to by the steamers Menominee and City of Ludington, although the latter will be the only one to run all winter.
      The Marine Review
      December 17, 1891