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Navigation Now Open At Detroit -------------- Freighter Docks on | Windsor Side With Big Load of Coal Windsor, Ont., March 29—The 1938 navigation season officially opened on the Canadian side of the Detroit River to-day, when the freighter Sierra, of Detroit, docked here with 3,500 tons of coal. Captain J. E. Drury was in command of the steamship. The Sierra loaded coal at Huron, Mich., and Sandusky, Ohio, and called at Detroit before docking here. , With the freighter Elma which cleared from Toledo, Ohio, to-day for Sandusky, the Sierra opened the bulk freight season on the lower lakes. Because navigation does not officially open until April 15, movement of Canada Steamship Lines fleet from this port will not likely start before that date, according to C.S.L, officials here. ! To Dynamite Wreck Belleville, Ont., Feb. 23.—(CP) — I The sunken wreckage of the Grace > M. Filer, once in the coal trade on j the Great Lakes, will be dynamited i in the Bay of Quinte to-day. Government authorities decided on the blasting to destroy the derelict to remove its menace to swimmers and small-boat navigation in that section of the bay. Sault Shipping To Open Early Ice Breaking Rapidly, Though St. Mary's River Blocked Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., March 29 ! (Special)—Indications that the 1933 j Interlake navigation season may open earlier than usual is seen m the report of the U.S. coast guard that ice in the upper end of Whitefish Bay is breaking up. The average opening date of navigation over the last 20 years is April 19. The earliest is April 7 and the latest is May 3. The lower end of Whitefish Bay, near the head of St. Mary's River, still has from 20 to 25 inches of solid ice, although it is decreasing rapidly. Off Whitefish Point, in Lake Superior, ice is broken up and large fields are drifting with the wind. While the Sault Ste. Marie harbor is practically free of ice, lower St. Mary's River is still blocked with heavy ice. Above Pipe Island to Sweets Point ice is 16 to 20 inches thick with water and slush on top. -------------«-??------------- PLAN PURCHASE OF FOURBOATS Upper Lakes and St. Lawrence Company Said Planning Expansion FLEETS ARE INCREASED Port Colborne, March 7 (Special). —That the Upper Lakes & St. Lawrence Steamship Company would purchase the freighters John B. Ericson and Ralph Budd, and barges Holley and Glenbogie*, from the Midland Steamship Company within the next few days was the information received from a reliable source this afternoon. No estimate of the sum involved in the transfer of the four vessels was available. The Upper Lakes St. Lawrence Steamship Company brought its fleet of vessels to twenty-seven during the past year with the purchase of the twenty vessels of the Eastern Steamships Company, ten of which were bought on two separate occasions. The purchase of the four vessels will make the Upper Lakes and St. Lawrence Company one of the largest shipping companies on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes. Its head office is in Toronto. During last season the four vessels which are being purchased by the Upper Lakes & St. Lawrence Steamship Company were operated by it on charter from the Midland Steamship Company. The Ericson and Holley are light in Port Colborne Harbor, having discharged winter storage cargoes at the Maple Leaf Milling Company elevator. — (Telegram Dhoto. Copyright, 1938.1 Several freighters, damaged in the New Tear's Eve I opening- of navigation. In the foreground is the Houson, storm when they broke from their winter moorings at I of the Scott Meisner fleet, having damaged bow plates Cherry Street, are being given spring repairs for the j replaced. ¦