British Whig (Kingston, ON), 8 Apr 1897

p.1 Pith of the News - The schooner Echo, Capt. Smith, left Belleville for Deseronto, where she will load for Gananoque. The Echo is the first vessel to navigate the bay this season, and navigation has opened fifteen days earlier than last year.

BUFFALO WANTS TO KNOW.

The Buffalo Record of Friday, April 2nd, in a lengthy article on the prospects of navigation, states that there were, on the above date, seventy vessels loaded with grain in Chicago and South Chicago and that of these 20 are bound for Kingston. This state of affairs does not please the Buffalonians, and the Record says: "The surprising show for Kingston, a port that is not open nearly as early as Buffalo, and that certainly has not the other natural advantages of this port, ought to set some people to asking what is the reason that so much grain is going to pass us, and if it goes now, with the St. Lawrence a closed route for weeks after Buffalo is open, how will it be in midsummer?" And when Kingston's elevator has been built and the local trade has grown to immensely greater extent, the Buffalo grain men will have other puzzling questions to solve.

p.2 Incidents - Two car loads of steel plates to be used in the construction of the two barges for the M.T. Co. at the locomotive works, arrived in the city last evening over the K. & P. tracks.

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The bay at Portsmouth is free of ice, it having all gone out yesterday.

Fires were lighted this morning under the boilers in the steamer Rosemount.

Joseph Derush will fill the position of first mate of the schooner Fabiola this season.

Steam was raised today in the boilers of the steamer King Ben, wintering in Anglin's Bay.

The sloop Madcap, wintering at Simcoe Island, sailed into port this morning, entering the Princess street slip.

On Saturday morning next the steamer D.D. Calvin will clear from Garden Island for Toronto, where she has a cargo awaiting her.

The sloop Maggie L., tied up at the Grove Inn during the winter, sailed down to Richardson & Sons' elevator this morning. She had a cargo of grain stored in heer hold all winter.

The sloop Laura D. can claim the credit of bringing the first cargo to this port this season. She reached Richardson & Sons' wharf yesterday with a cargo of grain for the firm named.

Steam has been raised in the boilers of all the Calvin company's boats. They have been given a turn around the harbor for trial, their machinery working smoothly and satisfactorily.

The sloop Laura D. sailed into port this morning, tying up at Richardson & Sons' elevator. She was the first sailing craft to enter the harbor this spring, coming over from Wolfe Island, where she wintered.

Workmen are busily engaged repairing and fitting up the schooner Grantham, in preparation for the opening of navigation. She will open her season's work about the 25th inst., and will proceed on that date to Toledo, Ohio, for a cargo of grain.

Another Elevator Scheme.

James Richardson & Sons in conjunction with Hugh Maclennan, Ogilvie & Co., and other leading grain elevators in Montreal have formed a company with the purpose of erecting a grain elevator in this city with a capacity of 500,000 bushels and enlargement if necessary. The company can avail itself of the bonus of $25,000 to be offered by the city. It will ask for exemption from taxation, but not for a site. The only other requirement will be the city's influence to have the harbor dredged so that the largest vessels afloat can enter with ease.

p.4

HANDED BACK THE CUP

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The Kingston ice yacht club held its semi-annual meeting at the club house last evening. There was a large attendance of members, and a stormy session followed. The championships pennants won last winter were presented. Whistlewing, commodore Kent, got the second-class pennant with ten points, winning two first heats out of three. Prodigal Son, J.D. Craig, received the third-class pennant. The pennant for the first-class yachts was not awarded, as Chinook and Slippery Jack, owned by Messrs. Brigstocke and Gildersleeve respectively, were tied for first place, each having five points.

A resolution of thanks was tendered the regatta committee for the satisfactory manner in which the different races held during the season were run off, and at the same time confidence was expressed in the committee, that all undertakings had been carried out conscientiously and to the interests of the club.

The matter of presenting the cup given to the club by Capt. Lee, and to be known as the championship cup for 1896-97 was introduced. The correspondence in the matter was read. In the first place Capt. Lee formally though verbally, presented the cup to the club through the commodore and secretary. The conditions under which it was to be sailed for were specified. A yacht had to win two races out of three to be entitled for the cup. One race only was sailed, Breeze, owned by H.S. Folger, crossing the line in the lead. Capt. Lee thereupon wrote to the regatta committee to the effect that as the Breeze had proven itself the fastest boat, he desired the cup to be presented to Mr. Folger. To this letter reply was sent Capt. Lee that under the conditions of the races the committee could not award the cup to Mr. Folger. Capt. Lee replied that as the races were not finished he thought the cup should revert to the donator, intimating that he, personally, would present the cup to Mr. Folger if the latter would accept it.

The matter was threshed out by various members of the club. The stand taken by the regatta committee was that as Capt. Lee had presented the cup to the club conditionally, the cup could not be awarded until such conditions were fulfilled. The matter ended by a resolution being passed that the cup be handed back to Capt. Lee, with the request that the words "championship cup" be erased, after which he could do as he pleased with it. It was pointed out that only the club could present a championship cup.

A resolution was introduced by J.H. Macnee, seconded by E.C. Gildersleeve, that in the future all prizes donated to the club shall be the property of the club until the conditions under which they are presented are fulfilled.

R.W. Brigstocke gave notice of a motion to reduce the time limit of club races in future. This will be discussed at the annual meeting of the club next fall.

p.5 Port Milford, April 6th - ...Claud Cole and family, who have spent the winter on Main Ducks, (an island fifteen miles from Long Point middle of Lake Ontario) are all well, though they have had no communication with the rest of the world since last fall. This is their second winter there.

p.6 Building A Model Yacht - Davis & Sons to build 52 foot steam yacht for Lake Muskoka.