British Whig (Kingston, ON), 13 May 1897

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MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The steamer Iona, Montreal to Trenton, light, called at Swift's wharf this morning to coal up.

The schooner Nellie Hunter, light, cleared for Oswego this morning to load coal for this port.

The steamer Iona, Duluth, 49,000 bushels of wheat, arrived this morning at the M.T. Co.'s anchorage.

The schooner Fleetwing is expected to arrive at Swift's wharf today with a cargo of coal from Charlotte, N.Y.

The steamer James Swift is delayed at Jones' Falls, where she has lain since last evening. No information has been received as to the cause of her detention.

The steamer Melbourne, of the Merchants line, called at Craig & Co.'s wharf this morning on her way from Cleveland, Ohio, to Montreal with passengers and freight.

Yesterday afternoon the steamer Pierrepont brought up from Clayton the steamer Jessie Bain which received a new boiler at the last named port. The str. Jessie Bain will be fitted out at once and put on the Clayton-Cape Vincent route.

During the earlier portion of last evening the steam fog whistle at Nine Mile point lighthouse was kept working, sending out its warning to mariners. The fog which hung over the lake was very dense and few craft, if any, ventured to move around the harbor or lake.

Reported at the Welland canal bound down for this port: Steamer Iona, Duluth, wheat; steamer Niagara, Traverse City, timber; schooner Emerald, Toledo, timber. Passed up: Steamer Glengarry and consort, Fort William; schooner Dunn, Toledo; steamer Bothnia, Toledo; all light.

Richardson & Sons' elevator is being fully taxed this week to accommodate all the grain consigned to the firm. To relieve this congestion it is necessary to charter pin flats from Montreal, as well as all the spare barges of the two local forwarding companies, are engaged in carrying grain from Prescott to Montreal.

A pretty sight was witnessed in the harbor this morning, when four vessels with all sails free to the breeze stood up the harbor, heading for the open lake. The wind was almost fair astern and the four vessels sailed out free and easy. It is seldom such a spectacle is witnessed here, but is a sight familiar to old-time mariners.

Among the many improvements made to the steamer America was one that will add greatly to the comfort of the engineers and firemen. A huge ventilation shaft has been put in which conducts fresh air from the hurricane deck to the hold through which it passes along and finds exit through two openings in the stern. When under way the steamer will thus be provided with fresh air for the hard worked men in her hold.

A VESSEL CAPTAIN'S VIEWS.

Owners of large lake carrying craft expect the insurance rates to be advanced on cargoes consigned to Prescott on account of the great risk in navigating the St. Lawrence river east of this port. The fact that last season the loss to the insurance companies through damage to craft trying to reach Prescott is likely to bear results, and vessel owners will have to pay higher rates if they accept cargoes to river ports. Nearly all the damage to these craft last year was occasioned east of Kingston, and was far in excess of the total damage to vessels consigned here since Kingston was a port. This fact will do much to damage the interests of the elevators at Prescott and Ogdensburg.

Said a mariner this morning, "I would rather a hundred times over bring a cargo to Kingston at a rate a third less than I would get for going down to Prescott. We cannot go down the river after night, and if we get down this far towards the close of the day we have to lay-to until daylight. The same disadvantage is met with in returning light. This is not done for our own pleasure. In some instances the insurance companies stipulate that we must not run the river under cover of darkness, and in others the owners give orders to the same effect. It is no trouble getting in here at any hour, and here is where one or more elevators should be built. If accommodation was afforded here it would kill the river elevators."

p.4 Lightkeepers Resign - Simcoe, May 12th - O.B. Sheppard of Toronto came here to investigate charges against W.H. Stalker, lightkeeper at Long Point. Mr. Stalker handed his resignation to Mr. Sheppard to be forwarded to the government. Lightkeeper Innes, of Port Dover, charged with partizanship, has also resigned his position.

p.5 Rockport, May 11th - ...The steamer Antelope has begun her regular trips from Gananoque to Brockville.

Westport, May 11th - The steamer Olive left a large quantity of goods for local merchants last Sunday morning....

p.6

THE ELEVATOR QUESTION.

The gentlemen interested in the second grain elevator scheme have authorized the Whig to state that all opposition to the original project will cease from this moment, and if the Mooers syndicate can show that they have a bona fide list to the extent of $100,000 from persons whose financial standing is an assurance of sincerity and ability, there will be no further struggle for right to the bonus. This is the policy consistently pressed upon the other side, and it is a pleasure at this crisis on the elevator question to make the annoucement.

It is now incumbent upon the Mooers company to make a full and frank statement of its standing. If it should be the one for whom the bonus shall be voted let it be done with the hearty good will of all classes. If the franchise should fall through default to the Richardson-McLennan company they will have no warmer supporter than the Whig.

Inspecting Locks And Boats.

Detroit, May 13th - The ice crushing ferry steamer Saint Marie was inspected yesterday at the Detroit dry dock by Lieut. Frederick Enblom, engineer corps, Stockholm, Sweden, who has been sent to this country by the Swedish government to make a personal investigation into the merits and peculiarities of such vessels, and incidentally to examine some American canals and locks. Lieut. Enblom came to this city about a month ago. He first went to Washington, and came to Detroit via the St. Lawrence, Erie and Welland canals. The Saint Marie was especially on his list, that vessel having quite an European reputation. From here he will go to the Soo, stopping at Mackinaw City to see the steamer St. Ignace, and from the Soo proceed to Chicago, making an investigation of the ice crushers on Lake Michigan on the way. After seeing the Chicago drainage canal he will make a hasty trip to one or two Mississippi river points and then return to Sweden. "A line of ice crushing ferry steamers is projected to cross the Baltic from Sweden to Germany," said Mr. Enblom, "and I have been sent here by the Swedish government to examine this boat and some others on Lake Michigan. I wish especially to see the locks at the Soo also."