British Whig (Kingston, ON), 7 Aug 1897

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THE AGREEMENT ACCEPTED.

A meeting of the civic committee having the matter of the proposed grain elevator in hand was held in the city engineer's office yesterday afternoon to consider the prepared agreement with B.M. Britton, Q.C., M.P., acting in behalf of the M.T. Co. There were present: Chairman Donnelly, aldermen Carson, Ryan, Elliott and Richardson. City solicitor McIntyre and Mr. Britton also attended. The agreement as entered into by the Mooers company was gone over, and after a little discussion was adopted. Mr. Britton objected to the clause providing for the company giving the city a first mortgage on the elevator for a term of twenty years. The committee was firm on the point, holding that in view of the fact that the city was bonusing the elevator it should have a hold on the same until the terms of the agreement were all fulfilled. Mr. Britton finally consented to allow the clause to remain.

Mr. Britton also objected to the word "cars" in clause nine, providing for a charge of half a cent a bushel for loading and unloading vessels and cars. Alderman Carson stood out for the retention of the word in the clause. The agreement, he said, as far as possible should be the same as entered into by the Mooers' company. The word was struck out, however, the remainder of the committee being convinced that it would be better for all parties concerned.

An important clause was inserted, arising out of the suggestion made by alderman Elliott. The new clause reads, that as far as practicable all workmen employed in the construction of the elevator will be Kingstonians, and that all material be purchased in the city. This was objected to by the company's representative, but the members of the committee maintained that it must be inserted, so it was reluctantly agreed to. Mr. Britton said further that the company would seek to have connection with all the important Canadian railways. He accepted the agreement as it stood and would submit it to the company for approval.

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The steamer Columbian will leave this afternoon for Charlotte.

The tug Bronson, Montreal, with three light barges, arrived in port last evening.

The schooner Pilot, Picton, is in port with 2,500 bushels of peas consigned to the M.T. Co.

The steamer Pueblo, Toledo, is in port with 53,000 bushels of corn consigned to the M.T. Co.

The steamer Varuna arrived at Swift's wharf from Brighton this afternoon, carrying a large complement of passengers.

The steamer Glengarry arrived from Montreal last evening with three light barges, clearing again for Oswego with two barges to load coal.

The steamer Arundell arrived at Swift's wharf, from Charlotte, with a full passenger list last evening. She left on her return trip this afternoon.

The R. & O. steamer Algerian called at Swift's wharf this morning on her way from Toronto to Montreal. The Spartan called on her way to Toronto from Montreal.

An eye witness requests us to correct a paragraph which has gone the rounds of the Ontario papers, but not in the Whig, in relation to the steamers Algerian and America. He states that they did not collide in the Lachine rapids as stated. They were four miles below the rapids and came together immediately before passing under the Victorian bridge. The Algerian had passed the America about two-thirds of her length when the forward side of the latter came against the Algerian immediately behind the latter's paddle box; as the latter forged ahead, being the higher boat, she broke some of the America's light sheeting near the anchor, the damage not exceeding fifty dollars, far from one thousand dollars, as stated. The pilot of the Algerian claims that to avoid the pier of the bridge on the north side of the opening, it was not possible for him to do otherwise than act as he did, and that the America, being the lighter draft boat, had plenty of water to keep away from him.

That Inadequate Span.

The protest of Hiram A. Calvin against the permission given by parliament to construct a low bridge across the St. Lawrence near Cornwall should receive the hearty support of the marine community. The C.P.R. bridge at Coteau has shown the inconvenience of a low structure to steamboat managers and public interests generally. It is singular that the design of the builders of the bridge has been allowed to proceed to the extent it has, when such object lessons as the two Montreal bridges are presented as a contrast to the C.P.R. blockade farther up the river. While abundant provision has been made for navigation in the north channel, by a span 420 feet in width and 60 feet above high water, the span on the south channel is designed to be only 280 feet wide and 35 feet high. This latter space is entirely inadequate. A great deal more tonnage passes down the south channel than down the north, and it is the only practical passage for rafts. Surely the reasons for wide and high spans on the north side should apply to the south side also, since steamers using the latter require just as much room as those navigating the north channel. The minister of railways and canals will probably at once take the matter into earnest consideration and protect the Canadian marine service, so necessary to the country's prosperity.

Welland Canal Report.

Port Dalhousie, Aug. 6th - Passed down: steamer Pueblo, Toledo to Kingston, corn; schooner Porter, Toledo to Kingston, wheat; steamer D.C. Whitney, Chicago to Ogdensburg, corn; barge Wayne, Chicago to Ogdensburg, corn; steamer Niagara, Ausable to Kingston, timber.

Port Colborne, Aug. 6th - Passed down: steamer Murphy, Chicago to Ogdensburg, corn; D.W. Rust, Toledo to Kingston, corn; Britannic, Toledo to Kingston, wheat; Topeka, Toledo to Ogdensburg; Cuba, Toledo to Montreal, general cargo; J. Ford, Duluth to Kingston, wheat; Queen of the West, Chicago to Prescott, corn; May Richards, Chicago to Kingston, corn.

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Cambria Is Much Damaged.

Detroit, Aug. 7th - The steamer Cambria, which went ashore near Sarnia several days ago and was released and towed into Port Huron for repairs, has been surveyed and found to be damaged almost to the extent of her insurance. She was valued at $15,000 in companies represented by the Western of Toronto. Her damage is $9,000. Not only is her hull strained and broken in places, but the bed plate of the engine is broken, and the machinery more or less damaged. Nothing has yet been done towards repairing her, but it is said to be the intention of her owners to fix her up in time for some of this year's business. By hard work she can be gotten out by the end of this month.