British Whig (Kingston, ON), 8 Sep 1898

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MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The steamers Coaster and Junita have been released from the dry dock.

Ship carpenters are engaged in caulking several of the M.T. company's yawl boats.

The tug Maggie May's barge from Napanee is discharging 2,000 bushels of oats at Richardson's elevator.

The tug Walker, which blew out her piston a few days ago, will not be ready for service for some time yet.

The directors of the R. & O. line expect that the new steamer Toronto, will be given a trial about the end of this month.

The tug Active left last night with three barges for Montreal, and exchanging at Prescott will return today with seven light barges.

The steamer Cambria touched here today on her final excursion trip from Toronto to Alexandria Bay. Capt. John Tuttle piloted her down the river. The Cambria has had a very successful season.

Arrivals at Swift's wharf - steamer Algerian from Toronto; steamer Spartan from Montreal; steamer James Swift from Ottawa; steamer Cambria, Toronto; schooner Fabiola, Charlotte, with a cargo of coal.

The steamer Aragon, 75,000 bushels of wheat from Chicago, arrived at the M.T. company's elevator at 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon and cleared for Oswego at 9:30 p.m. Allowing time for shifts this was a rapid discharge.

The schooner Acacia sprank a leak again yesterday, and she had to delay her coal trips to enter Davis' drydock. The light leaks, unnoticed during the summer, require more attention in the fall of the year, when gales blow hard and long.

The M.T. company is having substantial ways built at the foot of Barrack street. When completed they will be placed in the slip between the company's wharves, and used for making slight repairs to the hulls of the smaller boats of the fleet.

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Had A Rough Voyage.

The schooner Fabiola on her trip across from Charlotte yesterday experienced a rough time in the storm. The wind blew hard from the south-west, which wind stirs up a heavy sea on Lake Ontario. The waves were so high that the captain was unable to keep his course for this port, as every wave would lift the schooner's stern clean out of the water. He found it necessary to keep her up, so that the roiling seas would strike her port quarter aft and break over the decks. Under close reef the Fabiola ran most of the distance across the lake completely under the water. The force of the waves broke in the cabin doors and windows, scattering the inner furnishings in every direction. F. Saunders, a sailor, was washed from the wheel and carried some distance along the decks and it was with difficulty that the crew were able to remain on the boat. Capt. D. Bates says it was the heaviest blow he has ever seen on Lake Ontario at this season of the year. The steamer Iron Chief and consort Iron Cliff remained at anchor in the harbor until nightfall, not caring to face the storm.

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ADDING TO THEIR FLEET.

The board of directors of the R. & O. navigation company held a very important meeting at the company's offices, 228 St. Paul street, Montreal, yesterday. The business for the season to date was reviewed, which showed a large increase in the receipts over the corresponding months of last year. Especially on the lower route from Montreal to the Saguenay had the boats sent in greater returns. In fact the travel is becoming so extensive on the lower St. Lawrence that the directors are taking steps towards making provision for a fuller accommodation of the tourist. They decided to add five new steamers to their fleet of twenty-six, two for the Saguenay, two for the Montreal and Quebec route, and a sister steamer to the City of Toronto to run from Toronto to Prescott. The new boats for the lower routes will be about 375 feet in length and of steel construction. The City of Toronto will be ready for a trial trip early next month, and if she turns out satisfactorily the contract for the Kingston, a sister boat, will then be given out. It is the intention to remodel some of the boats, now in the western division, which will connect with the new steamers at Prescott.

The company will go in more extensively for hotel accommodation for next season. Fifty carpenters have been sent down to Tadousac to enlarge their hotel there, which has had a successful season, under the management of H.M. Paterson. Thirty spacious bedrooms and a billiard room will be added, and the dining room enlarged. Forty acres of land, surrounding the hotel, has been acquired, on which tennis courts and golf links will be placed. The work of enlarging the hotel will be started at once. The company will also assist Mr. Warren to erect a large hotel at Murray Bay, to contain 200 rooms.

The excursion trade from here to the islands has proven so satisfactory that boats will be supplied for the same purpose next year.

Late Afternoon Events - Four of Folger's boats remained in port today, the New York, Jessie Bain, Empire State and America.

James Swift returned from Montreal last night, where he attended the R. & O. N. company directors' meeting.

The Cape Vincent boats had to go around the foot of Wolfe Island today on account of the heavy storm.