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E REVIEW. Vou. VI. CEEVELAND OHIO "THURSBPAY AU GUSW 31502. No. 8. Death of Capt. D. P. Dobbins. From Buffalo on Saturday last came the announcement of the death of Capt. D. P. Dobbins, superintendent of the ninth life-saving district, who was among the best known men on the lakes. He was born at Erie in 1820, and although seventy-two years old was very active in his work. Before he was thirteen years old he began sailing on the William Penn, and five years later he bought the schooner Marie Antoinette. In turn he owned a number of schooners and built the propeller Troy for himself at Cleveland. His experience on the lakes as well as that gained on salt water in the winter seasons, combined with his readiness at all times to goto the rescue of shipwrecked sailors, taught him all the require- ments of a life-boat. In1876 he was appointed to the position he held at the time of his death, and not long after that he madea study of life boat construction. During the past ten years he has built over thirty of his patent boats for the government and of late has been negotiating with the English ad- miralty for its construction. Itis - probably the only non-sinkable, self-righting life boat in existence. Capt. Dobbins' father was a pio- neer lake shipbuilder and master, having cut the first timber at Erie for Perry's fleet. Previous to this he had escaped from Detroit and Mackinac when the British cap- tured those places and was sent as messenger to notify the govern- ment at Washington. Capt. Dob- bins proposed to have oue of the Perry fleet, the Niagara, built by his father, raised from Misery bay, near Erie, and taken to the world's fair. He was well liked by all the keepers, and the work in his district was the most efficient in the service. The funeral was attended by the officers of the different stations in the district. . Pig Iron Prices and Stocks. ' The decline in the price of Bessemer pig iron since the first week in January amounts to $1.75 to $2 a ton and in gray forge 75 cents to $1.25 a ton, but it is gratifying to note that produc- tion has been steadily decreasing. 'The maximum of blast fur- nace production thus far this year was in February, when the aggregate was about 193,000 tons per week; during March the production dropped 8,000 tons; in April it declined 8,000 tons; in May 4,000 tons; in June 4,000 tons and in July nearly 14,000 tons. The decrease in weekly output from March 1 to Aug. 1, therefore, is about 38,000 tons, or nearly 20 per cent., of which more than one-third took place in July. One year ago the total pig iron weekly capacity in blast was about 169,000 tons, against 155,000 tons on the ist inst.; two years ago it was fully 164,000 tons, while on Aug. 1, 1889, it Was 145,000 tons. -- Pre- vious to the idleness of the past month in the mills stocks of pig iron were also decreasing, but they are,of course,again very large. CAPT. D. P. DOBBINS. | Lake Freight Matters. Lake freights are showing the effects of a reduction in the iron ore movement, which had been so very heavy previous to Aug. 1. The demand for grain tonnage in Chicago has been about equal to that of July, and at Duluth during the past week 3 cents has been paid on several cargoes to Buffalo, but the iron shippers are in a position to refuse "wild" tonnage, excepting at reduced rates, and they have taken advantage of the situation to put rates down. Docks at Lake Erie ports are more crowded than they have been in any previous year excepting 1890, and although vessels are not delayed on this account it is an obstacle to the movement of unsold ore, even at reduced rates. 'The sus- pension of coal shipments on ac- count of the Buffalo strike and crowded docks on Lake Superior is -also having a serious effect on the market. It is not probable that there will be a movement of new grain any earlier than last year, and in the meantime it is about certain that the freight market will remain in its present depressed condition. Iron ore freights are $1 from the head of Lake Superior and 7o cents from Escanaba with Mar- quette nominal at 95 cents. Al- though it is true that most of the Bessemer mines have sold ahout as much ore as they can produce, and that the amount of unsold ore of any kind brought down so far is not very large, it is also true that the ore not covered by season contracts with vessels has been crowded into shipments during the ates first half of the season. The mines have reduced stock piles to very small proportions, and freights are, accordingly, largely dependent on the grain movement. Duluth brokers are of the opinion that there will be little doing in northwestern wheat before Sept. 20. Insufficient Lighting in the Sault River. Just as had been expected, vessels trying to run the St. Mary's river on the new system of ranges have found the great- est difficulty at the foot of Sugar island, where ranges recom- mended by Col. Ludlow and Commander Heyerman in their plans were rejected by the senseless opposition of certain mem- bers of the light-house board. The masters of two steamers, the City of Duluth and Missoula, both of which were aground in the river Tuesday, attribute their grounding to insufficient range lights at the foot of Sugar island. Transportation Building, World's Fair. A neat view of the transportation building, World's Colum- bian Exposition, in a supplement accompanies this issue of the Review. 'This is the building in which the marine exhibit will -be made. 'There is little doubt that the marine display will be among the finest at the fair. A number of laks ship builders have secured space for exhibits.