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8 MARINE REVIEW. CHICAGO LAKE INTERESTS. WESTERN OFFICE, MARINE REVIEW, 3 No. 13 Western Union Building, CH1cAGo, IL, Oct. 27. A well defined rumor has been afloat for some time that the Chicago Ship Building Company would construct a steel freight steamer, which was to be temporarily used during the world's fair as a passenger boat between the lake front and Jackson park. The rumor stated that the boat would have twin screws, and the plating would not be put on between decks until after the fair. Manager Babcock has had such a plan in mind for nearly a year, but capitalists have not seen their way clear towards the practical solution of the question of building a passenger steamer and then converting her into a freight ~ boat. That expense would be between $20,000 and $30,000, and it will be a big sum for a boat to clear before any profits go to her owners. It is now said that enough people have become interested in the plan to insure its success. Those in the deal refuse to give any information, as they say publication would be premature. The nayal display at the world's fair dedication would have been ludicrous had anybody noticed it. The ancient moss-back, Michigan, and the cutters were there. That was all. At the time of the Grant monument unveiling a year ago, Chicago marine men got up a fine naval display. The old man-of- war Michigan was here, and was to be the flagship. Soundings were taken a few days before and it was foand that the boat could get within easy distance of shore. All promised well. The morning of the display the Michigan came to an anchorage about three times as far from shore as she ought to have been, thus forcing all the boats far out into the Jake. Although there was a fine marine band on board the old ship, it was sent ashore. So thoroughly dis- gusted were marine men generally with the course of the naval officers, that they dropped out of naval displays thereafter. The Michigan has since changed commanders, but the feeling that the merchant marine would get the small end of the stick was too strong to be overcome. Capt. James Reid, the Bay City wrecker, who was in town this week, stated that Mr. Sibley had "given him fits" for not going down to New York and bidding on the wreck of Vanderbilt's yacht. Capt. Reid was confident that he could have had the boat afloat long before this, and, considering the | failure of the wreckers, said that he might yet see what he could do. The yacht which cost nearly a million was sold for $35,(00. Some newspapers and many citizens of Chicago are charging the Society for the Prevention of Smoke with conspiracy to force the people into the hands of the Standard Oil Compauy and Reading trust. They do not, how- ever, make out a case against the society. As a matter of fact, the society was formed by a large number of citizens, who believed it was the only way to abate the smoke nuisance, and other leading lake ports may expect a crusade along the same line. No reform, which ever reformed anything, did not arouse the bitter opposition of the people who thought their rights were being trampled upon. The society, in selecting the river as the first place to use com- pulsion, apparently did the marine interests a grave injustice, but the reform had to begin somewhere. Although the tug boats have been burning hard coal for some time, the society has not shown anything like the same energy in fighting railroads and other smoke producers. In fact, it is too apparent that whenever the society runs up against a corporation or individual having much influence, its hands are softly gloved, and it is always ready for any kind of a compromise. Thus, while it is plain that there is no conspiracy in the movement to do away with smoke, the society is making bad mistakes in not treating all offenders alike, and the injustice can but recoil upon its officers. Canadian Lumber Business. Special Correspondence to the MARINE KKVIEW. Krin@ston, Ont., Oct. 27.--This season's cut of lumber is so much larger than that of last year that manufacturers have already filled nearly all their contracts. Many Americans are visiting the smaller mills in the back country and buying the outputs for the New York market, hence manufacturers are very independent. The sale of timber limits,which it was proposed to postpone until an export duty was placed on logs, was held by the Ontario government on the 13th inst., and buyers were present from various states in the union. The amount real- ized by the government was 52,308,475. The highest aggregate price paid for any one berth was $373,650 by G. W. Pack of Alpena, Mich., and the highest figure for one mill was $17,500. When the Rome & Watertown road was opened in the fifties the company put on a $100,000 steamer between Cape Vincent and Montreal. The boat didn't pay so she was laid up in the graveyard at Garden Island where she lay until the company sold her to Calvin & Breck for only $4,000. She was ele- gantly furnished and her tableware was of solid silver, many pieces of which are now in domestic use and highly prized. A remarkable judgment has just been given at Montreal in a marine suit. A sailor named Peterson applied for a discharge from the schooner Bass Rock and demanded his wages in full, on the ground that the food supplied and the water on board were unfit for consumption, notwithstanding that Capt. Hughes had been notified of the fact. The matter came before a magistrate, who took the evidence of the crew. It showed that the captain had been informed of tion and did not hold even an inyes- .. had took no ae : the state of the food, etc., anted by theaaeeial tigation. The application of the sailor for discharge was gr trate and the captain ordered to pay his wages in full. Lake Marine Naval Parade. Eprror Marine Review :--It strikes me that while this country is ; j Ww air, t making such strenuous efforts to assure the suceess of the world's fair, the ing i ve it in their power to contribute an at- shi terests of the great lakes have it 1n ee ey : ive to a greater number than any other traction which will prove more instruc one feature. As is, or ought to be, well known, the class of tonage now afloat on the lakes has no equal anywhere in the world either for quality or general adaptability. I wish to suggest the holding on some given day a grand parade or review of as many of the steam freighters as phate that time be in com- mission as possible. It has been the writer's privilege to hear many expressions of incredulity amongst people not informed as to the peice of lake shipping on hearing or reading descriptions of it, and he has also been a witness to many manifestations of surprise at its reality. But when the whole craft now building at some of the lake shipyards are added to 'the splendid fleet already in service, and these all unite in one grand parade, it would be a sight the like of which has never before been seen and would go farther towards emphasizing ces and progress of the great west than acres of buildings filled with and sight such fleets as the resour products from all parts of the world. Think of the gr the Lehigh, Union, Northern, Anchor,Minnesota, Western, Menominee, Mutual, Bradley, Gilchrist, Whitney, Eddy, Inter-ocean and a score of others, with such steamers as the Weed, Gilbert, Pope, Castalia, and two or three hundred more, not forgetting the famous " pigs,"' would present passing in view before the assembled hosts of all nations. It is not for me to work out the arrange- ments of detail. I merely make the suggestion, but I hope it will not be thrown aside till it has at least been well considered and found impracticable. I hope to see the opinions of others on the subject in your columns. . Derrorr, Micu., Oct. 24, 1892. D. Emergency Elevators Brought Into Use. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. Borrazo, N. Y., Oct. 27.-- There is reason to fear that the harbor elevators will run over before the end of the season. Though the situation differs considerably in some regards from last fall, when even before this time there had been delays to grain-laden vessels, it is probable that the utmost we can expect is to come out even with the end of the season. There is no very trustworthy way of finding out the exact condition of elevator capacity. The reports of grain in store seldom make them more than a quarter full, but as all grain checked out for shipment is omitted from the reports very little can be learned from that source. Tallymen say that it is a matter of close figureing to get large cargoes taken care of, and though the elevator men are given to reporting room enough it is observed that the opening a few days ago of the Watson elevator for business has been followed this week by an order to set the Richmond and Brown elevators in readiness. As all these houses are without track connections and must depend on the canal for delivery they are used only in emergencies. This brings forward the queer effect that two seasons, seemingly so much alike, have had on the canal. Last fall, with vessels waiting weeks to unload, the canal was obliged to retire in disgrace be- fore the season was closed by winter, just because the roads had possession of all the grain and managed to keep hold of it in spite of the blockade and threats of law suits on the part of vessel men. Now everything is changed so far as the canal is concerned. Not only has it been doing all it could for a month or more, but every boat from the lumber and other trades that can carry grain is pressed into the service and yet the freight is up to 63 cents this week on wheat to New York, a rate that is never looked for in ordinary seasons. But for the losing trade by canal for the past two seasons the fleet would now be of such respectable proportions that it could be depended on to relieve the elevators at almost any time, but 30 boats of 8,000 bushels each is now a large day's work, which at present is far short of the daily grain receipts which are ruling at about 1,000,000 bushels. Why the roads were ble last fall to command the situation and keep the grain away from the canal and are so entirely unable to do so now is not explained, beyond that it may have proven poor policy to bite off so much more than they could chew, for it is known that they time and again paid two or three storages on grain that they could not carry rather than see it given to the canal, which was ready and anxious to carry it ata low rate. It is to be hoped that the elevators can keep ahead of their work and there is as yet only a surmise that they are not going to. Privately, those who have grown very tired of the how] against idle elevators, are not sorry to see them all come into need now and then. It is practically impossible to provide each season just the amount of room needed. If there was now a half more room than there is the business would be in better shape than it is. Official Numbers and Tonnage. The bureau of navigation, E. C. O'Brien commissioner, assigned official ae to only two lake vessels during the week ending Saturday, Oct. 15: 1ey were the tug Elk, built and owned at Grand Haven, Mich., 57.34 tons gross, 28.67 net, No. 136,333; and the schooner Aberdeen, built and owned in West Bay City, 1,045.84 tons gross, 993.55 net, No. 106,975.