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- MARINE REVI Vout. XV. CLEVELAND, O., MAY 6, 1897. No. 109. More Than Three Million Tons. STOCKS OF IRON ORE ON LAKE ERIE DOCKS EXOEED THOSE OF 1896 BY 1 300, 000 TONS--CONSUMPTION 2,000,000 TONS LESS THAN DURING THE PREVIOUS YEAR. Stocks of ore on Lake Erie docks aggregate 3,256,479 gross tons, or 1,306,799 tons more than was on dock May 1, 1896. Shipments from Lake Erie docks to furnaces since the close of navigation foot up only 1,698,487 tons, against 2,466,014 during the winter of 1895-96, while the shipments for the full year ending May 1, 1&97, aggregate only 6,719,633 tons, against 8,805,510 tons during the year ending May 1, 1896. In other words, the consumption of ore during the year just closed by furnaces supplied from docks along the shore of Lake Erie, from Toledo to Buffalo, is full 2,000,000 tons short of what it was in the previous year, and reports from Chicago would indicate that there has been a proportionate shrinkage in consumption at that point, where heavy stocks are also carried over. This is the main cause of inactivity in the ore business. Official returns have been received by the Marine Review from all managers of Lake Erie docks. At the close of navigation on Dec. 1, 1896, the stocks on dock amounted to 4,954,984 tons. If we deduct from this 3,256,497 tons, the amount now on dock, we find that ship- ments to neces from Lake Erie ports during the past winter amounted 'to 1,698,487 tons, which, added to 5,021,146 tons, the amount shipped - "to furnaces diaiie the season of nay iealion in 1896, gives 6,719,633 | 'tons as the entire consumption of ore from Lake Erie docks during the | year ending May 1, 1897. During the year ending May 1, 1896, the consumpion from isis Erie docks was 8,805,510 tons, and faving the "previous. year, ending May 1, 1895,it was 6, 296, 215 tons. The follow- 'ing tables 'give full senile of stocks an shipments to furnaces for 'several: years past : _ TRON ORE ON LAKE. ERIE DOCKS--GROSS TONS. s Opening of Navigation | Close of Navigation. ~ ~ PORTS. | May 1, May 1, May 1, Dee. 1, Dee. 1, Dee. 1, = 1897; 1896. 1895. | 1896. 1895. 1894. <== Toledo 66,337 10,593 32; 625) 115,959] 113,332} 96,157 Sandusky 48,939 8,442] 67,542!) 59,491/ 34,375| 77,004 Huron 162,292 559173 80 864) 200,075} 101,000] 147,632 Lorain 180,605) 118,820] 185, 300] 231,288] 224,264] 223,733 Cleveland........ 979,703} 506,693) 718, sal T,419,311| I,200,792| 1,441,785 eHatnpOLtsas sss. 480,984] 346,847] 371,7 30] 773:905| 605,470) 660,980 Ashtabula....... 926,865} 636,254] 787,566) 1,441,666) 1,301,302) 1,439,119 Conneaut.. 207,034] 112,406| 128,823) 275,800] 292,460} 199,365 TIC) ers ecess oss 153,261] 137,826] 212 "6431 355,222| 335,718] 454,233 IS} EbBRAUKGY eynaganenee 50,477 16,644 57,128 82,267} 207,199 94,239 Total....... 3,256,497) 1,949,698} 2,642, me 4,954,984] 4,415,712| 4,834,247 IRON ORE ON LAKE ERIE DOCKS, MAY I OF EACH YEAR FOR _ TEN YEARS PAST. Year. '" "Gross Tons. | Year. Greeters. é. PP WSS Giiees cinavs va cabs dceea ha iek 703;720 TOQOQies woes ake ade Eso 53 "2OSTST0 eerecenco aodne a een 936,228 PEGI escer ea cee amenn ress: 2,662,223 STBGRi 5.52 EA a eek 1,537,188 TRON ORE SHIPMENTS, LAKE ERIE PORTS TO FURNACES, 'FULL YEARS. Year ending-- Gross Tons. Year ending-- Gross Tons. May RET GOT (8-3 ocr. esens 6,719,633 | May 1, 1894..-.0006 .seteere 4,870,458 Bay TT SOG. ce ott cnn are 8,805,510. | May 1, 1893.....csccrecceress 6,102,125 May 1, 1895. ..+++seseeeees 6,296,215 | May 1, 1892 «src ethedopaeeatas 55 ;802 Base TRON ORE SHIPMENTS, LAKE ERIE PORTS TO FURNACES, DURING WINTER : PERIOD, DEC. I, TO MAY I. : : "Winter of-- Gross Tons. Winter of-- Gross Tons. WSQG=9 7. Lis. 5A ies T,698}487 | 1893-94....--..2--ceeressneares 1,512,340 BSNS os wus, Sey oe SS 2, AOG;OT 4s b4I 892-93 05: csonnhnnp ve thee ah eens 2,053,654 MOA OB oi Voc ase sicctecescees > TOL. 207. | LNQT-O2 ts smonse teak Chaseck 1,971,301 Lake Freight Matters. Representatives of several of the leading ore sales agencies of Cleveiand are now in Chicago arranging sales of ore. They canvassed the lake freight situation before leaving and they are proceeding on a basis of 70 cents lake freight from the head of Lake Superior for the full season and 65 cents for the short season. It is more than proba- ble that they will be ready to close up some contracts with vessel own- ers during the latter part of this week or early next week. It is not probable that the amount of ore to be covered by contract immediate- ly will be very large, and an attempt may even be made to lower the figures quoted above, but it is not the disposition of all of the com- panies to do this. The reported charter of the steamer Senator at 50 cents for summer months from Marquette, which had a very depress- ing effect on the freight situation, is not closed. Owners of the ves- sel wanted special conditions in the charter as to loading and unload- ing, and this prevented a settlement of the contract, which would cer- tainly have admitted of little, if any, profit without special dispateh. With the exception of an occasional cargo of grain at Chicago at very low rates, and some soft coal for Lake Superior and Lake Michi- gan ports at 20 and 25 cents, there has been, up to this time, nothing -- offered to the large fleet of ships on the lakes that have no connection with ore companies or the regular lines. Probably not more.than a dozen "wild" charters for the movement of ore have been made since the opening of navigation, and these are at rates so low--40 cents from Escanaba and 50 cents from Marquette--that they are cer- tain to act more to the disadvantage of the ore business than to the vessel owners who have been forced to accept such rate. The one great drawback to the situation in ore is the surplus of stocks on dock car- pied: over from last season. It has been understood for. some: time past that these stocks were heavy, but the reports, showing a reductiow in consumption during' the past year 'of. full 2, 000, 000 tons, 'and an increase of 1,300,000 in stocks, are probably more. discouraging' than "was bs petted. Vessel owners, who have been waiting from day to day for sales of ore and Sonetine in the way of negotiations for season contracts, are again talking of a concerted movement to hold their ships in port until June 1, but the probability of some ore.con- tracts being made within the next few days will discourage these plans, and anyhow the experience of the past in matters of this kind gives little encouragement of success with such a movement av present. Conside ane interest is manifested in dite perma of the new Wolvin steamer Crescent City, to which the Chicago Ship Build- ing Co. has applied quadruple expansion engines 'and Babcock &; Wilcox water tube boilers. It is a little early yet to say much of the ship, but in view of the fact that her engines were built with~ limited machine shop facilities in Chicago, and under adverse circumstances otherwise, she seems to have made an excellent start. The Crescent City is now bound down from Duluth with a mixed cargo of grain--one of the largest ever moved from Lake Superior. She left the Chicago yard April 24, going direct to Duluth. Referring to the departure: of the steamer fe Chicago, Mr. W. I. Babcock, general manager of the Chicago company says: "Our "Mr. Penton went up on her as far as the 'Soo,' and reported that the engine worked splendidly | in every particular, no water being used' on anything and turning up J to about eighty revolutions. There was some little "trouble with. leaky gaskets on the purifiers, but everything else went first rate. It will ~ probably not be in order to say much of her performance until she has made a trip or two.' The car dumping machine of the Cuddy-Mullen Coal -Co., Cleve- land, a few days ago transferred 5,500 tons of bituminous coal from cars to the Bessemer line steamer J ames Watt in ten hours and aarts, minutes. Appointments of captains and engineers for 1897, vest pocket | size, $1.00. Order from the Marine Review, Cleveland, Ohio. ~