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. "TAE. Marine. REVIEW 23 THE LAKE CARRIERS' ASSOCIATION IN SESSION AT THE*COLONIAL HOTEL, CLEVELAND, association, and they feel that they have acted quite within their rights as association members, while at the same time they have as individuals been able to make better terms for themselves than the association could make for them. It was also announced that the Sea- men's Union, controlling the wheels- men, watchmen and deck hands, would declare a strike, but wiser counsels apparently prevailed, as this statement was later recalled. As far as can now be seen, no trouble is anticipated. The Lake Carriers' Association will hold no conferences whatever with labor Organizations controlling the various departments of the ship but will sign individual contracts with the men and have no doubt whatever of getting all the men that they require when it be- comes necessary to place the boats in commission. In point of fact, this is an off season, and any resistance would fall of its own weight. As far as con- sumption is concerned, it is not abso- lutely necessary that a pound of ore be moved this year. The report that the closed shop may be demanded \by the unions during the height of the season when all the boats are in com- mission is regarded complacently by owners and shippers 'alike. As a last resort the ships could go to the dock without a sensible disturbance of in- dustrial conditions generally, but as a matter of fact owners feel that they will experience no trouble in keeping such boats in commission as may 'be necessary to care for the trade. Nearly all of the leading companies have closed with their engineers and are proceeding slowly towards a gen- eral start, which, however, will not be until quite late, probably June 1. AROUND THE GREAT LAKES. ~The new:steamer John McGean, of the Hutchinson fleet, is taking on a cargo of coal at the Ellsworth dock at Cleveland. Frank Horrigan has been appointed manager of the Lake Erie Excursion Co. Frank W. Green has been appointed ex- cursion agent of the line. The Mackinaw division of the D. & C. line will open navigation on April 20. The: tug Abner -C, : Harding, of ths Great Lakes Towing. Co.'s fleet, and the wrecking lighter Newman have gone into commission at Port Huron for the season. The. wrecker Favorite is fitting out at that port.. - The harbor 'commission of Chicago has appointed George C. Sykes and Prof. Paul Goode to aid in making recommendations for a new harbor. Prof. Goode is con- nected with the University of Chicago as a teacher of commercial geography and will make a special report to the commis- sion on the commercial advantages ob- tained by modern harbor improvements in the principal ports of Europe and the United States. The commission has: de- cided to personally explore the Chicago and Calumet rivers and judge for itself the advantages or disadvantages of each for an inland harbor.