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esr Ort apes Ph PLE eee. SF SMR TRE og, FIR One SE eae ey Pee i bs ; . ‘ i 142 THE MARINE REVIEW TomMLINSoN cleared from Duluth with tons from Erie, Pa. making a total movement for the year of 3,948,705 net tons. This is a loss of. 741,288 tons from the season’s shipments of 1917, and of 475,095 from the - total shipments of 1916. Bituminous coal shipments during the past year were so far in excess of recent preceding years that the combined coal move- ment went beyond 32,000,000, and was, indeed, the second largest coal movement on _ record. The grain shipments, as practically - covered by the fall movement, to- taled 6,548,680 net tons. Therefore, ‘the season’s movement in ore, coal and grain reached 107,146,242 net ‘tons as against 108,351,598 net tons in 1917. ‘While these figures show a loss of 1,205,357 tons the observer should not lose sight of the fact that the navigating season was of but little more than seven months’ dura- ‘tion. The fleet brought down 167,717,891 | bushels of wheat and 77,585,063 bush- els of other ‘grain, ‘making a move- ment of 6,548,680 net tons. As. this was almost: entirely covered in the fall movement, and to a great extent during the last six weeks of the sea- son, it undoubtedly was the best on record, | W208" New Industry Grows The stone industry on the Great Lakes has grown to large propor- tions. This traffic, handled almost exclusively by the vessels in the membership of .this association, to- taled 7,467,776 net tons, during the past year. The gross tonnage of this commodity” was 6,667,658 tons, and it is interesting to point out that while this trade is regarded as being in its infancy, the gross tons shipped last year exceeded the ore ‘move- ment of any year up to 1889. As previously stated, the exigencies of the government required that 12 steel steamers be taken from our membership, hence the association will begin the season of 1919 witha loss so far as number of vessels is concerned. Inasmuch as the vessels taken, excepting the CuHartes R. Van Hise of 5117 tons, were of the smaller types, the material loss is not so great as the figures would indicate. Sales from our membership to Atlantic coast interests were light in comparison with the 24 months previous. Through ship- wreck, however, there occurred the serious loss, from the point of tonnage, of the steamer CuHrEsTER A. Concpon; also there is to. be recorded the minor loss of the barge Santraco. But, as was stated one year ago, the broad constructive program as laid down in 1917 resulted in such extensive addi- tions to the membership in 1918 that there actually is a gain as compared with the gross tonnage existing at the period when government and other pur- chases for ocean account became ¢v:- cent. In view of the great losses sus- tained in other channels of industry as a direct result of the war, the present situation of the association is very satisfactory. Additions to the mem- bership in 1918 included the 609-foot steel steamer Aucust Zresinc, of 8271 gross tons, and the 440-foot steel oil carrier Witttam P. Cowan, of 3429 gross tons. ; The present membership represents a total of 2,049,105 gross tots, as against 2,013,962 gross tons. before the United States went into the war in 1917. . dt should be needless, therefore, to place emphasis on the fact that our vessel capacity is ade- quate for any burden that may he imposed, With supreme gratification it is stated that during the seasion of 1'8 not a single life was lost through shipwreck of a ship in the member- ship of the Lake Carriers’ associa- tion, and this record may be road- ened by the statement that for two consecutive years no lives have been sacrificed through the shipwreck oi a Lake ‘Carriers’ steamer. Well in advance of the fixed time for. the opening of navigation the mobilization committee was in pos- session of the approximate figures of what the season’s requirements : or ore and coal would measure up te. and having with exacting thorough- ness worked out a plan to cover the season’s movement of the fleet that would handle the situation with sat- isfaction to all concerned and yet dis- pense with the risk attendant upon sailings during the very early and extremely late periods of the season, no undue haste was exercised in getting the ships under way while heavy ice prevailed in the lakes and rivers, Advance Ore Rates ' The ever-increasing charges for op- eration necessitated a further advance on contract ore rates, hence the previously existing rates to Lake Erie, as established Noy. 16, 1916, were advanced 10 cents all around, thus making the carrying rate $1.10 a ton free from the head of Lake Superior, $1 from ‘Marquette, 85 cents from Escanaba, and. 70 cents from Escan- aba to the foot of Lake Michigan. These prices were .the highest that have obtained since 1892, but signify little or no advance in view of the abnormal conditions prevailing lasit year. The season’s ore movement dates from April 25, when the steamer G. A. ‘ed rein for 90 days. March, 1919 the first cargo from the head of the lakes. She reached the Sault on Aprif 27 and arrived at Buffalo on May 1. On the same day the steamers E, Y, TownsEND and J. LEONARD REPLOGLE ar- rived at Cleveland and the GrirFIn at Fairport, all ore laden. The April movement of ore consisted of 28 car- goes of 235,870 tons, but of these only the steamer J. J. SULLIVAN, arriving at Indiana Harbor on April 30, succeeded in making an April delivery. Although © the April lake moyement was of less than a week’s duration, actual sail: ing time considered, the volume of business that passed through the Sault showed a marked improvement over the corresponding opening days of 1917. There were 187 vessel passages, and the freight movement consisted of 4,441,647 bushels of wheat, 2,083,029 ‘bushels of other grains, 131,415 gross. tons of ore and an upward movement of 88,078 tons of coal. As a result of delays in loading ore and inability to provide coal cargoes at the lower lake ports for all ships available, together with low water levels, the conditions did not reach proportions that were sat- isfying to the operating committee until the middle of May. When normal con- ditions materialized the real effect of the mobilization committee’s well laid program became apparent. Set Successive Records From tthis point on, owing to the light demand for grain tonnage and the uncertainty as to coal prices at the Northwest, thus permitting the vessels to make light upbound trips the ore movement enjoyed almost unrestrict- added to the movement the impetus accruing from increased drafts and dispatch was excellent. Therefore, the ore tonnage of 9,921,860 tons for the short month was not only above a million tons greater than - May but by 281,869 tons the largest June ore movement. The third con- secutive month’s record was broken when figures for July revealed a movement totaling 10,659,203 tons, the highest monthly attainment in ore tonnage in the history of the Great Lakes trade. This is more ore than was moved in the entire year- of 1895 by over 220,000 tons. The move- ment of tonnage of ore did not pass the 20,000,000 mark until 1901— seven years later.. This year the increase is almost three and one- half times over 1901. The only movement to assume spectacular proportions during the season’s business was the grain trade of the fall months. Through the last 30 days it attracted wide attention, for upon a full movement of the There was_ (Sas LO I ae a TER COTE REE Ee TOM CORI at ORT EN SOE RR SRE EO EAR ae