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6 MARINE REVIEW. Duluth Grain Prospects. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. DULUTH, MINN., March 26.—The vessel agents are beginning on their season’s business, though the opening of navigation is generally thought to be amonth and a half away. Several wheat charters are reported to Buffalo, some on private terms. The going rate is now 23% cents. Char- ters have been made through to New York at 7% cents, with the present rate at7 cents. A new feature in the freight market here is the contract for through rail shipments of wheat to New York. Some 300 cars have already beén taken. The rate is given out as 17 cents. Wheat stocks in store here Monday amounted to 4,244,491 bushels, an increase of 94,878 bushels for the week and 832,000 bushels less than there were here a year ago. The increase from now to the close of navigation will hardly be more than 100,000 bushels a week, if that much, so there will be less wheat to move out when the season begins than there was in 1890. Late estimates of the wheat in country elevators and farmers’ hands place it at 11,000,000 bushels. This is to be divided between Duluth, Minneapolis and other places, and if the estimate be perfectly correct, there will not be much to come here for eastern shipment. It is thought by some that the McDougall barges will take loads of wheat to Montreal when naviga- tion opens. Several of the new ones and the Colgate Hoyt are to be taken to salt water early in the season. It is likely that the lumber shipments from Duluth to the east by lake will be much larger this year than ever before. In past seasons shipments have only been from 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 feet. ‘This year there will be several new mills in operation and most of their product will go east. It is probable that the total shipments will be from 25,000,000 to 30,000,000 feet. Ashland will also ship a large quantity of lumber by water. Labor Movement Started at Buffalo. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. BuUFFAO, N. Y., March 26.—At its recent convention in Detroit, the Lake Seaman’s Benevolent Association, for good and sufficient reason, de- cided to withdraw from the Knights of Labor. It had been connected therewith for two years, had paid out about $17,coo on account of such connections, and had received nothing in return. ‘The seamen then de- cided to affiliate with the Pacific and Atlantic ocean sailors’ organization, but such affiliation has not been perfected. Now they have a big work of their own onhand. This is the formation of a sort of knight of labor or- ganization taking in all the men who build and man ships and handle car- goes. The idea is that, as all these men depend on lake traffic for a liveli- hood, they should stand together. It isn’t a wild idea, anyway. T. J. Elderkin, general president of the seamen’s association, delivered an address on organization, Tuesday evening, before a large gathering made up of seamen, bargemen, firemen, wheelsmen, lookouts “longshore- men, grain shovelers, coal handlers, lumber shovers, ironore handlers and _shipbuilders. He is a forcible if not grammatical talker, has been a sailor himself, and is well posted on the affairs that have bearing on the lake workers’ calling. His method is earnest, and his argument plausible. In short, he is just the sort of a man to influence the laboring masses. As a stump speaker he would bea success. Indeed, it is understood that he has quite a liking for politics, and that he is giving an active hand, or rather an active tongue, in the Chicago municipal election canvass. Mr. Elderkin set forth in vigorous style the disadvantages suffered by the lake wage workers for want of proper organization. Combination was the cure-all for all their troubles. He was willing to allow capital as many rights as labor, butno more. ‘The Cleveland vessel owners and Shipping Master Rumsey were alluded to in touching terms. He advised all lake workers to unite, and all to become citizens, so they could use the ballot to secure their rights. He argued for the formation of a central organization, to include all the classes of workers mentioned above. He favored the establishment of a separate union for each class in all ports where possible. Where there were so few of any class as to make such union inadvisable, the men could unite with some other class at that port. Thus, the Seamen’s Union for two years has been taking in wheels- men and lookouts, and firemen when the latter had no separate union. A marine trades council is to be formed at each port, composed of three delegates from each of the local unions. Each union will manage its own general affairs; but matters of great importance, as wages, strikes, etc., must be acted on by all the unions under the control of the organization. Another speaker, who was flushed with something else than eloquence, covered the ground in this style:: “After all the talk on the relations of capital and labor, the whole thing amounts to just this—more money for the gang.” The plans of the association were endorsed by a series of resolutions, Elderkin returned to Chicago, Wednesday. The annual election of the seamen’s association takes place Thursday. Thereafter,until April 7,he will be engaged in trying to down Mayor Cregier, who, he says, has not been much of a friend to the seamen. Last Monday he went to Tonawanda with several local workers. to stir up the badly-demoralized lumber shovers, He will return to Buffalo when he has got politics off his hands, Capt. Dobbins says the proposed site for a life station at Ashtabula is ‘out of sight.’ So much mud is there that the spot can’t be found. As soon as convenient, he will make a trip to that port. The government has not accepted the offer of the ground at the price named, but probably will do so. The good captain fears that the building of a station at Niagara will have to be postponed further, because the government in- tends to use the appropriated fund for getting up an exhibit at Chicago for the fair. Strange that so noble and useful a calling as life saving should be so recklessly hampered. It is believed that 75 per cent. of the local vessel owners and managers wil sign the agreement to hold back until May 15. Certainly, it would be well for them to live up to it, too. But will they? Capt. Angus McDougall, vessel agent, is to go to Duluth, to look after the running interests of the whalebacks. He is not related by blood to Capt. Alex. McDougall, the whaleback propagator, but they are near countrymen and fast friends. West Bay City Ship Yard Work. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. WEsT Bay City, Mich., March 26.—It was reported that F. W. Wheeler would return from his recent trip to New York with a contract for another ocean freighter, but Mr. Wheeler is back and no contract has materialized as yet. F. D. Wheeler, brother of F. W. Wheeler, who has been acting as assistant superintendent of the Wheeler shipyard,has resigned his position and gone to Pearlington, Miss., where he will take a position as superin- tendant in a small yard started for the purpose of building some lumber freighters for use on the Mississippi river. When that work is completed Mr. Wheeler will undoubtedly become manager of the lumber concern building the boats. Repairs on most vessels lying at this port are practically completed, except in the case of those that are undergoing a very thorough ovyer- hauling. The hold-back movemement will not include the lumber carriers. This is rather disheartening to local vessel men. The majority of them think it would be far better for all if owners of lumber carriers as well as the big boats would not start the season until May 1 at least, and many would be willing to wait until May 15. Work at both the shipyards is progressing rapidly. Wheeler & Co., have over 600 men employed in their yard, and Capt. Davidson has at least 750 men in his yard. The Underwriters’ Meeting. Special Correspondence to the MARINE REVIEW. CHICAGO, ILL., March 26.—The Lake Underwriters Association con- vened in room 44 at the Grand Pacific Hotel, Tuesday afternoon, and closed their labors at 1o a.m. Wednesday. Their prolonged conference was productive of but little change in the hull tariff which prevailed through the season of 1890. C. H. McDonald, of Detroit, presided. The first question that came up for consideration was the collision of vessels and their liability for damages under the provisions of admiralty law. The hull tariff was discussed with a special reference to Inland Lloyds 1890 Register. A long discussion was also indulged in on the increase of the usual April rebate to 20 per cent ,and making Dec. 5 the date of expira- tion for policies. Among the prominent lake underwriters and vessel owners present were: P. H. Fleming, J. B. Kelley, J. S. Gadsden, C. G. IL. McCurdy, Chicago; Townsend Davis, Paul Bullard, H. S. Sill and O. T. Flint, Buffalo ; A. H. McDonald, KE. Harbeck and C. A. McDonald, Detroit ; D. Vance, Milwaukee ; B. L. Pennington, James Corrigan and ae C. Gilchrist, Cleveland; A. A. Parker, J. C. Burton and N. L. Whipple, Detroit. After adjournment the underwriters and vessel men did ample justice to an elegant luncheon. Pp. H. Fleming & Co., general insurance and vessel agents, have received the general agency for the Cincinnatti underwriters to engage lake vessels for hulls and cargoes. This agency is quite an imporiant one to Chicago marine insurance,and is the first Ohio agency outside of mercan- tile insurance bestowed upon a Chicago company. Mr.Fleming, whois one of the best posted men on lake merchant marine and freight rates, when asked as to the strength.of the movement to retard the opening of navi- gation, replied: “Well, it does not occur to me that the vessel owners can win, and there are some very good reasons for my expressing myself asI do. There are at this moment thirty vessels at Chicago docks loaded with grain, and ten more say, at Milwaukee. The prospects of that grain heating before May 1 or May 15 are excellent; the owners and captains know it; they will not run the risk, and one by one they will pull out of port, agreement or no agreement. It is idle to talk of holding vessels late in the season, not alone from this standpoint, but because grain rates to Erie have already been made at a two cent rate and many owners are consequently anxious for along season.” Over 350 members were present at the Lake Seamen’s Benevolent Association meeting, Tuesday night, and a committee was appointed to accomplish an alliance with other unions concerned. ‘Their demand will be for