LIBRARY

OF THE

University of California.

Keceived ^^HiMc/ ^^9^^ .

Accession No. /^^ / / 3 ^ ■ C7ti5i A'a.

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XLbc XHniversit^ of CbicaQO

FOUNDED BV JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER

TRANSPORTATION

ON THE

GREAT LAKES OF NORTH AMERICA

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTIES OF THE GRADUATE

SCHOOLS OF ARTS, LITERATURE, AND SCIENCE, IN CANDIDACY

FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL ECONOMY

GEORGE GERARD TUNELL

[IJOi'SE DOC, NO. 277, FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION]

1S98

7-i / /3

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PART I. Introduction Page 2

Growth of traffic upon the lakes ..---.-. 2

(a) As shown by the commerce through the Detroit River - - 3

(b) As shown by the growth of the lake fleet 3

(c) As directly shown by the statistics .----- 6
Development of commerce on the main divisions of lake system - - 7
Striking facts concerning character of lake transportation - - 8

Changes in lake vessels ----- 12

Discussion of freight rates - 16

Arrangement of statistical matter - ^ 18

APPENDIX I. Tables of Statistics.

(a) A valuation of the data furnished by Treasury and War Depart-
ments - - - - - - 19

(b) Traffic through Detroit River 20

(d) Tcmnage tables 26

(e) Freight rates - - - - 28

PART II. Flour and Grain Traffic 30

Importance of the water routes 30

How the railroads became competitors ------- 30

Lake and rail traffic eastward from Chicago 34

Total east-bound traffic - - - - 38

Traffic through the gulf ports -------- 48

APPENDIX II. Tables relating TO THE Flour AND Grain Traffic - 52

P-\RT III. Lake Transportation and the Iron-ore Industry - - 60

Substitution of Lake Superior for other ore ----- 61

Superiority of Lake Superior ores ------- 64

Ore found in favorable conditions - 65

Highly developed facilities of transportation, decks, etc. - - - 69

Freight rates - . - - - - 71

APPENDIX III. Tables rel.a,ting to Lake Transportation and the

I RON -ORE Industry - 72

PART IV. Coal Traffic.

Growth of the traffic 80

Shipping and distributing ports - - 80

Competition of the lake and rail carriers 82

Development of dock facilities for handling coal ... §4

Freight rates on coal - - - 86

APPENDIX IV. Tables relating to the Coal Traffic - - . 87

P.\RT V. Lumber Business and Lake Transportation - - - 94

Decline in the movement of lumber 94

Explanation of this decline 94

Significance of change from pine to hardwood 96

Methods of handling lumber at dockB -.----- 97

The "lumber fleet" - 97

Early exhaustion of pine 98

Exhaustion of pine doubly important because of its secondary effects 99

APPENDIX V. Tables relating to the Lumber Traffic - - - 100

ACKNOWLEDGMENT - - - • 106

orni Congress, ) HOUSE OF EEPRESENTATIVES. ( Document
3(1 Session. ( ( ISTo. 277.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

LETTER

THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,

THAXS:\IITTIXG

A REPORT MADE TO THE BUREAU OF STATISTICS BY MR. GEORGE
Gr. TUNELL. OF CHICAGO, ON LAKE COMMERCE.

February 3, 1898. — Referred to the Committee on Interstate aud Foreign Commerce
and ordered to be printed.

Treasury Department,

Office of the Secretary,
Washmgton, B: C, February r], 1898.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives:

I have the honor to transmit a repo- *■■ made to tbe Bureau of Statistics,
Treasury Department, on the commerce of the Great Lakes. This
report was i)repare(l by Mr. George G. Tunell, of Chicago, under the
direction of the Bureau of Statistics, and embodies the first serious,
attempt to describe statistically this important branch of the domestic
commerce of the United States. I can not too strongly urge the expedi-
ency of making this commerce a subject of annual record and investiga-
tion. The statistics of railway transportation have become a recognized
branch of the Government statistical service; but the necessary com-
plement, the movement of merchandise on lakes, rivers, and canals,
has been neglected.

Compared with the shipping tonnag:e employed in the foreign com-
merce of the United States, the activity of the lake shipping is far
greater. The bulk of transactions in the lake-carrying interests is so
large as to rank it among the great conveyers of the world. The con-
centrathni upon a small number of commodities, as well as in a few
companies, appears to make statistical records coniparatively simple.
On the important economic influences of this trade I need not dwell.
They are of vital importance in feeding domestic industries and in
permitting a further extension of American commercial interests in
foreign markets. These influences are becoming* stronger each year,
and I believe the time has come when they should be made subject to
official record, in order that they may be intelligently studied and
directed so as to produce the highest benefits to the industrial and
commercial interests of the LTnited States.
Respectfully, yours,

L. J. Gage, Secretary.

LAKE COMMERCE.

[Prepared under tlic direction of tlic Bureau of Statistics, Treasury Department, by (ieorjfe <J. Tunell.]

TRANSPORTATION ON THE GREAT LAKES.
INTRODUCTION.

Many circiiinstauces have recently directed attention to the transpor-
tation facilities of the Great Lakes. The ra])id growth of lake traltic,
the increasing size of lake vessels, the rapidity with which ships are
loaded and unloaded, and other developments of a similar nature have
interested the curious, while the vital significance of cheap carriage to
the mining, farming, and lumbering interests, and to their numerous
dependent industries, has compelled the people engaged in all these
occupations to give careful consideration to the questions of lake ship-
ping; and the whole subject of inland waterways has been forced
upon the attention of men in public life by the appeals that have been
made to Congress for large appropriations to immediately improve
existing harbors and channels and for the speedy construction of a deep
waterway from the Great Lakes to the sea. I>ut, notwithstanding this
widesiu'ead desire for information about the commerce on the lakes and
its far-reaching importance to several of our great national industries,
lake transportation has been well-nigh neglected, not only by writers
on transportation, but by our Government as well; and this in the face
of the fact that Congress is annually called upon to vote large sums of
money to facilitate trafllic upon these waters.

j^ot until the Eleventh Census was taken were full statistics gathered
of the movement of commodities upon the whole lake system,' and
since then (1889) nothing in the way of a comprehensive report has
been made or even satisfactory data collected.^ This being the situa-
tion, all hope of satisfactorily setting forth the development of lake
commerce in all its aspects may as well at once be abandoned. In fact,
the data are so meager and in part so unreliable that it is exceedingly
difficult even to set forth the growth of the total movement on the lakes.
As has already been stated, no statistics of the traftic moved on the
whole lake system can be obtained i)revious to the year 1889.

iJii 1852 a special report was submitted to Congress, entitled "Andrews' Report on
Colonial and Lake Trade," but this report leaves much to be desired, and l>esides the
period considered antedates that of this report. From this early date nothing com-
prehensive was attempted until the Tenth Census was taken, and even then only
commodities, carried in steam vessels were covered, and this portion of the subject
was not fully treated. The liulk of this report was devoted to ship1)uilding and to
the fleets and but little space given to the commerce moved.

2 See Appendix I for a critical examination of the data furnished by the Treasury
and War Departments. Mr. C. H. Keep's report of 1891 will there be discussed.
2

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 3

YoY the later years we have nothing but the reports of the Chief
of Engineers.^ In the earlier years, however, the commerce passing
through the Detroit IJiver was very nearly equal to the total movement
on the lakes, and thus jiretty accurately retiected the development of
commerce on the whole system, and it is therefore a cause for sincere
regret that we do not possess full statistics of the traftic moved through
this channel.- Tn recent years business between Lake Superior and
Lake Michigan ports has largely increased, with the result that the
commerce through the Detroit River is not now so good an index of
the whole movement on the lakes as formerly. The growth of com-
merce on the Great Lakes, as retiected by the amount of traffic passing-
through the Detroit River, is disclosed by the following figures, which,
have for the most part been taken from the reports of Col. O. M. Poe,
Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. The statement covers the traffic passing
both up and down the river:

Commerce mored tlrrough the Detroit Bher.a

1883
1884
1885

Eegistered Freight
tonnage. tonnage.

20, 285, 249
17, 572, 240
17,872,182

17. 695. 17-t

18, U4.5, 949
16. 777, 828
] 8, 968,065

18, 864, -250

19, 099, 060

Registered
tonnage.

1889

19, 646, 000

1891

22, 160, 000
24, 785, 000

1893

1894

26, 120. 000

1895

1896 i

Freight
tonnage.

19, 717, 860
21, 750. 913
28, 209, 619
26, 553, 819
23, 091, 899
24, 263, 868
/25, 845, 679
129,000,000
27, 900, 520

a See Appendix I for the sources of these figures.

Assuming now that these figures are approximately correct and that
they all vary to the same extent and in the same direction, we find that
there has been a substantial increase in the traffic passing through the
Detroit River. The traffic statistics show that there was a rapid in-
crease from 1873 to 1880, but that during the decade ending with the
year 1889 there was absolutely no growth. Inferences from these fig-
ures, however, should be drawn very cautiously. I am forced to be-
lieve that either the figures for 187."3 or those for 1880 are incorrect. I
am of the opinion that the remarkable development of traffic from 1873
to 1880 did not take place.

In discussing the points just raised I shall present what upon the
whole must be regarded as the most satisfactory evidence we have of
the growth of traffic upon the Great Lakes. It is the growth of the
lake fleet. We have statistics of the tonnage of the lake fleet from
the year 1868, and their accuracy can not be impugned. ' On one side
changes in the volume of traffic would be reflected slowly by the size
of the fleet. If traffic decreased the fleet would not at once decline, for

'Ttiese reports are based on the data collected by the custom-liouse officials. No
attempt is made to give the commerce for the whole lake system— simply the total
number of clearances, Avith the total registered tonnage.

-This was true because there was very little local traffic on the lakes, and nearly
the whole of the long-di.stance traffic passed through this channel. In 1889 the
cargo tonnage carried through the river in American vessels was 19,717,860 tons,
while the shipments from all American lake ports aggregated but 25,027,717 tons.
(Eleventh Census, Transportation Business, Part II, pp. 27.5, 308.)

'That is, they are what they purport to be. All rigged craft, however, are classed
with the sailing vessels, and consequently many vessels that are really barges are
classed as sailing vessels. This is to be regretted.

4 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

the vshii)s would be in existence and could not be put to other uses or
removed from the lakes.

If, however, business fell ofi' for a few years in succession, the ton-
nage of the fleet would surely be reduced. As the old ships became
unseaworthy or as vessels were wrecked, new ones would not be built
to take their places, and the tonnage would gradually decline, for ])eo-
pie do not put money in a losing venture. An increase of traffic, unlike
a decrease, is quickly reflected by accessions to the fleet. Years of
heavy traffic are always prosperous years for the shipyards. It then
appears that when the fleet is on the decline or stationary it may be
inferred that there has been no growth of traffic, and that when the
fleet is growing business is increasing.

In order to present the variations in the tonnage of the fleet in such
a way that the changes and the whole movement can be easily and
clearl}- apprehended, the figures have been charted.' The relative
amounts of sail, steam, and barge tonnage must be noted, for on the
lakes a steamer is supposed to be able to do two and one-fourth times
the work of a sail vessel of like tonnage.- The barges make as good
time as the steamers that tow them, so the carrying x)Ower of the barge
tonnage is also much greater than a like amount of sail tonnage. The
efiective carrying power of all the vessels has been largely increased
by the improved facilities that have been introduced for loading and
unloading vessels.

From the chart just mentioned, which may be found on the page
opposite, it appears that from 18G8 to 1872 the lake fleet did not quite
maintain its own, and then made rapid gains untd 1875, when the total
tonnage stood at 587,234 tons. From this high point the tonnage
steadily declined until 1879, when it stood at 552,002 tons. The next
year the tonnage increased to 557,942 tons and during the two following
years jumped to 048,815 tons and then increased slowly until 18S(), being
but 090,359 tons in that year. At about this time the new era in lake
transportation began ; the long stupor that had come over the lake car-
riers was broken and lake transportation was transformed from an anti-
quated to a modern industry. Since 1880 the tonnage on the lakes has
almost doubled, large accessions having been made every year, the years
1894 and 1895 excepted.' The growth of and changes in the tonnage
have now been pointed out, but the extent to which these alterations
enlarged the carrying capacity of the lake fleet still remains to be shown.
As has already been stated, it is generally held that a steamer can do two
and one fourth times the work of a sailing vessel of like tonnage. It
is obvious, then, that special importance attaches to the increase of this
kind of tonnage, and by the introduction of more powerful engines the
steamer itself became progressively a more efficient instrument.

Improved facilities for fueling, unloading, and loading* vessels have
also very greatly increased the carrying power of the whole fleet, to say
nothing of the enlarged carrying power due to better locks aud the

The figures may be found in Appendix I.

2 On the ocean it is generally held that a steamer can do three times the work of a
sailing vessel of like tonnage. The greater superiority of the steamer over the jail-
ing vessel on the ocean is due to the fact that ocean voyages are generally longer
than lake voyages, and it is while at sea that the steamer gains on the sailing vessel.
The sailing vessel is unloaded just about as rapidly as the steamer.

3 In examining the chart two facts should be kept in mind: (1) That the years
given are the fiscal years, and therefore ended on the 30th of June of the calendar
year; and (2) that vessels are built on contracts that freqiiently call for delivery at
a distant day, and so building may continue for some time after a period of limited
traffic has set in.

G/?oss 5 -

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r^ <7> CTj Oi O)
? 5 5 5^ 5

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STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 5

lighting of dangerous channels so as to permit passage by night. Mr.
A. B. Wolvin informs me that fifteen years ago 15 or 10 round trips
were considered a very good season's work in the ore business between
Lake Superior and Lake Erie ports, whereas 22 round trips are now
considered notliing more than a fair season's work. I shall now show
how the substitution of steam lor sails, aud other improvements, have
enlarged the carrying capacity of the lake tleet. In the following esti-
mates I have assumed that all the improvements other than the substi-
tution of steam for sails have increased the efficiency of the steam
tonnage by 75 per cent.^

It must be conceded that the estimates are conservative. In the
subjoined table accouut has been taken of the greater carrying power
of steamers and other improvements.

Tear.

Sail and
barge, plus
steam ton-
nage, multi-
plied by 3.

1 Sail and
' barge, plus
Tear. steam ton-
' nage, multi-
plied by 3.

742, 286
721,098
881,311
991, 848
982, 082 ,

1885 1,351,516

1870

1889 ' 2,058,278

1890 2,301,335

1875

1895 2,912.855

1880

1897 1 3,326,592

This table shows that the working power of the fleet was less in 1870
than it was in 186S, but that it increased rapidly from the former date
to 1875, but actually decreased from 1875 to 18S(f and increased rapidly
from 1880 to 1885. ' From 1885 to 1890 the growth was phenomenal, the
carrying power of the fleet being almost doubled in a period of live years.
Since 1891) the capacity of the fleet has largely increased, in spite of
several years of general business depression.

Now let us return to the statement of the traffic through the Detroit
Eiver. Can 9,000,000 tons for 1S73, and 20,235,249 tons'^ for 1880, and
19,717,860 tons for 1889 be considered as approximately correct? The
chart opposite page 1 shows that from 1873 to 1880 there was prac-
tically no increase in the floating equipment on the lakes, the ton-
nage in 1873 being 520,811 tons and in 1880 but 557,942 tons. By the
table above it will be seen that the effective carrying power of the
fleet was increased by but 100,000 tons, steam having been substituted
only to a limited extent for sails. ^Yith an increase of but 37,131 in
the' gross tonnage afloat on the lakes, could more than twice the amount
of traffic be moved in 1880 as was carried in 1873 .' Under certain cir-
cumstances this feat would be possible. If the season of 1873 was an
unusually dull one and a large portion of the fleet was tied up for a part
or the whole of the season it would be possible, with no large accessions
of tonnage, to carry twice the amount of freight in another season. But
all the facts we have show that the year 1873 was more than a fairly
good season. Eates, while not so high as during the preceding season,
were nevertheless well maintained; the traffic through the St. Marys
Falls Canal was large, shipments of flour and grain from Chicago and
Milwaukee were heavy, and the receipts of these commodities at Buff'alo

' It seemed l>est to me to make the increase of steam tonuage the basis of the
estimate, for the other improvements in a rough way went hand in hand with the
increase of this tonnage.

- It is to be noted that it has been accepted that the freight tonnage for 1880 Avas at
least tMinal to the registered tonnage passing through this channel. This assumption
is generally conceded to be entirely safe.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. O

ligliting- of dangerous cluiiniels so as to permit passage by iiiglit. Mr.
A. B. Wolviii iiiforius me that fifteen years ago 15 or 10 round trips
were considered a very good season's work in the ore business between
Lake Superior and Lake Erie ports, whereas 22 round trips are now
considered nothing more tlian a fair season's work. I shall now show
how the substitution of steam lor sails, and other improvements, have
enlarged the carrying capacity of the lake fleet. In the following esti-
mates I have assumed that all the improvements other than the substi-
tution of steam for sails have increased the efficiency of the steam
tonnage by 75 per cent.'

It must be conceded that the estimates are conservative. In the
subjoined table account has been taken of the greater carrying power
of steamers and other improvements.

Year.

Sail and
barge, pliis
steam ton-
nage, multi-
plied by 3.

Tear.

Sail and
barge, plus
steam ton-
nage, multi-
plied by 3.

1868

742, 28«
721,098
881,311
991, 848
982, 032

1885

1, 351, 516

1889

2, 058, 278

1873

1890

2, 301, 335

1875

1895

2, 912, 855

3, 326, 592

This table shows that the working power of the fleet was less in 1870
than it was in 186S, but that it increased rapidly from the former date
to 1875, but actually decreased from 1875 to 1880^ and increased rapidly
from 1880 to 1885. From 1885 to 1890 the growth was phenomenal, the
carrying power of the fleet being almost doubled in a period of five years.
Since 1890 the capacity of the fleet has largely increased, in spite of
several years of general business depression.

Now let us return to the statement of the traffic through the Detroit
Eiver. Can 9,000,000 tons for 1S7;5, and 20,235,249 tons^ for 1880, and
19,717,860 tons for 1889 be considered as approximately correct? The
chart opposite page 1 shows that from 1873 to 1880 there was prac-
tically no increase in the floating equipment on the lakes, the ton-
nage ill 1873 being 520,811 tons and in 1880 but 557,912 tons. By the
table above it will be seen that the effective carrying power of the
fleet was increased by but 100,000 tons, steam having been substituted
only to a limited extent for sails. With an increase of but 37,131 in
the gross tonnage afloat on tlie lakes, could more than twice the amount
of traffic be moved in 1880 as was carried in 1873 ? Under certain cir-
cumstances this feat would be possible. If the season of 1873 was an
unusually dull one and a large portion of the fleet was tied up for a part
or the whole of the season it would be possible, with no large accessions
of tonnage, to carry twice the amount of freight in another season. But
all the facts we have show that the year 1873 was more than a fairly
good season. Kates, while not so high as during the preceding season,
were nevertheless well maintained; the traffic through the St. Marys
Falls Canal was large, shipments of flour and grain from Chicago and
Milwaukee were heavy, and the receipts of these commodities at Buffalo

'It seemed hest to me to make the increase of steam tonnage the basivS of the
estimate, foi- the other improvements in a rough way went hand in hand with the
increase of this tonnage.

-It is to be noted that it has been accepted that the freight tonnage for 1880 was at
least equal to the registered tonnage passing through this channel. This assumption
is generally conceded to be entirely safe.

6 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

were fully up to the average. Eigliteeu hundred aud seventy-three was
a panic year, to be sure; but business in general was good up to the
time of the crash, which did not come until well along in the autumn.
This, then, being the situation, it becomes difticult to understand how,
if a fleet of 520,811 tons was kept busy, in 1873 in moving 9,000,000 tons
of freight one of 557,942 tons could have succeeded in moving over
20,000,000 tons in 1880.

A comparison of the statistics of the traffic through the Detroit
Eiver for the decade ending in 1889 and the growth of the lake fleet
during the same interval seems to discredit the traffic statistics. In
1880 the registered tonnage passing through the river was 20,235,219
tons and the tonnage of the lake fleet was 557,912 gross tons.^ During
the succeeding ten years the registered tonnage never in any one year
equaled this amount, and stood at 19,01(5,000 tons in 1889,- the year of
largest traffic. The tonnage of the lake fleet, on the other hand, stead-
ily increased from 557,942 gross tons in 1880 to 907, (iOl gross tons in
1889, and the effective carrying capacity grew from 982,032 tons to
2,058,278 tons, or much more than doubled. These diverse facts are
difficult to harmoni/e. It can not be ottered in exj)lanation that only a
small part of the traffic on the lakes found its way through the Detroit
River in 1889, for the traffic of this river stood in about the same rela-
tion to the total traffic on the lakes in 1889 as it did in 1880. Some
change had taken place, but it was not great. Since 1889 the Detroit
River has been progressively a poorer indication of the total traffic on
the lakes, but still stands to-day as a pretty good index.

What the growth of traffic upon the whole lake system has been since
1873 has now been shown in indirect ways. In conclusion, I shall pre-
sent the scant facts we have showing directly the development of com-
merce upon the whole system. It has already been stated that it was
not until the Eleventh Census was taken that the total volume of goods
moved on all kinds of vessels was ascertained. The total amount of
shipments from American lake ports for the last census year (1889) was
25,027,717 net tons. The registered tonnage that cleared from all the
collection districts on the chain of lakes for the year 1893 was 34,571,208
tons;' for the year 1894 37,565,229 tons, ^ for the year 1895 44,295,861
tons,-^ and for the year 1896 53,265,572 tons.''

As a rule the cargo tonnage is in excess of the registered tonnage."
If it be assumed that the cargo tonnage was just eijual to the registered
tonnage, there was a gain in the five-year period under consideration in
the goods movement on the whole lake system of 12,537,512 tons and
for the seven-year period a gain of 28,237,855 tons, which represents a

^To make this grand total every registered ton on the lakes would have to pass
through the Detroit River 36.2 times, or a liftle oftener than once a week, for a season
of eight months.

-As given bv the census, the freight tonnage for 1889 was 19,717,860 tons.

3 Annual Report Chief of Engineers, 1894, p. 2378.

■•Ibid., 1895, p. 3068.

•Ibid., 1896, pp. 2895,2896. Figures for 1894 and 1895 do not incliule Canadian
tonnage; the report for the year 1893 leaves the point iu doubt.

'These iigures were kindly furnished by Lieut. Col. G. .7. Lydecker, the Govern-
ment engineer in charge of the improvements of the' Detroit River.

" In the case of the St. Marys Falls Canal the freight tonnage has been considerably
in excess of the registered tonnage. Lieut. J. B. Cavanagh, in a report to Brig. Gen.
William P. Craighill, Chief Engineer, says: "Since 18«5 the freight tonnage has
exceeded the registered tonnage on an average by about 8 per cent." (House Doc.
No. 110, Fifty-fourth Congress, first session.) The figures covering the commerce of
the Detroit River also show that the cargo tonnage usually exceeds the registered
tonnage.

STATISTICS OF. LAKE COMMERCE. 7

gain for the shorter period of a tritie more than 50 per cent and for the
longer period of 112.8 per cent. In 1889 all the railroads in the United
States carried 019,105,030 tons of goods, and in 1894 074,714,747 tons,
and in 1890 773,808,710 tons.' There was thus in live years a gain of
55,549,117 tons, a trifle more than 9 per cent, and in seven years a gain
of 154,703,080 tons, or 24.9 per cent. The comparison, therefore, is
very favorable to the lakes.

As all the data have now been presented showing the growth of the
total movement of commodities on the lakes, the development of traffic
upon the great divisions of the lake system will be considered. Here
again there is a great dearth ol" information, but the situation is not so
bad as it was in the case just considered. The problem must, however,
be approached in a roundabout way, for there are no data showing the
growth of the total movement on any one of the cliief divisions of the
lake system. The traffic on the lower lakes (Lakes Brie and Ontario)
is pretty accurately reflected by the movement of goods through the
Detroit River. This is true, because, as has already been said, the local
business on the lakes is com[)aratively insignificant. The movement
through the Detroit lliver much more accurately indicates the total
traffic on the lower lakes than the commerce through the river reflects
the aggregate business of the whole lake system, and for the simple rea-
son that the local business is less in a small part than on the whole
system. In 1889 there was a total goods movement througii the Detroit
Kiver in American vessels of 19,717,800 tons, while the total commerce
of Lakes Erie and Ontario and the St. Lawrence liiver in American
vessels was but 807,125 tons more, or 20,524,985 tons.- If, now, it be
accepted that the grow^th of the traffic through the Detroit lliver may
be regarded as a fair index of the development of commerce on the
lower lakes, it is but necessary to refer to the table, on page 3, of the
traffic passing through the river.

Just as the Detroit Kiver furnished a statistical key to the traffic on
the lower lakes, so the St. Marys Falls Canal supplies a key to the com-
merce of the Lake Superior division of the lake system. In fact, it
affords a better one, for all of the traffic going to and coming from Lake
Superior must pass through the St. Marys Falls Canal,' while the lower
lakes have two outlets. There is also less local business on the LakGi
Superior division, and for this reason also the " Soo" is a, l)etter key than
the Detroit River.^ As the commerce on Lake Superior has attained
large i)roportions, the "Soo" occupies a very important position from a
statistical point of view, and, fortunately, there are very full statistics
of the traffic moved through it from the date of its opening in 1855.^

1 Statistical Abstract, 1897, p. 335.

^ This amount is obtained by dividing by 2 the difference between the traffic moved
through the Detroit Kiver and the sum of the receipts and shipments from all ports
on Lakes Erie and Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. In this operation all com-
merce i)assing to or from the lower lakes through the Detroit River is regarded as
loug-distiince traffic, and the remainder (local traffic) is divided by 2 because it
appears twice — once as shipments and again as receipts. The result thus obtained
is not to be regarded as absolutely correct, but it may be taken as a close approxi-
mation.

■'This gateway is commonly knoA^n as the "Soo" — the abbreviation of the longer
name of Sault Ste. Marie, adopted by the .Jesuit pioneers of tlie seventeenth century.

'During the year 1889 the local traffic on Lake Superior amounted to 3.51,997 net
tons. This amount was ol)tain('d by dividing by 2 the difference b<'tween tiie sum
of the shipments and receipts of Lake Superior ports and the tonnnge of tlie "Soo"
canal.

"See comments on these statistics in Appendix I, part, 1.

STATISTICvS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

The following table, taken from a re]iort of General Superintendent
Wheeler,' shows the growth of trattic upon the Lake Superior division
of the lake system :

Commerce of ihe St. Marys Falls Canal.

Tear, a

Registered
tonnage.

tlZ^W

Registered
tonnage.

Freight
tonnage. 6

106, 296
101,458
180, 820
219,819
852, 642
403, 657
276. 639
3.59, 612
507, 434
571,438
409, 062
458, 530
556, 899
432. 563
524, 885

' 1877

1, 439, 216
1,667.136
1,677,071
1,734,890
2, 092, 757
2, 468, 088

2, 042, 250
2,997,837

3, 035, 937
4, 219, 397

4, 897, 598

5, 130, 659

7, 221, 935

8, 454, 435
8, 400, 685

10,647,203
8, 949, 754
13, 1 10, 366
16, 806, 781
17, 249, 418
17,619,933

1856

1878

1857

1879

1881

1, 567, 741

2, 029, 521

18(51

1883

2, 267, 105

18.S4

2, 874, 557

3, 256, 628

1864

1886

4, 527, 759

1865

1887

5,494 649

1866

1888

6,411,423

1867

1889

7, 516, 022

9, 041, 213

8, 888, 759

1892

11,214,333

752. 101
014,735
1, 204, 446
1,070,857
1, 269, 534
1, 541, 676

10, 796, 572

1872

1873

1874

1894

1895

13, 195, 860
15 062 580

1896

16,239,061

1897

18, 982, 755

1876

nTho canal wa.s not opened until June 18, 1855. The traffic through the Canadian Canal, which
was opened to comineri'e September 9, 189.5, is included in the above statement for 1895-97.
6 Xo record was kept of the cargo tonnage until June, 1881.

The very rapid growth of the tonnage jiassing through the St. Marys
Falls Canal is in striking contrast with the very slow increase of that
passing through the Detroit IJiver. The growth of the traffic through
the former gateway has also been much more uniform than that through
the latter. Since the year 1880 bu.siness through the St. Marys Falls
Canal has increased with surprising rapidity. This has been due for
the most part to the astonishing development of the iron mines of the
Lake Superior region during the last fifteen years. In 1880 but 077,073
net tons of iron ore were moved out of Lake Superior. Since 1884 the
business has grown rapidly, and during the season of 1805 shipments
slightly exceeded 8,000,000 net tons and constituted a little more than
one-half of the total movement of freight through the canal. In 1896
the large business of the previous year was not realized, but the move-
ment of iron ore during the season of 1807 surpassed all records, and
amounted to 10,r);33,715 net tons. Lumber, grain. Hour, and coal are
the other items which have made the largest contributions to the
increased movement.

There still remains of the lake system one division to be considered;
it is formed by Lakes Michigan, Huron, and St. Clair. The growth of
commerce on this group can not be set forth, even approximately. The
traffic through the Detroit River conveys some idea of the develoi)ment
of the business of this group, but not a very good one. This is the
case because the local traffic ui)on Lake Michigan is too large to be
ignored, and because there is now a large movement of iron ore and
lumber from the ports of Lake Superior to those of Lake Michigan.

Several striking facts concerning the character of lake transporta-
tion are brought out by the traffic statistics. Probably the first to
arrest attention is the celerity with which cargoes are loaded and

' Mr. Wheeler is the Government engineer in charge of the canal.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. y

unloaded. Instead of losing days in receiving- and discharging cargoes,
as was once the case, only hours are now lost. Perhaps this statement
is not strong enough, for if averages could be obtained it would proba-
bly be found that it does not now require .so many hours to load and
unload as it did days some years ago. Vessels lose almost no time at
the docks. It is almost literally true that they are constantly going or
coming; that is, they are nearly all the time engaged in the work for
which they were designed, namely, carrying goods. This great dis-
patch is in a large measure gained by building vessels and docks
adapted to each other. It must not, however, be understood that this
development has reached its final phase, fur in the handling of certain
commodities much yet remains to be accomplished. As the iron ore
business has become concentrated in a few hands, with the result that
the ore is now conveyed from its natural bed in the mines to the fur-
nace by the same party, it would be expected that here would be found
the most harmonious and complete development of machinery for the
cheap and expeditious handling of freight, and such is the case. The
docks have been so constructed that ore may be spouted into all the
hatches of the ship at the same time, and just recently a dock has been
completed equii>ped with such a large number of hoists as to permit ore
to be raised from all of the hatches simultaneously of even the largest
vessels.' Much i)rogress has also been made in the expeditious han-
dling of other commodities, particularly coal.-

Another change which has materially reduced the time vessels lose
in i)ort is the new method of fueliisg. Instead of the vessel going to
the docks to be coaled, at a great sacrifice of time, the fuel is now
brought alongside the vessel on a scow or barge and put on board while
the shi]) is being loaded or unloaded.

The importance of these two changes can not easily be overestimated.
They largely account for the fact that while fifteen or sixteen round trips
from the head of Lake Superior to the foot of Lake Erie were regarded
as a good season's average fifteen years ago, nothing short of twenty-
two would now be considered as satisfactory in the iron ore traffic. Our
interest does not center in the mechanical improvements that liave
made this greater number of trips possible. It lies rather in the influ-
ence the larger number of trips may have upoii the cost of transporta-
tion and ultimately upon rates, and when these are taken up in detail
the improvements that have increased by more than one-third the
efl'ective carrying power of vessels will again be considered.

Another striking fact of lake traflic is its extreme simplicity. It
is in the main made up of but few commodities. The articles which
constitute the great bulk — almost the whole — of the commerce moved
are the crude products of the extractive industries. The mines, the
forests, and the grain fields of the territory about the Great Lakes are
the sources in which the mass of the traffic originates. During the
last census year the three commodities — iron ore, lumber, and coal —
contributed 75.73 per cent of the tonnage of the lakes, and grain and
mill i^roducts contributed KLl") of the renuiining -J4.27 per cent, thus
leaving but 8. 12, per cent undistributed.'

During the navigation season of 1896 there passed through the St.

1 This dock is located at Coimeaut, aud is the property of the new mineral railroad,
the Pittsburg, Besst-nier and Lake Erie.

-Nothinfj; more on this point Avill be said at this time, for as each of the leading
commodities that go to make up lake commerce is studied the machinery used in
moving it will be considered at length.

•^Eleventh Census, Transportation Bu.siness, Part II, p. 308.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Marys Falls Canal 16,239,001 net tons of freight. To this amount iron
ore, lumber, coal, grain, and flour contributed 15,432,99'3 tons.

In a very large measure the traffic of the Detroit Kiver presents the
same simplicity as that of the St. Marys Falls Canal. Several of the
articles, however, which were rather insigniticant among the commodi-
ties sent through the St. Marys Falls Canal attained some degree of
imi^ortance among the items of freight passing through the Detroit
River. During the navigation season of 1805 iron ore and finished
iron, coal, grain and flour, and lumber (not including logs) contributed
23,104,239 tons to the 25,81.5,079 net tons of freight passing through
the river. In order to more clearly set forth the simplicity of lake
traffic a detailed statement of the commerce passing through these
two channels will be inserted.

Sttitenicnt of the freight traffic throtigh the St. Mar>/is Falls Canal for tlie season of t896.a

Total 1

trnffi.< I

Coal uettous.. 3, 023, :i40

Flour barrels.. 8,882,858

Wheat bushels . . C3, 256, 463

Graiu, exc'Iudiii}; wheat ilo 27,448,071

Mamiiactured and pig iron .net tons. . 121, 872

Salt barrels.. 237,515

(."opper net tons.

Iron ore do...

Lumber Mfeet.B.M.

Silver ore, in bullion net tou.s.

Buildiug stone do...

Uuclassiflod freight do. . .

Total
tratlic.

116,872
7, 909, 250
684, 986
240
17, 731
520,851

a The commerce passing through the Canadian Canal is included.

Commerce of the Detroit Biver during the season of 1S95, comprising staples only, and onhj
such staples as were shipped on vessels that cleared from United Slates ports. a

Commodity.

Amount.

Net tons.

8, 451, 688

107, 147

7, 834, 942

100

347, 000

barrels..

711,078

59, 425, 842

11, 536, 246

47.334,981

39, 1 16, 202

3,410,451

703, 078

199,170,000

165 734

95, 000, 000

1, 098, 649, 400

009, 000

106, 677

Wheat

bushels..

1, 865, 735

1, 153, 620

bushels..

1,314,463

Rye, barley, and oats

Flax and grass seed

Salt

do....

. .barrels..

844, 791
77,516
98, 000

Shingles and lath s

Telegraph poles

pieces..

do....

. . . feet, B. M

50, 000
42, 000
152, 500

do....

1.639,000

Provisions

Unclassified freight

hogsheads..

130, 500
1, 630, 000

25, 845, 679

a Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1896, Part V, pp. 2895-2896.

Another of the conspicuous features of lake transportation is the
great preponderance of east-bound over westbound tonnage. In 1890
the total east-bound traffic through the Detroit River in American ves-
sels was 15,070,156 net tons, while the west-bound traffic was but
6,080,757 net tous.^

Although the excess of east-bound over west-bound is very large in
the case of the Detroit River, it is still more characteristic of the traf-

i Internal Commerce of the United States, 1891, p. xxxix. This is the latest year
for which we have official statistics which distinguish between east and west-bound
traffic passing through the Detroit River.

STATISTICS OP l.AKE COMMERCE. 11

tic passing- through the St. Marys Falls Canal; moreover, present indi-
cations go to show that the equilibrium will be still further disturbed,
for the east-bound movement through the oanal has recently been
increasing at a more rapid rate than the west-bound. For the naviga-
tion season of 1896, the east-bound commerce passing through the
LTnited States and Canadian canals at the Falls of St. ]Mary amounted
to 12,737,0(Jii net tons, while the west-bound tonnage was but 3,501,999
net tons,' or somewhat more tliau one fourth of the east-bound.

The difference in volume between the east and west bound movements
is not so great in the case of the business to and from Lake Michigan
as it is in the case of the other lakes. The great disparity which
exists between the east and west bound commerce on the lake system,
as a whole, is largely due to the fact that as a nation we ship by all
routes much more freight to the Bast tliau we receive from the East.
Inequality of east and west bound shipments is not peculiar to lake
transportation; it also characterizes railroad traffic. This dispropor-
tion is explained by the fact that in exchange for its heavy products
of the mine, field, and forest, the West receives the manufactured
products of the East and of foreign countries. The finished products
received in exchange do not of course even remotely approach the
crude products in weight and bulk.

Local traffic on the Great Lakes is comparatively insignificant,
i^early the whole of the commerce moved is carried from one end of the
lake system to the other. About four-fifths of the iron ore mined in
the Lake Superior region is trans]>orted to Lake Erie ports, and nearly
the whole of the remaining fifth is taken to Milwaukee and Chicago.
The shipments for the year 1S9() amounted to 9,934,440 gross tons; of
this amount 8,026,432 tons, or about foui'-fifths, were received at Lake
Erie ports.'^

Xearly all of the grain and fiour moved on Lake Superior is shipped
from Duluth, West Superior, and Ashland, at the extreme western end
of the lake, to Buffalo, at the extreme eastern end of Lake Erie, or a
distance of aj)proximately 1,000 statute miles. And the bulk of the
grain and flour and other mill products transported on Lake Michigan
originates in Chicago and Milwaukee, at the southern end of the lake,
and is transported to Buffalo, at the other end of the lake system. The
total shipments of wheat, corn, and other grain in the last census year
(1889) aggregated 3,401,881 tons, and of this amouut> 3,008,901 tons
were shipi^ed from the ports of lakes Michigan and Superior. The
receipts at the ports of Lakes Erie and Ontario and the St. Lawrence
River aggregated 2,902,378 tons. It must not be inferred, however,
that the whole of the difference represents local traffic, for ujjon the
whole lake system shipments exceeded receipts by 421,421 tons, and
a large part of this excess found its way to Canadian ports on the lower
lakes. The total shipments of mill products amounted to 894,123 tons,
and of this amount 825,637 tons were shipped from the ports of Lakes
Michigan and Superior. Eeceipts at the ports of lakes Erie and Ontario
and the St. Lawrence aggregated 861,187 tons.'

Lumber, the one large item remaining of the east and south bound
freight, is also, for the most part, long-distance freight, but its places

1 These figures were kiudly furnished by the officers in charge of the canal.

■^ See Appendix III for detailed statement of shipment and receipt of iron ore by
ports for a series of years.

"' It is to l)e noted that the receipts of mill products exceeded the shipments by
97,943 tons. There were some importations from Canada, but it seems hardly prob-
able that they equaled this amount.

12 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

of origin aud destination are so nnmerous that this fact can not easily
be pointed out. The west-bonnd traffic consists almost entirely of the
one article coal. It forms cargoes for vessels on return trips up the
lakes, and as it is shipjied from Lake Erie porfs and in the main is
carried to the ports at the far ends of lakes Michigan and Superior, it
too is long-distance freight. In the last census year the total move-
ment of coal and coke was 0,105,799 tons.'

The shipments from Lake Erie ports aggregated 5,190,182 tons, and
the receipts at the ports of lakes Michigan and Superior were 4,019,096
tons. The total shipments on the lakes exceeded receipts by 943,328
tons, and probably the bulk of this excess represents exportations to
Canada, some of which was carried well up the lakes. AH the large
items of lake commerce have now been considered, and it has been
found that in general they may be regarded as long-distance freight.
This is equally true of juost of the smaller items and of the package
freight. r>ut limitations of space forbid a detailed examination of the
various items. In conclusion, some general evidence of recent date will
be submitted to show the preponderance of the through traffic. Gen-
eral Superintendent Wheeler reports that the average distance that the
10,239,001 tons of freight which passed through the St. Marys Canal
in 1890 were carried was 830.4 miles. And in the brief recently i^re-
X)ared by Mr. C. H. Keei) for the Lake Carriers' Association it is stated
that the average length of haul for the 29,000,(K)0 tons of freight that
passed Detroit in 1895 was 750 miles.

Far-reaching changes in the instrumentalities employed in the move-
ment of lake commerce have lately taken place. Not only has there
been a very rapid incjrease in the size of the vessels, but there has also
been a revolution in the materials used in their construction and in the
motive power employed. In 1808 the aveiage size of the sailing vessels
on the lakes was 158 gross tons; in 1870 it was 150 tons; a decade
later it liad increased to 209 tons, and two decades later to 258 tons,
while in 1897 the average tonnage of the sailing vessels was 330 gross
tons. Steamers have increased in size even more rapidly. In 1808
their average gross tonnage was but 231 tons, and in 1870, 223 tons.
During the next ten years it remained about stationary, being but 228
tons in 1880. The following decade, however, witnessed a very rapid
increase, and the average admeasurement of the steamers that plied
on the lakes in 1890 was 427 gross tons. There was still further
progress during the succeeding seven years, and in 1897 the average
gross tonnage of the lake steamers had reached 551 tons, or almost
two and one-half times what it was in 1870.

Owing to the comparative absence from Lake Superior of small craft
engaged in passenger and local freight business, the average size of
the vessels in the heavy and long-distance freight traffic of the lakes
is much more accurately indicated by averages covering the vessels
employed in the commerce of this lake than by the figures that have
just been presented. In 1870 the average registered tonnage of the
various kinds of vessels passing through the St. Marys Falls Canal was
approximately 375 tons; in 1880 it was about 495, aud by 1890 it had
increased to about 800 tons. In 1890 it had much more than doubled as
compared with 1870, and was 920 tons registeied. Figures showing the
progressive increase of the average size of the vessels constituting the
whole lake tleet have now been presented. These averages do not, how-
ever, convey an adequate idea of the change which has taken i^lace, and
for the obvious reason that because the life of a ship extends over a con-

Coke is a very small item.

12 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

of origin and destination are so numerous tliat this fact can not easily
be pointed out. The westbound traftic consists almost entirely of the
one article coal. It forms cargoes for vessels on return trips up the
lakes, and as it is shipped from Lake Erie i^orfs and in the main is
carried to the ports at the far ends of lakes Michigiin and Superior, it
too is long-distance freight. In the last census year the total move-
ment of coal and coke was 6,105,799 tons.'

The shipments from Lake Erie ports aggregated 5,190,182 tons, and
the receipts at the ports of lakes Michigan and Superior were 4,G 19,096
tons. The total shipments on the lakes exceeded receipts by 943,328
tons, and probably the bulk of this excess represents exportations to
Canada, some of which was carried well up the lakes. AH the large
items of lake commerce have now been considered, and it has been
found that in general they may be regarded as long-distance freight.
This is equally true of most of the smaller items and of the pa(;kage
freight. But limitations of si)ace forbid a detailed examination of the
various items. In conclusion, some general evidence of recent date will
be submitted to sliow the preponderance of tlie through traffic. Gen-
eral Superintendent Wheeler reports that the average distance that the
10,239,()()1 tons of freight which passed through the St. Marys Canal
in 1890 were carried was 830,4: miles. And in the brief recently pre-
pared bv Mr. 0. II. Keep for the Lake Carriei-s' Association it is stated
that the^ average length of haul for the 29,000,000 tons of freight that
passed Detroit in 1895 was 750 miles.

Far-reaching changes in the instrumentalities emi»loycd in the move-
ment of lake commerce have lately taken place. Not only has there
been a very rapid increase in the size of the vessels, but there has also
been a revolution in the materials used in their construction and in the
motive power employed. In 1808 the average size of the sailing vessels
on the lakes was 158 gross tons; in 1870 it was 150 tons; a decade
later it had increased to 209 tons, and two decades later to 258 tons,
while in 1897 the average tonnage of the sailing vessels was 330 gross
tons. Steamers have increased in size even more rapidly. In 1808
their average gross tonnage was but 231 tons, and in 1870, 223 tons.
During the next ten years it remained about stationary, being but 228
tons in 1880. The following decade, however, witnessed a very rapid
increase, and the average admeasurement of the steamers that plied
on the lakes in 1890 was 427 gross tons. There was still further
progress during the succeeding seven years, and in 1897 the average
gross tonnage of the lake steamers had reached 551 tons, or almost
two and one-half times what it was in 1870.

Owing to the comparative absence from Lake Superior of small craft
engaged in passenger and local freight business, the average size of
the vessels in the heavy and long-distance freight traffic of the lakes
is much more accurately indicated by averages covering the vessels
employed in the commerce of this lake than by the figures that have
just been i>resented. In 1870 the average registered tonnage of the
various kinds of vessels passing through the St. Marys Falls Canal was
approximately 375 tons; in 1880 it was about 495, and by 1890 it had
increased to about 800 tons. In 1890 it had much more than doubled as
compared with 1870, and was 92(5 tons registered. Figures showing the
progressive increase of the average size of the vessels constituting the
whole lake tieet have now been presented. These averages do not, how-
ever, convey an adequate idea of the change which has taken place, and
for the obvious reason that because the life of a ship extends over a con-

1 Coke is a verv small item.

i^^l

;^*:

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 13

siderable period of time, tlie small vessels constructed in the earlier
periods are still in existence to depress the averages of the later periods.
To eliminate this source of error, statistics will be given showing the
average size of the new construction year by year.^ In order to show
clearly the trend, these statistics are presented in the form of a chart,
which appears on the opposite page.

The chart clearly shows that the average tonnage of the sailing ves-
sels has not greatly increased, and the average tonnage of the steamers
shows no remarkable change up to the fiscal year 1887. From 1887,
however, the average tonnage increased by leaps and bounds. The
average gross tonnage of the steamers built in 1886 was but 2GU.10 tons,
while in 189L it was 758.72 tons, and in 1897 1,4.30,91 tons. This is equiv-
alent to an increase in size of 534 per cent in the twelve year period under
consideration. To enable one to form an accurate conception of the
size and carrying capacity of the propellers now being constructed, I
shall give the dimensions of a steamer now being built for the Bessemer
Steamship Company by F. W. Wheeler & Co. This vessel is larger
than any vessel afloat on the lakes or any other vessel now building.
She will measure 475 feet over all, and will have a beam measurement
of 50 feet and a depth of 29 feet. Her carrying capacity will be between
6,500 and 6,750 gross tons on a mean draft of 17 feet.'

These dimensions and capacity will probably very soon be exceeded,
for the tendency seems to be toward still larger vessels. To give the
reader some idea of the relative size of lake and ocean vessels, I shall
compare the dimensions of the largest vessel about the lakes with those
of two of the largest ocean vessels — Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, which
is the largest steamer now in service, and the Oceanic, now building —
the largest steamer either in service or building.

! TSoaoAniP,- Kaiser
. Dimensions, o steamer ^i^lielm Oceanic.

' ' ■ tier Grosse. ;

I ■ Feet. ' Feet. j Feet.

Length over all ' 475 64S ' 704

Length of keel 455 | 685

Beam 50 66 68

Depth 29 43 46

a The dimensions of these ships were furnished by Mr. L. M. Bowers, general manager of the Besse-
mer steamship Company; Oelrich.s & Co., New York agents of North German Lloyd, and the Xew
York agents of the White Star Line.

It appears by this table that the Oceanic, the largest ocean vessel,
surpasses the largest lake vessel in the matter of length by 48 per cent,
in breadth of beam by 36 per cent, and in depth bj^ 58 i^er cent. The
great disparity in the matter of depth is explained by the shallowness
of the water in the harbors and channels which connect the lakes.

Another conspicuous feature of the history of the lake fleet is the
rapid substitution of steam for sails as a motive power. In 1868 there
"were in the waters of the Great Lakes 624 steam vessels, with a meas-
urement of 144,117 gross tons, and 1,855 sailing vessels, with a measure-
ment of 293.978 gross tons. The sailing tonnage was thus a trifle more
than double that of the steam tonnage. The relative iinx)ortance of
these two classes of vessels changed very slowly during the next fifteen
years, and it was not until 1884 that the steam exceeded the sail ton-

^ These statistics may be found iu Appendix 1.

2 These facts were kindly furnished to me by Mr. L. M. Bowers, general manager of
the Bessemer Steamship Company.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 13

siderable period of time, the small vessels constructed in the earlier
periods are still in existence to depress the averages of the later periods.
To eliminate this source of error, statistics will be given showing the
average size of the new construction year by year.^ In order to show
clearly the trend, these statistics are presented in the form of a chart,
which appears on the opposite page.

The chart clearly shows that the average tonnage of the sailing ves-
sels has not greatly increased, and the average tonnage of the steamers
shows no remarkable change up to the fiscal year 1887. From 1887,
however, the average tonnage increased by leaps and bounds. The
average gross tonnage of the steamers built in 1886 was but 2(31>.10 tons,
while in 1891 it was 758.71} tons, and in 1897 1,430.91 tons. This is equiv-
alent to an increase in size of 534 per cent in the twelve-year period under
consideration. To enable one to form an accurate conception of the
size and carrying capacity of the propellers now being constructed, I
shall give the dimensions of a steamer now being built for the Bessemer
Steamship Company by F. W. Wheeler & Co. This vessel is larger
than any vessel afloat on the lakes or any other vessel now building.
She will measure 475 feet over all, and will have a beam measurement
of 50 feet and a depth of 29 feet. Her carrying capacity will be between
6,500 and 6,750 gross tons on a mean draft of 17 feet.'

Dimensions, a

Ji.aiser

WilLelm ' Oceanic,
der Grosse.

Length over all

Length of keel j 455

Beam i 5i i

Depth 29

Feet. Feet. ! Feet.

475 648 704

a The dimensions of these ships were furnished by Mr. L. M. Bowers, general manager of the Besse-
mer Steamship Company; Oelrichs & Co., New York agents of North German Lloyd, and the New
York agents of the White Star Line.

It appears by this table that the Oceanic, the largest ocean vessel,
surpasses the largest lake vessel in the matter of length by 48 per cent,
in breadth of beam by 36 per cent, and in depth by 58 per cent. The
great disparity in the matter of depth is explained by the shallowness
of the water in the harbors and channels which connect the lakes.

Another conspicuous feature of the history of the lake fleet is the
rapid substitution of steam for sails as a motive power. In 1868 there
were in the waters of the Great Lakes 624 steam vessels, with a meas-
urement of 144,117 gross tons, and 1,855 sailing vessels, with a measure-
ment of 293,978 gross tons. The sailing tonnage was thus a trifle more
than double that of the steam tonnage. The relative importance of
these two classes of vessels changed very slowly during the next fifteen
years, and it was not until 1884 that the steam exceeded the sail ton-

1 These statistics may be found in Appendix 1.

■2 These facts were kindly furnished to me by Mr. L. M. Bowers, general manager of
the Bessemer Steamship Company.

14 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

nage. Since 1884: tlie sailiug tonnage, as it appears on the records of
the Bureau of Xavigatiou, has remained about stationary, being 307,733
gross tons in that year and 334,104 gross tons in 1897. Tlie steam ton-
nage, on the other hand, has increased with great rapidity since 1884,
and is now nearly three times as great as the sail tonnage. Iti reality,
however, the sailing tonnage is very much less now than it was in 1884.
Many of the vessels classed as sailing vessels have really been trans-
formed into barges, for they are now habitually towed. These vessels
are difficult to classify, as they have not been dismantled. If their
rigging were taken down, they would be classified with the barges.
The law reqnires the Commissioner of Kavigation to document and
report vessels by their rig. Whether canvas is occasionally or never
stretched is a matter into which he can not officially enter. "The rig's
the thing." The acts of Congress assume that where a vessel has
motive power of its own it uses it, though it is generally known that
towing is resorted to, and to a very great extent.

The tonnage of sailing vessels on the records of the Bureau of I^avi-
gation also includes a number of vessels almost always spoken of on the
lakes as barges. These vessels form a very respectable tonnage, as most
of the new steel barges fall within this group. These barges are officially
classified as sailing vessels, for the same reason that many of the ves-
sels that were once sailing vessels, but are now barges, are still officially
grouped with the sailing vessels — namely, for the reason that they are
rigged. Most of the new steel barges can spread a limited amount of
canvas, but they are habitually towed, and ordy raise their canvas when
a favorable wind blows. The statistics without explanation, therefore,
convey but a very imperfect idea of the extent to which business is
now being done by sailing vessels. Sailing vessels, in the true sense,
have practically disappeared from Lake Superior. When at St. Marys
Falls Canal, I was informed, on the 0th of September, by Mr. Andrew
Jackson, one of the officers in charge of the canal, that but six sailing-
vessels running independently had been passed through the h»cks
during the season of 1807.' Mr. A. B. Wolvin, a vessel owner and
one of the largest shippers on the lakes, told me about the middle of
September that he had seen but one sailing vessel on Lake Superior
running independently in sixyears.^ Sailing vessels have also largely
disappeared from the lower lakes. More of them remain on Lake Michi-
gan than on any other lake. They are largely engaged in transporting
lumber, ties, and posts, and do not often traverse the narrow chan-
nels connecting the different lakes through which it would be neces-
sary to be towed. With the disappearance of sailing vessels, the large
fleets of tugs stationed at the St. Marys, St. Clair, and Detroit rivers
have lost a once profitable employment, and have now practically
disappeared.

Perhaps the best evidence we have of the ftivor in which sail and
steam vessels are now held are tlie statistics of construction for the last
two years. The reports of the Commissioner of Navigation show that
the steam tonnage constructed on the northern lakes during the last
two fiscal years was almost eleven times that of the sail tonnage — the

' This may surprise one familiar with the annual reports of the commerce passing
through the St. Marys Falls Canal. For instance, the latest report gives the number
of sailing vessels passed through the locks in 189(5 as 4,391. It seems strange that
so few should use the locks in 1897. The situation is made clear l)y an explanation
of the classification adopted in the report. In the canal report, all vessels not pro-
pelled by steam power, such as schooners, barges, and cousorts of all kinds, and
which are registered by the United States, are classed as '-'sailing vessels."

-It needs hardly to be said that pleasure boats are not included in this discussion.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COM^IERCE. 15

former being 137,o30.80 tons and the latter 12.(j»)1.11 tous. The sailing
tonnage, as here given, does not inclnde the steel sailing vessels, all of
which, I am informed by Mi: W. I. Babcock, manager of the Chicago
Ship Bnilding Company, are really barges.

Steam is relied npon as a motive ])ower to even a greater extent than
the statistics which have been given would indicate. The barges are
towed by the steamers, and so the barge tonnage is moved by steam
power. The barge tonnage on June 30, 1897, as reported by the Com-
missioner of Navigation, was 00,783 tons. This statement does not
include any of the sailing vessels that are always towed but have not
been dismantled. jS^or does this statement include any of the rigged
barges of new construction that now form a respectable tonnage; in
the single year 1897 there was a gross tonnage of rigged steel barges
constructed of 31,030.37 tons. The statistics of construction and of
the lake fleet are likely to be progressively niisleadiug if continued
according to the classification which now obtains, for traus})ortation by
tow barges seems to be gaining in favor. This is in part due to the
fact that the dock facilities have been so enlarged that the steamer and
her consort or consorts may be unloading at the same time. Formerly,
as a general thing, the boats could only be unloaded in detail, and the
steamer lost valuable time in waiting tor the barges.

Circumstances decidedly favor the substitution of steam for sails.
Steamers are operated on the Great Lakes under conditions the most
favorable for steam navigation. Good steaming coal can be bought in
the ports of the lakes at a very low price, and the voyages are very short
in comparison with the long ocean voyage, a fact which makes it unnec-
essary to carry a great amount of dead freight in the form of coal. The
comparatively limited extent of the lakes is favorable to steam naviga-
tion for still another reason. In severe storms sailing vessels are helpless
and drift with the wind. On the ocean this is not dangerous, because
there is sea room, but on the lakes vessels are soon driven ashore and
wrecked. This danger is not so great in the case ot steamers, for they
can run against the wind and usually succeed in standing off from the
shore.' Tliese facts, together with the general desire of the modern
business world for dispatch, sufficiently exjilain the change from sails
to steam.

The increased size of ships and the substitution of steam for sails —
two of the three radical changes we have to consider — have rendered
desirable, in order to secure strength with lightness and elasticity, the
third change, namely, the substitution of steel for wood as the material
for construction. In lake vessels the machinery is placed far aft, and
as the vibration is in most cases very much increased by the machinery
being in this position, the hull must be made unusually strong. The
hulls of lake vessels are also subjected to unusual strains, because of
the machinery being placed far aft, when the boats are running light —
that is, without cargo, the explanation being that the weight of the
machinery and coal sinks the stern, and in rough weather the forward
end of the sliii^ is thrown very much out of water, producing a heavy
"hogging" strain. This has been materially lessened in more modern
vessels by increasing the depth of the water bottom, and thus the amount
of water carried when light, but is at times very much aggravated by
the practice of admitting free water into the cargo holds aft in order to
get the wheel well down into the water so it will work effectively.

' During the navigation season of 1896, of the 14 vessels which were stranded and
were a total loss, onlv 2 were steamers; the others were schooners. (The Marine
Review, Vol. XIV, No." 24. p. 7.)

16 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

With the vessel loaded the straius are less with the usual arrangement
of lake machinery thau if it were amidships. A ship constructed of
irou or of steel is much more buoyant thau one built of wood. It is
usually estimated that there is a ditference in buoyancy of 30 per ceut
in favor of the irou and 4 > per cent in favor of the steel hull. Steel is
much more elastic thau irou, aud therefore bears strains much better.

As a result of this superiority in respect of strength, elasticity, buoy-
ancy, aud durability, the preference for steel has become very decided,
and as the price of steel has fallen very rapidlj^ aud that of wood has
risen, it has become profitable to substitute steel for wood. There is
probably in the world to-day no i^lace at tide water wliere ship plates
can be laid down for a less price than they can be manufactured or pur-
chased at the lake ports. Tliere is, therefore, every reason for steel
being substituted for wood. In 18SG there were but six steel vessels,
with an aggregate net tonnage of (;,!")<) tons atloat in the lake; since
188G there has been a revolution in the material of the tioating equip-
ment. On June 30, 1897, the gross tonnage of steel vessels on the
lakes aggregated ■480,291.47 tons,' or much more than one-half that of
the wooden tonnage, the latter being 8Sr),832.^.") tons. Steel was the
material used in the construction of about eight-ninths of the tonnage
built and documented in the tiscal year 1897. The chart on the oppo-
site page shows the wood and metal tonnage by years since 1880.

Because of the more effective organization and use of labor and
material forces and the use of improved facilities for handling freight
at terminals, but especially on account of the betterment of the per-
manent way, and because of tlie introduction of more efficient instru-
ments of transpoi'tation, our railroads have found it possible to lower
their freight tariffs. From a later day similar changes have been in
progress in the lake transportation business, aud there also have made
possible a reduction of charges. Better roadbeds, heavier rails,
straighter tracks, with easier grades, find their counterpart on the
lakes in deeper and more direct channels, aud in more effective locks;
the improvements which the railroad have introduced f(jr the expe-
ditious haudhng of freight at terminals have been more thau equaled
by the dock and steamship companies, aud the rapidity with which
cargo freight is now loaded and unloaded approaches the marvelous.
Better tracks have made it possible to run heavier trains, and simi-
larly, deeper channels have enabled the vesselmen to increase the
burden of their ships. We have now seen that the improvements
which have rendered possible a reduction of carrying charges on the
railroad, have also made practicable a reduction of tariff on the lakes.

I shall now endeavor to show to what extent rates have fallen. First,
let us compare the rates prevailing in one period with those of other
periods to determine the absolute decliue. In attempting to do this we
are at the outset confronted with a serious problem, namely, the period
to be selected as a starting point, and what other periods shall be con-
trasted with the one first selected. This matter is always a perplexing
one, but in the case in hand it is unusually difficult, because of the vio-
lent fluctuations that characterize lake rates. To avoid some of the
evils of an injudicious starting point, and also the more clearly to por-
tray the movement, I have charted the charges for a long period. The
article selected is wheat, and the rates are those between Chicago and
Buffalo, as given by the Xew York Produce Exchange. The charges

' These figures include the iron vessels, which have a gross tonnage of about 30,000
tons.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

for this commodity alone were charted, because wheat is a representa-
tive freight, and fairly retiects the general movement of rates.'

The chart shows that the trend has been very decid* dly downward.
I sliall not attempt to describe more minutely the downward movement,
because it is quite impossible to select representative years, and the
chart presents the matter very clearly and forcibly. The lirst feature to
arrest attention is the exceedingly violent Huctuation of the lake rates.
The very erratic movement of the rates is explained by the method of
fixing rates adopted by the lake carriers, who introduce an entirely
new schedule at the opening of each season of navigation and alter it
many times during the season. When business is heavy the rates go
up, and when business is light the rates go down.

The following table shows the fluctuations of a single season :

Current weeldy freiyhts, per bushel, o)t tvheat from Chicago to Buffalo by Jalce durirnj the
season of 1895.

[Report of Chicago Board of Trade, 1895, p. 113.]

Week ending-

Cents.

■
"Week ending—

Cents.

W eek ending-

Cents.

Apr. 13

Julv 6

1
1

Sept 28

^ is::::::::::::::::

Ont. 5

May 4

3i::::::::::::::::

Xov 2

•■i 1| 1

1* '

''2

;;| ; 1 - - „::;:::::::::::::

Dec 7

These violent fluctuations serve to show the flexibility of the lake
charges, the readiness with which the rates are adjusted to what the
traffic will bear, and stand in striking contrast with rail rates, which
respond but slowly.

As a general thing, the discussions of lake rates are misleading. Eates
have sometimes been so selected as to give one the impression that
charges have fallen very rapidly and continuously. The following is
an example in point: "In 1857 the average rate by lake and canal on
a bushel of wheat from Chicago to New York was 25.29 cents ; in 1870 the
rate for the same service was 17.1 cents per bushel; in 1880 it was 12.27
cents per bushel, and in 1890 5.85 cents per bushel." Now note what a
change is introduced by selecting the rates prevailing in 1858 instead
of 1857, and in 1871 instead of 1870:

Tear.

Rates.

Tear.

Rates.

1857

Cents.
25. 29
17.10
12.27
5 85

18!)8

Cents.

1870

1871

20 24

1880

12. 27

1890

1890 . . ...

5.85

These examples show how important it is, if it be desired to communi-
cate a correct impression of the movement of rates, that the greatest
circumsj)ection be exercised in the selection of the points of the move-

1 These rates and those for several other commodities may be found in the appendices.
H. Doc. 277 2

IT RATES ON WHE/

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

for this commodity aloue were charted, because wbeat is a representa-
tive freight, and fairly reflects tlie general movement of rates.^

The chart shows that the trend has been very decid. dly downward.
I shall not attem])t to describe more minutely the downward movement,
because it is quite impossible to select representative years, and the
chart presents the matter very clearly and forcibly. The first feature to
arrest attention is the exceedingly violent fluctuation of the lake rates.
The very erratic movement of the rates is explained by the method of
fixing rates adopted by the lake carriers, who introduce an entirely
new schedule at the openiag of each season of navigation and alter it
many times during the season. When business is heavy the rates go
up, and when business is light the rates go down.

The following table shows the fluctuations of a single season :

Current weekh/ frehjhts, per bushel, on wheat from Chicar/o to Biiff(do by JaJce durimj the
season of 1S95.

[Report of Chicago Board of Trade, 1895, p. 113.]

Week ending-

Apr. 13 If

20 ' li

27 i IJ

May 4 li

11 li

18 H

25 i Ik

June 1 i If

J:::::;:;::::::::: 1^

22 1

29 1

July 1

13 1 1

20 ! 1

27 ! li

Aug. 3 i li

10 1 1}

17 n

24 n

31 1 12

Sept. 7 1 15

U [ 2

21 1 21

\\' eek ending-

Sept. 28

Oct. 5
12
19
26

Xov. 2
9
16,
23
30

Dec. 7
14

These violent fluctuations serve to show the flexibility of the lake
charges, the readiness with which the rates are adjusted to what the
trafflc will bear, and stand in striking contrast with rail rates, which
respond but slowly.

As a general thing, the discussions of lake rates are misleading. Eates
have sometimes been so selected as to give one the impression that
charges have fallen very rapidly and continuously. The following is
an example in point: "In 1857 the average rate by lake and canal on
a bushel of wheat from Chicago to New York was 25.29 cents ; in 1870 the
rate for the same service was 17.1 cents per bushel; in 1880 it was 12.27
cents per bushel, and in 1890 o.So cents per bushel." Xow note what a
change is introduced by selecting the rates prevailing in 1858 instead

Year.

Rates.

Tear.

Rates.

1857

Cents.
25.29
17.10
12.27
5.85

1858

Cents.
16.28

1870

1871

20 24

1880

12 27

1890

1890 .. . ...

5.85

These examples show how important it is, if it be desired to communi-
cate a correct impression of the movement of rates, that the greatest
circumspection be exercised in the selection of the points of the move-

1 These rates and those for several other commodities may be found in the appendices.
H. Doc. 277 2

18 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

ment that are to be compared, and particularly in the choice of the
initial point.

Another raethod of presenting lake freights in a very favorable
light is by contrasting them with rail rates, which is usually done
in the following manner: The average charge on all the railroads in
the United States for hauling 1 ton 1 mile for some year is compared
with the average amount exacted for a similar service on the lakes.
Obviously this sort of procedure is unfair to the railways, for the serv-
ice they i)erform differs from that rendered by the lake carriers. The
railroad tonnage is largely made up of local freight, while the freight
tonnage of the lakes is through traffic, and is composed of but few com-
modities, all of which are handled in large quantities. This character-
.istic of lake commerce is of the greatest moment, for it makes speciali-
zation in the shipping business possible, and assures a full cargo of one
article at one ])ort. It is needless to say that rates on the lakes would
not be so low as they are it it were necessary to so construct vessels as
to enable t'.iem to carry a variety of commodities, and if they were com-
pelled to go to a number of ])orts to collect the cargoes; and then, too,
it is to be remembered that the lake hauls are usually very long ones —
a fact that has a most important bearing on rates.

Another way of showing the relative cost to the public of lake and
rail service, that is often resorted to, is the comparison of lake and rail
rates on some commodity which is transported in large quantities,
and for long distances, by both carriers. Wheat and corn arc such com-
modities. Have we here proper conditions for comparison"? Clearly
the circumstances are much nearer what they should be than they were
in the case of the comparison of ton-mile charges; but even in this in-
stance the conditions are not exactly fair. Allowance should be made
for the fact that the National Government not only provides the lake
carriers with channels and harbors free of charge, but also maintains
them in good condition without compensation. In addition, there are
minor factors that favorably affect the cost of the service rendered by
the lake carriers, such as the liberality displayed toward the shipping
interest by some of our State legislatures in the matter of taxation,' and
the fact that the railroads continue their service during the winter,
when the cost of service is manifestly much greater than during the
summer. Thus it must be granted that even in the case of comparison
of the lake and rail rates for some commodity which is transported in
large quantities and for long distances by both carriers, we have not
found a fair basis uj)on which the freight charges of the two transporta-
tion agencies can be contrasted, because the community as a whole
comes to the assistance of the lake carriers, and because the service is
rendered by one of the carriers at all times and by the other only at
certain seasons when conditions are favorable.

As far as possible the statistical matter has been arranged in the
appendices to corresi)ond with the main divisions of the text — for
example, in Appendix I will be found the tables that should accompany
the introductory part of the report. Freight rates for any commodity
may be found in the appendix corresponding in number to the part of
the text in which the particular commodity is treated.

iMinnesota is a good example. By an act recently passed, its shipping on the
Great Lakes is practically exempt from taxation. Vessels pay a State tax of bnt 3
cents per net ton, and are entirely exempt from municipal taxation. (Report of
Commissioner of Navigation, 1895, p. 202.)

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 19

Appendix I.

A VALUATION OF THE DATA FURNISHED BY THE TREASURY AND WAR
DEPARJ'MENTS.

The data collected by the Treasury Department fall under three
heads, (1) tliat concerning' the fleets; {2) that concerning the foreign
commerce; (3) that having to do with the coastwise trade. But little
fault can be found witli the facts concerning the fleet collected under
the supervision of the Commissioner of Navigation. Tlie accuracy of
the facts he publislies can not be questioned, but they might in one
important particular give more information than they do; in many
cases it is impossible to ascertain the motive power employed. Vessels
on the lakes are now classed as sailing vessels, steamers, barges, and
canal boats. All rigged craft are grouped together as sailing vessels.
As a result of this classification most of the vessels commonly known
as barges are called sailing vessels, although they are regularly towed,
and simply because they are ligged to carry a limited amount of canvas.
Two sources of error result from this grouping: (1) Wind is made a more
important motive power than it really is, and {2) the new sailing ves-
sels are made to appear very large, while in fact they are generally
very small vessels. Peihaps these sources of error could be eliminated
by introducing a new group to be known as schooner barges. To do
this, the statutes would first have to be altered.

Most of the vessels of the old schooner fleet are now regularly towed,
but as they are still rigged they are classed with the sailing vessels,
with the result that wind, according to the statistics, still appears to
be relied upon to a very large extent as a propelling force. This source
of error can not apparently be removed from the classification, for
most of these vessels are in a position to run independently at any
moment. As these vessels are not replaced by similar vessels as they
become too old for service, or are wrecked, errors due to their exist-
ence will gradually disappear. The statistics of our foreign trade car-
ried on over the lakes leave little, if anything, to be desired. The laws
seem to be sufficiently stringent, and they appear to be rigidly enforced.
Our foreign commerce over the lakes, however, is comparatively small,
so these wise regulations only cover a small portion of the lake traffic.
For several reasons the custom house records of the coastwise com-
merce of the lakes are unreliable.

First of all, the laws governing the filing of manifests are not what
they should be. They are faulty in three respects, and these were
pointed out by Mr. C. H. Keep, in his report of 1891 on " The Commerce
and Shipping of the (Jreat Lakes." They are as follows: Under exist-
ing laws vessels carrying goods from a port in one collection district
to another port in the same district are not required to report or clear
at the custom houses, and there is, therefore, no record in the custom-
houses of the commodities so carried. But as the local business on the
lakes is very small, this does not seriously impair the accuracy of the
records. Second, there are a number of small ports on the lakes where
there are no custom-houses, but at which a la-^ge lake business is done.
Third, under the regulations that now obtain, a ship may clear from a
port on the lakes for another port, and may stop at one or more inter-
mediate ports, where she may receive and discharge cargo without
reporting at the custom-houses of the intermediate ports.

The records of the custom-houses at the intermediate ports will show
only the business done at such ports by vessels which make them

20 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

their original port of departure or ultimate port of destination. To
the extent to wbicli the ports are iuterniediate ports, the records of
the custom house will fall short of the business transacted at these
ports. Errors due to this cause .seriously affect the value of the records,
and will probably do so to an increasing extent, for the traffic of the
intermediate ports seems to be growing. The inaccuracies resulting
from these three sources of error seriously impair the value of the
records of the coastwise commerce of the Great Lakes. There are, how-
ever, still other sources of error, and in comparison with which those
just enumerated are unimportant. The requirements of the law are
not always scrupulously fultilled. The manifests covering cargoes that
are tiled in the custom-houses in compliance with the law do not always
give the cargoes correctly.

Inaccuracies are due to the following causes: (1) Masters are per-
mitted, under certain circumstances, to clear at the same time they
enter — this custom is productive of error because masters may not, for
a variety of reasons, take aboard what they supposed they would when
they cleared; (2) masters do not often know what thej^ have on board
when they clear, even after their vessels are loaded — in some cases the
statements on the basis of which freight is collected are made up after
the ship has left port, and forwarded to the captain by mail or tele-
graph, and in numerous'^instances cai)tains never know what they have
on board, as they are simply directed to go to a certain place and load
(the manager of the dock being informed how much to put on), and
then ordered to depart fpr a certain port, where the manager of the
dock assumes all responsibility for records; (3) in the case of miscella-
neous cargoes, it would be necessary to delay the departure of the boats
in some cases in order to give a correct statement of the -cargoes, so the
manifests are likely to be the captains' estimates of what they have on
board, and (4) some errors are due to indifference — in the minds of
some captains the filing of a manifest is a mere form, for statistics, in
their opinion, have no value.

Any attempt to remedy these evils should take cognizance of the fact
that vast sums of money have been expended in terminal facilities, in
order to secure dispatch in loading and unloading, and, therefore, regu-
lations that would detain vessels would undo that which has been
gained at an enormous expenditure of money and energy. If captains
are forced to file correct statements of cargoes, vessels would in many
cases be detained for some hours, and captains put to great incon-
venience and to considerable expense. The docks are usually scattered
over an enormous extent of territorj;-. If a vessel finishes loading at 1
o'clock at night, the captain may be forced to walk several miles to the
custom-house, as the street cars have probably stopped running, or
secure a carriage at no little inconvenience and expense. Perhaps ac-
curate statistics could be obtained and greater dispatch given to ves-
sels by making the shippers instead of the captains responsible for
reports.

Before leaving the data furnished by the Treasury Department a word
must be said about the report on "The Commerce and Shipping on the
Great Lakes," made by Mr. C. H. Keep, secretary of the Lake Carriers'
Association, and which formed a part of the "Eeport on the Internal
Commerce of the United States for the year 1891." Mr. Keep, wherever
possible, went back of the returns of the custom-houses, and so in a
measure eliminated the errors of these returns. Especial value, there-
fore, attaches to his statements.

The facts furnished by the Department of War fall under two heads,

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 21

(1) tliose based upon the custom-house records, and (2) those collected
independently. For the most part the statistics published by the War
Department are based ui)on the custom-house returns, and no attempt
is made to eliminate the errors of these returns. The statements ot
traffic throu.i>li the Detroit River and of the business transacted at the
lake ports are always, I believe, based upon the records of the custom-
houses, and are therefore subject to all the criticisms that have just
been passed upon these records. The statements of the traffic through
the St. Marys Palls are based upon data collected at the canal by the
oflicers in charge. These statements sliould, therefore, accurately
reflect the commerce passing througli this gateway. Unfortunately,
however, they do not, and this in spite of the fact that great care is
taken by the officers in charge of the canal to secure accurate infor-
mation. The efforts of the officers are balked because of the failure
of the lake carriers to cooperate with them. As has already been
stated, in many cases masters do not know what they have on board,
and can not, even if they would, give a correct statement of their
cargo. Many of the captains, however, have a supreme contempt
for statistics, and so do not attempt to (ill out the forms furnished to
them correctly. Ignorance on the part of the cai)tains also produces
inaccuracies. For example, the blanks furnished by the officers of the
canal call for a statement of the anthracite and bituminous coal on
board, but in some cases these items are not given correctly, because
the masters do not know that these forms of coal correspond with hard
and soft coal, resi)ectively. After all criticisms have been made, how-
ever, it must be said that the "!Soo" canal statistics are the best on lake
traffic collected by the Government.

Before leaving this subject I must say that the statistics of traffic on
the Great Lakes collected by the National Government are simi)ly an
object of contempt and ridicule among those engaged in lake transpor-
tation. It scarcely needs to be said tliat the shippers and carriers are
fully aware of all the criticisms that I have made. The methods of
collecting these statistics ought to be radically changed, if for no other
reason, simply because the Government can not afford to permit its work
to be held up to scorn. Lake shippers ought gladly to cooperate with
the Government, for an accurate knowledge of the situation is abso-
lutelj^ necessary in order to enable Congress to make a wise appropriation
of money to facilitate commerce on these waters. Without a positive
basis of facts it is impossible to plan a judicious scheme of improve-
ments. Any change in the regulations governing the collection of
statistics which will delay traffic may be expected, in the future as in
the past, to meet the opposition of the lake carriers. If the slwpper
instead of the carrier were called upon for a statement, there need be
no delay.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table I,
Commerce moved through the Detroit River.

Tear.

Registered
i tonnage.

Freight
tonnage.

Year.

Registei'ed
tonnage.

Freight
tonnage.

1873 a

9, 000, 000

1889

19,646 000 c 19, 717 860

18806

21) 235 249

1800

21, 684, OHO 21, 750, 913

1882

17,872,182

17,695.174

1892 6

24 785 000 26 SfiS 81!)

1893/

23,091,899

18,045,949

, 16,777,828

1885

r 7i25 Rir. fi7Q

i29,(t00.000
27,900,520

1896J

1887

1 18,864,250

1 19,099,060

o Brief of the Lake Carriers' Association in opposition to the placing of tlie bridge piers in the
Detroit River, p. 19. This document was prepared by Mr. C. H. Keep, who for some years has been
secretary of the Lake Carriers" Association.

6 Report on the internal commerce of the United States for the year 1891, p. xxxix. The figures
do not in any case include the tonnage of Canadian vessels, a large number of which use this channel.
During the year 1890, according to the estimate by Colonel Poe, 3,500 Canadian vessels, having an
aggregate registered tonnage of 350,000 tons, passed through the river.

cFor the cargo tonnage of 1889, see Eleventh Census, Transportation Business, Part II, p. 275.

dAnnual Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1892, p. 2482.

elbid., 1893, p. 3036.

/Ibid., 1894, p. 2378.

a Ibid., 189.5, p. 3U68.

A Ibid., 1896, pp. 2895, 2896.

i Brief of the LaKe Carriers' Association, p. 15. These are Mr. C. H. Keep's figures.

j' The statement for 1896 was furnished by Lieut. Col. G.J. Lydecker. The freight tonnage for
1891-1896, as given by the Government engineers, includes staples and only such staples as were ship-
ped on vessels that cleared from some United States port.

Table II.

Statement of the commerce through St. Marys Falls Canal for each calendar year from
its opening in 1S55.

Date of
closing

Tonnage and class of vessels.

Sailing
vessels.

Registered
tonnage.

1855
1856
1857

1865 .
1866.
1867 .

June 18''

May 4

May 9

Apr. 18

May 3

May 11

May 3

Apr. 27

Apr. 28

May 2

May 1

May 5

May 4

May 2

May 4

Apr. 29

Mav 8

1870

1871

1872 May 11

1873 ; May 5

1874 May 12

1875 May 12

1876 May 8

1877

1878 .

1879.

1880 .

1881.

1882.

1883.

1884.

1885.

May 2
Apr. 8
May 2
Apr. 28
May 7
Apr. 21
May 2
Apr. 23
May 6
Apr. 25

Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Nov.
Dec.
Dec.
Dec.
Deo.
Dec.
Dec.

(a)

1,045
602
555

817
939
1,397
1,064
1,212
1,519

1,401
1,091
1,403
1,718
1,706
1,663
1,458
1,709

* Excluded
a No record kept until 18

from

2,534
calculation

1,464
1,733
1,050
1,476
1,618
1,735
2,117
2,739
2,620
3,609
3,354
4,584

100 ,
50 i
181 I
372
237
371 I
337
306 I

{a)

(a)

(a)
1,411
997
1,008
1,305
1,155
1,338
1,828
1,637
2,004
2,517
1,734
2, 033
2,417
2,451
2,567
3,121
3,503
4,004
4,774
4,315
5,689
5,380
7, 424

106, 296

101,458

180, 820

219,819

352, 642

403, 657

276, 639

359, 612

507, 434

571,438

409, 062

458, 530

556, 899

432, 563

524, 885

690, 820

752, 101

914. 735

1, 204, 446

1,070,857

1, 259, 534

1, 541, 676

1, 439, 216

1, 667, 136

1,677.071

1,734,890

2, 092, 757

2, 468, 088

2, 042, 259

2, 997, 837

3, 035, 937

4, 219, 397

of average dates.
b No record kept until 1879.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Statement of the commerce through St. Marys Falls Canal, etc. — Continued.
j Tonnage and class of vessels.

Date of Date of

opening ; closing i q.^.
canal. 1 canal. Vessels.

Unregis-
tered
craft.

Total
passages.

Registered
tonnage.

1887
1888
1889
1890
1891
1892

1894
1895
1896
1897

I May 1 Dec.

May 7 Dec.

Apr. 15 i Dec,

Apr. 20 I Dec.

Apr. 27 I Dec,
1 Apr. 18 ! Dec
i May 1
I Apr. 1?
[ Apr. 25
I Apr. 21
I Apr. 21

I Dec. 5

Dec. 6

Dec. 11

j Dec. 8

aDec. 14

9,355
7,803
9,579
10, 557
10,191
12, 580
12, 008
14,491
17, 956
18,615
17,171

4, 897,
5, 130,
7,221,
8, 454,
8, 400,

10, 647,
8, 949,

13,110,

16, 806,

17, 249,
17, 619,

a Date of closing Canadian canal.

Average date of opening up to close of season of 1893, May 1.
Average date of closing up to close of season of 1893, December 1 .

Passenger and freight traflBc.

1855 .

1856 ,

1857.

18G8.
1869.
1870.

1871 .

1872 .
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876 .
1877.
1878.
1879 .
1880.

1881 .

1882 .
1883.

1884 .

1885 .
1886.
1887.

1890 .

1891 .

1892 .

Passen-
gers.

4,270
4,674
6,650

8,468
18, 281
16, 985

Xet tons.
1,414

5,278
4,118
8,884

27, 236
31, 656
37, 066
40,213

11, 507
11.346

7, 805
11,282

101,

124,

91,

110,

170,

295,

430,

714,

706,

894.

1. 009.

1, 352,

2, 105,

1, 629.
2, 176,

2, 507,

2, 904,

3, 008,
2, 797,

2, 574,
3, 023,

3, 039:

Barrels.
10, 289
17, 686
16,560
13, 782
39, 459
50, 250
22, 743
17, 291
31,975

33, 937

34. 985
33, 603
28. 345
27. 372

32, 007

33, 548
26, 060

136, 411

179^ 855
309, 991
315, 224
355, 117
344, 599
451,000
523, 860
605, 453
344, 044
687, 031
1, 248, 243

1, 440, 093
1,759,365
1, 572, 735
2, 190, 725

2, 228, 707

3, 239, 104
3, 780, 143
5, 418, 135
7, 420, 674
8, 965, 773
8, 902, 302
8, 882, 858
8, 921, 143

Bushels.

{a)

(a)

49, 700
1, 376, 705
567, 134
2, 119, 997
1,120,015
1,213,788
1, 971, '549
1. 349, 738

1, 872, 940

2, 603, 666
2, 105, 920

3, 456, 965
3, 728, 856
5, 900. 473

11, 985, 791

15, 274, 213
18, 991, 485
23, 096, 520
18, 596, 351
16,231,854

16, 217, 370
38, 816, 570
40, 994, 780
43,481,652
34,869,483
40,218,250
63, 256, 463
55, 924, 302

Grain,

other than

wheat.

33, 908
22, 300
10, 500
71,738

133, 437
76, 830
59, 062
78, 480

143, 560

229. 926

249, 031
285, 123
323. 501
304, 077

308, 823
445, 774

309, 645
149, 999

250, 080
407, 772
343, 542
264, 674
951, 496

2, 547, 106

367, 838

473, 129

776, 552

517, 103

422, 981

715,373

775, 166

2, 022, 308

2, 133, 245

2, 044, 384

1, 032, 104

1, 666, 690

2, 405, 344
1, 545, 008
8, 328, 694

27, 448, 071
24, 889, 688

Manufac-
tured and
pig iron.

Net tons.
1,040
781
1,325
2,597
5,504

Barrels.

587
464

1,500
950

2,737

4,194
6,438
6,681
7,643
7,346

13, 235
20, 602

22, 785

23, 851
42, 959
54. 984
86, 194
44, 920
31,741
54, 381
64, 091
39, 971

14, 882
39,218
46, 791
87, 830
92, 870

109, 910
72, 428
60, 842

115, 208
74, 919
63, 703
57, 561

116, 327
69, 741

101,520
89, 452
60, 659
100, 337
121, 872
135, 164

3,014
2,477
1.506
1,776
3,175
4,454
5,316
4,624
5,910

36; 199
42, 690
29, 335

42, 231

43, 989
46, 666
63, 188
63, 520
92, 245
77,916
65, 897

176, 612
70, 898
144, 804
136, 355
158, 677
204, 908
210, 433
168, 250
179, 431
234, 528
275, 740
228, 730
237, 461
269, 919
237, 515
285, 449

a None shipped from Lake Superior until 1870.

The traffic through the Canadian Canal, which was opened to commerce September 9, 1895, is
included in above statement for seasons of 1895 and 1896.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Statement of the commerce through Si. Marys Falls Canal, etc, — Continued.

1855
1856
1857.

1862 .
1863.
186J .
1865.
1866 .

1870.
1871.
1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
1877.
1878.
1879.
1880.

1884,
1885 .

1891.
1892.
1893 .
1894.
1895.
1896.
1897.

Passenger and freight traffic.

Copper.

Iron ore. | Lumber.

Net tons.
3, 196 i
5,727 i
5,760
6,744
7,247 I
9, 000 I
7,645 I
6,881 1
1, 044 '
5,331 I
9,935
9, 550 ,

10, 585 ;

12,222 1

11,301
14, 562
14, 591

15,927
]5,346
18, 396
25, 756
16. 767
22, 529
22, 309
21, 7o3
29, 488
25, 409
31, 024
36, 062
31,927
38, 627
34, 886 .
28, 960
33,
43,
69.
64,
87,
99,

107,

116,

122,

456
729
190

993 :

530
573 ,

452 1
872 1
324 I

Xet tons. !
1,447
11, 597
?6, 184
31,035
65, 769
120. 000
44, 836
113,014 I
181,567 '
2 13, .753
147,459
152,102
222,861 '
191,939
239,368 '
409,850
327,461 I
383,105 I
504,121 :
427,658 !
493,408
609,752 1
568,082 '
555,750
540,075
677,073
748,131
987,060
791,732
1,136,071 1
1,235,122
2,087,809
2,497,713
2,570.517
4,095,855
4,774,768
3,560,213 I
4,901,132
4, 014, 556
6, 548, 876
8, 062, 209
7, 909, 250
10, 633, 715

Feet, B. M.
126, 000
395, 000
572, 000
185, 000

394, 000

196,000

1,411.000

2, 001, 000

822, 000

\U, 000

300, 000

1,119,000

1, 260, 000

722, 000

1, 072, 000

1, 742, 000

1, 162, 000

638, 000

5,391,000

17,761,000

4, 143, Olio

24,119,000

35, 598, 000

44, 539, 000

58, 877,000

82, 783, 000

87,131,000

122, 389, 000

127, 984, 000

138, 688, 000

165, 226, 000

240, 372, 000

315, .'■)54, 000

361, 929, 000

366, 305, 000

512,814,000

588, 545, 000

722, 788, yOO

740, 700, 000

684, 986, 000

805,612,000

Silver
ore and
bullion.

Net tons.
(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
(a)
(«)
(a)
(a)
(n)
(a)
(")
(a)
{a)
92
464

Building
stone.

443
847
985
987
650
3V4
66

■""22

814

9, 731

3,669

2, 009

350

3,385

5,947

3, 432

1,731

1,930

2,470

412

100

240

Net tons,
(b)

(&)
(l»

(b)
W
ib)
(h)
(b)
ib)
(b)
ib)
(b)
(b)
(b)

2,917
5,228
5,213
2,218
401
2,978
2,102
2, 506
2,754
2, 226
2, 28::
1,400
5,428
2, 405
6, 047
8,189
9,449
13, 401
33, 541
33, 538
47, 973
44, 080
39, 698
19, 426
21,417
23, 876
17,731
6,249

TTuclassi-

fled
freight.

Net tons,
(e)

{<■)

(c)

(«)

(c)

(<■)

(C)

(c)

344, 586

345, 854
312,410
371, 294
417, 093
4.59,146
415, 180
451,185
463, 308
520,851
579, 048

Total
freight.

Net tons.

(d)

id)

(d)

id)

(d)

id)

(d)

id)

(d)

id)

(d)

id)

(d)

id)

(d)

Ui)

id)
1,567,741
2, 029, 521
2, 207, 105

2, 874, 557

3, 250, 628

4, 527, 7.59
5,494,049
6,411,423
7,516,022
9,041,213
8, 888, 759

11,214,333
10, 796, 572
13, 195, 860

15, 062, 580

16, 239, 061
18,982,755

a No record kept until 1870.

b None shipped from Lake Superior until 1870.

cNo record kept until 1881.
rfNo record kept until June, 1881.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 25

Katimated vahie of freight, hij iie.m-s, fhroufih St. Marj/s Falls Canal, MicliUjan.

Items..

1887.

1888. :

1889.

1890.

1891.

«4, 735, 454

7, 863, 675
22, 634, 590

759, 653

3, 035, 750

241,468

204, 908

6, 977, 200

8, 741, 995
2, 974, 068

53, 826

134, 010

20, 675, 160

$7, 367, 644
10, 953, 625
18, 224, 424
1,981,862
2,442,950
252,348
210,433 1
5, 792, 000
8,996,808
4,320,696 i
520,579
335,410 1
20,751,240 ]

$5, 702, 190

11.143,535

15,907,217

2, 090, 580

1, 577, 250

442, 272

168, 250

6, 691. 200

14, 335, 492

5, 679, 972

914. 589

335, 380

18, 744, 600

$7, 619, 238
16,195,520

15. 893, 022
2, 003, 490
4, 680, 750

386,104

179, 431

8, 745, 800

16, 711, 688
6,514,722

527, 807

479, 730

22, 277, 640

$8. 776, 362

Flour

18.900,715

Wlieat

38, 040, 239

Grain (other than wheat) . . .

1,011,462
2.128,000

*462, 077

Salt

234, 528

13,838,000

Ti'n 1 nrp

12, 460, 744

C, 593, 490

Silver ore and bullion

266,211
440, 800

TJnrlissTtied frei'^ht

25, 025, 580

Total

79,031,757

82,156,019 j

83, 732, 527

102.214,948

128, 178, 208

Items.

1892.

Coal (liard and soft)

$10, 164. 931

21, 672, 540

30, 746, 085

933, 346

! 2, 988, 600

.1 709,716

J 275,740

$10,

Wheat

Grain (other than w
Manufactured iron .
pjo- iron

heat")"!

32,

1,
2,

Copper 1

Iron ore .
Lumber .
Silver ore and bullion . ..

Building' -stone

Unclassifled fi eight

600 j
17, 153, 962
9,231,192 !
296,815 i
396, 980
27, 548, 760

Total.

117, 267 145, 436, 957

1894.

1895.

1896.

.$8,191,917

.$6, 993, 351

$8, 452, 072. 50

33, 621, 649

33, 383, 632

34, 199, 003. 30

22, 316, 469

30, 041, 8C3

47, 442, .347. 25

772, 504

4, 164, 347

10, 704, 747. 69

1,805,350

3, 683, 150

4, 696, 200. 00

331,452

346, 788

377, 298. 00

237, 461

202, 439

178,136.25

19, 914, 600

21,490,400

23, 374, 400. 00

17, 027, 078

22,332,319

25, 705, 062. 50

11, 564, 608

8, 888, 400

8, 502, 325. 00

40, 144

11,200

26, 8S0. 00

214, 170

238, 760

177, 310. 00

27, 071, 100

27, 798, 480

31, 251, 060. 00

143, 114, 502

159, 575, 129

195, 146, 842. 49

Eesulis ohtained from discnfision of traffic statistics.

Total uiileton.s

1887 4, 458,

1888 5,173,

1889 ' 5, 940,

1890 7,207,

1891 7, 292,

1892 9,222,

1893 8,980,

1894 10, 927,

1895 12,502,

1896 , 13,582,

544, 804
132,972

640, 352
299, 415
462, 269
773, 938
310, 240
871, 324
548, 892

641, 886

transportati

Cost of
carrying
per mile-

$10, 075,

7, 883,

8, 634,

9, 472,
9, 849,

12, 072,
9, 957,
10, 798,
14, 238,
13, 511,

2lills.
2.3
1.5

1.3

1.35
1.31
1.1
.99
1.14

Average
distance

freight
was

caiTied .

Vplue of

American

craft.

$17, 684, 550
20, 381, 100
790. 4 25, 328, 600
797. 2 27, 857, 700
820.4 i 31,947,300
822. 4 j 36, 220, 100
831.9 1 39,017,400
821.1 I 41,124,200
830 I 40,858,800
836.4 43,006,200

Value of

Canadian

craft.

$2, 089, 400
1, 514, 300
1,597,600
1,777,800
2,119,500
2, 108, 700
2,115,700

1, 959, 800

2, 037, 000
2, 135, 300

I'ropor-
tion of
Irtight
[•arriedby
Canadian
vessels.

3.5

3.8

4.1

3.5

3.75

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.
Table III.

Number and gross tonnage of sailing vessels, steam vessels, and barges, respectively, on the
Northern Lakes, a

Sailing vessels.

Fiscal year.

Num-
ber.

1851

1862 1,153

1868 1,S55

1869 1,752

1870 1,699

1871 1,662

1872 1,654

1873 l,6iia

187.t 1,696

1875 1,710

1876 1 1,643

1877 1,604

1878 1,546

1879 1,473

1880 1,459

1881 1,417

1882 1,412

1883 1 1,373

1884 1 1,333

1885 1,322

1886 1,235

1887 , 1,286

1888 1,277

1889 1,285

1890 1,212

1891 1 1,243

1892 ; 1,226

1893 ; 1,205

1894 1 1,139

1895 1 1,100

1896 j 1,044

1897 993

Steam vessels.

Num-
ber.

138, 000
257, 689
293, 978
277, 893
264, 609
267, 153
270,051
298, 002
336, 8U1
339, 787
331, 498
324, 394

313, 652
310. 454
307, 733
313, 129
282, 319
315, 079
314, 765
325, 083
328, 656
325, 131 I
319,617
317, 789
302, 985
300, 642
309, 152
334,104

923

918
896
931
988
1,101
1,149
1,165
1,175
1,280
1,225
1,342
1,455
1,527
1,592
1,631
1. 731
1,731
1,755
1,792
1,775

74, 000
125, 620
144,117
146, 237
142,973
149, 468
162, 523
180,250
198, 121
202, 307
201, 743
201,085
201, 550

212! 045
260, 115
292. 257
304, 642
322, 456
335, 859
381, 908
390, 398
480, 138
575, 307
652, 923
7.36, 752
763, 063
828, 702
843, 240
857, 735
924, 631
977, 235

Barges.

Num-
ber.

103

114

132

161

177

216

193

188

192

183

170

165

162

164

156

126

111 1

101 )

78 i

15, 957

22. 072
27, 570
31,208
37, 863
42, 559

46, 323
45, 140
45, 585

47, 207
45, 296
42, 226
40, 965
41,453

42, 906

43, 575
34, 099
30,810
26, 132
21,758
18, 194

7,274
13,910
20, 472
25, 321
37, 732
39, 215
39, 008
45, 175
60, 783

Num-
ber.

1,502
2,543
2,491

2, 455
2,476
2, 523
2,642
2,788
2,794
2,752
2,719
2, 647
2, 539
2,555
2,567
2,677
2,678
2, 624
2,608
2,616
2,595
2,697
2,784
2,853
2,897
2,926
3,018
2,955
2, 936
2,917

214,000

383, 309

454. 052

446, 202

435, 152

147, 829

470, 437

520,811

581,245

587, 234

578, 826

572, 686

562, 755

5.52, 602

557, 942

608, 004

648,815

6,38, 671

t>64, 288

679, 798

690, 359

727, 235

813,097

907, 664

91)5, 489

1,082,355

1,108,001

1, 184, 223

1,185,440

1,197,385

1,278,958

1, 372, 122

a These figures, with the exception of those for the years 1851 and 1862, were obtained either
directly from the Commissioner of Navigation or from his annual reports. Those for 1851 were
obtained from Andrew's Report on Colonial and Lake Trade (1852), Thirty-second Congress, second
session. House Executive Document No. 136, p. 49; and those for 1862 from Internal Commerce of the
United States (1891), p. x. As has been explained in the text, all rigged ve.ssels are classed with the
sailing craft. Thus most of the vessels commonly regarded as barges are grouped with the sailing
vessels, for most of ihem carry some canvas. Nearly all the old schooners are now regularly towed,
and therefore can not be regarded as sailing vessels, m the old sense of this term.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table IY.

Staiement shotcing class, number, and gross tonnage of vessels built and documented on the
northern lakes, a

Sailing

vessels.

Steam vessels.

Barges.

Total.

Fiscal year.

Num-
bar.

Tons.

Num.
ber.

Tons.

Num-
ber.

Tons.

Num-
ber.

Tone.

20
20
41
73
157

36
64
77
49
46
60
105
99
70
79

55
44
65
109
130
100
80
64
47
75
140
145
116
123
93
126
71
58
75
43

5,011
2, 377
9,308
13, 578
70, 669
6,425
4,761
8,595

13; 339
7,196
12, 293
15, 926
21,418
24, 487
12. 490
8.972
3,802
8,644
11,542
14,306
49, 080
34,100
17, 253
20, 206
20, 229
12,648
47, 183
87, 459

86', 023
93, 323
34, 129
76, 161
34, 889
26,516
75. 744
61, 787

1861

:"::::::::::::::.:....-.i. ......

1864

1 1 !

1 i !

1866

1868

1869

129
83
69
60
57
112
130
62
35
29
33
30
48
52
66
34
29
30
15
35
48
32
36
30
41
21
lo

19
26

22,490
14, 462
10, 322
13, 839
12, 962
40, 840
43, 851
12, 269
2,507
2,G86
1,505
1,173
5,447
12, 936
16, 164
6, 4:rl7
7,667
3,861
5,232
4,991
9,131

12', 803
7,240
3,474
9,277
5,473
8,166
21, 825
39, 151

28
35
9

19
15
23
22
11
6
4

5
8
14
5
3
1
5
5
8

5
12
11

8
11

2
14
26

4,238
5,458
3,289
3,795
4.019
6,818
4,733

1, 620

2, 469
551
130
579

1,356
3,111

1', 158

768

412

378

468

678

6,739

6,853

5,449

11,867

429

446

10,185

12, 722

221
195
127
125
132
240
251
143

90
79
121
175
201
137
110
99
07
118
190
182
164
164
142
1 158
95

: 95

38, 010
33, 259

1870

1871

1872

1873

1874

1875

1876

1877

20, 807
29 927
32, 907
69, 076
73, 071
26, 379
13, 948
7,039

1878

1879

10, 279
13,294

21,109

1881

65, 127

52, 252

1883

24, 848

1884

27, 883

1885

24, 858

1886 t

18, 292

52, 552

1888

97, 058

1889

102,483

1890

105. 565

107, 416

1892

43, 053

97, 305

1894

40, 791

1895

35, 128

1896

107, 754

1897

113, 660

a Tlie figures covering the steamboat construction from 1800 to 1867, inclusive, were taken from Tenth
Census, Transportation (Vol. IV), p. 669. The others were either furnished to me directly by the
Commissioner of Navigation or obtained from his annual reijorts.

Table V.
Average gross tonnage of sailing and steam vessels built on the northern lales.

Fiscal year.

Sailing
vessels.

Steam

vessels.

^i-alyear. \ f|^^f.

Steam
vessels.

1868 . .

174. 34
180. 26
149.59
230. 65
227. 40
364. 64
337. 31
197.88
71. 62
92.60
45.60
39.10
113.47
248. 77
244. 90
189. 31
264. 39

176. 28
173. 23
146. 85
267. 22
265. 43
203. 99
247. 34

178. 29
113. 57

97.48
157. 15
262.32
220.09
450.28
262.31
172.53 i
252.56

1885

128.70 316.07

1869

1870

269. 10
629. 10
624. 70
646. 25
741.57

1887

142.60

1889

i 253.05

! 355.65

1874

1891

. . ..1 241 34

758. 72

1892

84.74

366. 98

1876

1893

! 441.76

604. 45

1895 a

! 304.05

i' 144.86

491. 39

1878

I 457. 17

1897

{l,,SJ^| ■.««"'

1882

{!ijSkUS'.«"'

1883

1884

a The upper figures of the years 1895-1897, in the column headed sailing vessels, represent the averagie
of the sailing vessels after the tonnage of the steel sailing ves.sels has been removed. The steel sail,
ing vessels are commonly known on the lakes as barges. The average should be still further reduced,
as several large wooden' barges have been built in recent years. In the years previous to 1895, steel
sailing vessels (barges) were constructed, but I do not know their tonnage.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table YI.
Gross ionnage constructed on the northern lalces, shoicing material used.

^-alyear. I^-^-

Iron and '

steel ;
tonnage. 1

Fiscal year.

Wooden
tonnage.

Iron and

steel
tonnage.

' 20,082

2,817 i
5,831

45
1, 650
9,180
4.221
6,078
20, 018

1889

73, 068
66, 964
49, 428
14, 594
34, 480
20,851
11,932
27, 330
13, 281

29, 415
38 602

1881

67,673

52,041

1890

1889

1891

57, 989

1884

1885

26,233

1 15,678

1893

1894

62, 825
19, 950

1887

46,475

81,085

1896

1897

80, 424

a These figures were obtained either directly from the Commissioner of Navigation or from his
annual reports. Iron has been used only to a very liinited extent about the great lalses: the third
column is composed almost wliolly of steel tonnage. The total iron tonnage now atioat probably does
not exceed 35,000 tons.

Table VII.

Average freight rates on wheat {per bushel) from Chicago to New York by lake and canal,
by lake and rail, and by all rail.

Calendar year.

I By lake j
I and
I canal, a

By lake
1 and rail.

ByaU
rail.

Cents.

1857 625.29

1858 16.28

18.19 17.59

1860 24.83

1861 26.55

1862 26.33

1863 22.91

1864 28.36

1865 26.62

1866 29.61

1867 i 22.36

1868 , 22.79

1869 1 25.12

1870 17.11

1871 20.24

1872 1 24.47

1873 ' 19.19

1874 14.10

1875 11.43

1876 9.58

Cents. Cents.

'.'.'.V.'.'.'.]"'i3S.hi

34.80

41. .58

' 48.00

49.20

60. 00

44.88

46.20

I 44.75

&29.00 I 37.84

25.00 i 35.57

22.00 30.00

25.00 31.80

28. 00 34. 99

26. 90 81. 02

16. 90 26. 25

14. 60 24. 00

11. 80 16. 86

1877.

I 1878.
I 1879.

1880.

1881.

1882.

1883.

1884.

1885.

1886.
' 1887

1888.
j 1889.

1890.

1891.
I 1892.

1893.

1894.

1895.

1896.

By lake

and
canal, a

By lake
and rail. 1

Cents.

Ceaits.
15.80

11.24

9.15

1L40

11.60

13.30

12.27

15.70

8.19

10.40

7.89

10.90 ,

8.37

11.50 i

6.31

9.55 1

5.87

9.02

8.71

12.00

8.51

12.00

5.93

11.00

6.89

8.70 !

5.85

8.50 1

5.96

8.53

5.61

7.55

6.33

8.44

4.44

7.00 I

4.11

6.95

d6.19

6.61 !

Cents.
20.50
17.70
17.74
19.80
14.40
14.47
16.20
13.20
13.20
15.00
15.75
14.50
15.00
14.30
15.00
13.80
14.63
13.20
11.89
12.00

a Including canal tolls
b Statistical Abstract, 1

Jtil 1882, but not Buifalo transfer charges.
36, p. 327.

c Report of the Chicago Board of Trade, 1895, p. 115.

d The rates for 1896 were obtained from Report of the Chicago Board of Trade, 1896, p. ll.'i
and canal rate for 1896 includes Buffalo charges.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Freight rates on wheat (pei- bushel) by lake from Chicago to Buffalo. a

Year.

Cur-
rency.6

Gold.c

. Tear.

Cur-
rency.

Gold.

1857

1858

Cents.

■s'.ie

5.08

1L53
10.49
7.51
9.58
9.78
12.34
6.67
7.14
6.81

7! 62
11.46
7.62
4.03
3.42
2.90

Cents.

1878

Gents.
3.07
4.74
5.76
3.44
2.50
3.41
2.18
2.02
3.68
4.13
2.56
2.51
1.96
2.38
2.19
1.66
1.27
1.92
1.63
1.56

Cents.
3.027

1880

1860

1881

1882

1883

1862

10. 234
5.175
6.160
4. 523
8.808
4.995
5.155
5. 022
4.847
6.883

10. 504
6.761
3.617
3.040
2.570
3.502

1884

1885

1865

issiV^V^'.'.V.'.'.'.'.'. '.'.'.'.'.'..'..'.

1888

1866

1867

1868

1889

1869

1890

1891

1892

1871

1872

1873

1894

1895

1896d

1874

1876

1877 .

aOut of the rates received tbe vessel must bear charges for trimming, tallying weights, ajid shovel-
ing in the hold to elevator legs when unloading. In 1896 the^e charges aggregated $4.75 per 1,000
bushels, or nearly one-half cent per bushel; in 1897 they were reduced to about $4.35.

6 The rates were obtained from the reports of the New York Produce Exchange.

cin converting currency prices into gold I have used the value of gold in currency as given for
January of each year in the American Almanac for 1878.

d Report of Chicago Board of Trade, 1896, p. 113.

« Marine Kecord, Dec. 16, 1897, p. 8.

PART 11.

I.— FLOUR AND GRAIN TRAFFIC.

Previous to 1850 the importance of the great interior water routes
can not easily be overestimated. The commerce of tbe great agricul-
tural States of the West drifted to the two great natural waterways, the
Mississippi liiver running to tlie south, and the Great Lakes and their
eastern outlets, the Erie Canal and the Wellaud Canal, in conjunction
with the St. Lawrence River, running to the east. Although the West
possessed these two unrivaled waterways, yet there were but few locali-
ties which could choose between the two. Physical conditions usually
left no choice. To the settler near the lakes the eastern route was the
only available highway, and to the farmer living near the banks of
the lMississii)pi the river was the only possible route. This was the case
because laud transportation was wellnigh impossible. The value to
the States bordering on the Creat Lakes of the lake and canal ronte
from the date of the opening of the latter in 1825 down to the middle
of the century, and even for a number of years thereafter, is incomput-
able. Over the Great Lakes and through the canal passed the bulk of
the surplus products of the West and practically the whole of the
merchandise shipped from the East to the West.

To realize fnlly the importance of the water routes, even up to a
comparatively late day, it is necessary to understand the services it was
intended the early railroads should render. They were designed to con-
nect waterways, not to compete with them. Before the construction of
railroads the traffic of the couutry that was other than local in character
moved upon and to and from one of our four great waterways. These
were the Atlantic Ocean on the east, the Great Lakes and the Erie
Canal and St. Lawrence on the north, the Mississippi River and its
tributaries on the west, and the Gulf of Mexico on the south. This
being the situation, the railroads which Avere intended to serve anything
more than local needs sought to cooperate with one of these waterways,
and the projectors of nearly all the railroads which it was hoped would
become trunk lines sought to connect two or more of the four great
water routes. The construction of the great trunk lines clearly shows
this, and nothing could more strongly emphasize the importance of the
lake route at this early day than the uniformity with which the rail-
roads sought it. A glance at a railroad map of the later fifties will also
clearly show that the water routes formed the base of all the great trans-
portation systems. In some cases, it is true, the water routes were
l)aTalleled, but these instances were com])aratively rare, and even in
these cases the railroads were not regarded as competitors of the water
routes for through traific in heavy commodities. Passenger traffic,
local business, and through freight in the more valuable commodities
were the main reliance of the railroads.

This state of affairs, however, was very much changed in the twenty
years covered by the period from 1860 to 1880. These two decades
were replete with imi)rovements in rail transportation. Advances, to be

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 31

sure, were also made in water transportation, but the progress made in
land carriage during this interval was much the greater. Limitations
of space forbid a detailed presentation of the imju-ovements introduced
that made the railroads efiective competitors of the lake carriers. Noth-
ing more than an enumeration of the most important advances cau be
attempted. Progress was made in all departments. The i)ermanent
way was improved by reduction of grades, better alignment of track,
improved drainage and ballasting, and better bridges. J>ut far more
important th;in these imi)rovements was the introduction of steel rails.
It is doubtful if the railroads could ever have become effective competi-
tors of the lake carriers without steel rails, for the latter, although of
transcendent importance in tlieiuselves, became doubly significant be-
cause of the advance along various lines that they made jjossible. The
greatest of these improvements was made in the rolling stock. With
stronger tracks much heavier engines could be built, and cars could be
loaded more heavily. Steel was in a measure substituted for iron in
the construftiou of locomotives. A great saving was made by the change
from iion to steel tires. With a very slight increase in the dead weight
of cars, the carrying capacity was doubled. There was also great prog-
ress made in making up and running trains.

The consolidation of connecting lines (and the extension of other lines
by lease or by purchase or by new construction) which had set in before
18G0 became a feature of railroad history during the period covered by
the years intervening between 1800 and 1880. By consolidation the
cheap and expeditious movement of freight between distant points was
greatly furthered. About the largest expense of transportation in the
early days was the transshij^ment charges. Consolidation did much to
obviate the necessity of frequent transfers of freight. But even after
consolidation had made considerable progress the extended movement
of bulky freight remained subject to many delays and charges, due to
trausshiimient at connecting points. These evils were in a large measure
overcome by the organization of through freight lines. But one more
advance can be mentioned — it is scientitic rate making. This has revo-
lutionized railroad transportation. In the i)rimitive days of railroading
the toll sheets showed but little differentiation of charges. The prin-
ciple of charging what the traffic would bear was never applied with
anything like thoroughness. The decisive change in rate making came
when it was recognized that it may be profitable to establish a rate
which will result in a net gain, however small, above the expenses aris-
ing strictly from the mere handling and moving of freight and such
incidental expenses as are properly applicable to it. In other words, it
is not always to be insisted upon that any given traffic miTst bear its
full share of the total expenses of the road. The question is, rather,
W^ill this traffic form a profitable auxiliary of the existing traffic?

By the early seventies the long list of improvements which have been
enumerated, and others of less importance, but nevertheless of great
moment in the aggregate, had progressed so far as to change the rela-
tion existing between the lake carriers and the railroads.' The latter
were now in a position to enter into effective competition with the lakes
in the transportation to the seaboard of the agricultural products of
the West. As a very large portion of the east-bound traffic from the
West was at this time composed of agricultural products, nearly the
entire east-bound business now became competitive.^ In 1876 it was

' Long V)efore this the railroads had demonstrated their ability to compete with
canals.

- In this statement is not included the lumber and ore traffic of what is known as
the Lake Superior region.

32 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

estimated that grain and Hour constituted about 50 per cent of the
entire eastward movement of through freights.'

It must not be understood that rail rates — from Chicago to New
York, for example — were now as low as the lake rates, for such was not
the case. Eail rates had, however, fallen so much that, taken in con-
nection with several advantages ottered by rail transportation, rail
rates were as favorable as the lake rates, even though the latter were
slightly lower. It may be well at this point to state that the published
transportation charges are not to be accepted without modificatiou.
The lake charges are approximately correct; but the rail charges are
generally too high, and often very much too high. The latter are aver-
ages of the ofticially published tariffs; but men in a position to speak
authoritatively say that practically no grain is shipped at these rates.^

When grain moves eastward to the seaboard in large quantities by rail
during the navigation season it may be assumed, with considerable
assurance, that the through rail rate is very nearly as low as the lake
and rail rate. This must be tlie case, because the advantages of
through rail shipment over lake and rail are not sufficient to offset any
large difference in rates. These advantages will be briefly stated.
Kailroads are responsible for the safe delivery of goods placed in their
care. The shipper, therefore, does not insure his property, wliieh he
would feel obliged to do should he send his property by the way of the
lakes.^

Grain carried in cars during the seasons of the year when grain is
likely to heat arrives in better condition than if sent by water. Grain
already out of condition goes better by rail, but not much importance
is now to be attached to this point, as grain is generally Jjut in good condi-
tion before it is shipped.^

Expedition is sometimes desirable, and railroads deliver commodities
with greater dispatch than the lake carriers. The terminal facilities of
the railroads are better than those of the water lines, and by j)atron-
izing the railroad shippers can occasionally save considerable sums in
the form of cartage charges. This is more true of flour, corn, and oats
than of wheat, for the last is not delivered directly to consumers, but
is first delivered to millers, who have terminal facilities. Flour, corn, and
oats, on the other hand, although generally not delivered directly to con-
sumers, are, however, delivered to persons at least one step nearer the
consumers than are the millers who receive the wheat. During the
process of transshipment there is some loss of grain, but as the lake
carriers deliver the amount for which they give receipts the shipi)er loses
nothing. In this particular the shipper rather favors the lake ro ute,
for the railroads refuse to receipt for a definite amount, and as a conse-
quence any loss in transit falls upon the shipper unless he can clearly
prove that there was a loss in transit, which he usually finds very
difiHcult to do.

In case the grain is not forwarded on a through bill of lading a por-
tion of the cost of transshipment falls upon the shipper, and thus
enters as one of the deciding influeuces in the selection of a route.

'Internal Commerce of the United States, 1876, p. 67. The total shipments east
from Chicago during the year 1878 amounted to 1,862,385 tons; to tliis sum grain,
flour, seeds, and fued contributed 3,137,032 tons, or a little more than 61 per cent.
Almost the whole of the balance was made up of animals and their products. (Ibid.,
1879, p. 99.)

-For transportation rates see Appendix II, Table VII.

3 In 1872 the rate of insurance was about .$1 on $100. (Transportation Eontes to
the Seaboard, vol. 1, p. 17.) It is now about 30 cents on $100.

^ All the modern elevators are equipijed with apparatus for airing and drying grain.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COM.MEROH. 33

(Jraiu ciinied by '' wild" vessels,' that is, vessels which have no rail
connections and are not running under contract, but flx their rates
from day to day as business may determine, is not carried on through
bills of lading, and the owner of the grain would therefore pay the
elevator charges.^ Terminal charges have undoubtedly been in some
measure responsible for the diversion of the grain traftic from the lake
route; they nuiy bo found in Appendix II, Tables I and II.

When the raihoads fouud that they could successfully compete with
the waterways it was discovered that the lack of suitable terminal
facilities at the seaboard cities for transferring grain from cars to ocean
vessels and for storage became a serious handica]). Down to about
1865 none of the trunk lines possessed elevator facilities on the Atlan-
tic Coast. At this time there was aii elevator built at a wharf on the
Delaware, in Philadelphia, under the patronage of the Pennsylvania
liailroad Company, and this was jirobably the first stationary elevator
erected on the Atlantic Coast.^ IJp to the close of the year 1870 the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad Company was the only road which had
already provided adequate terminal facilities for the handling of grain.^
New York City, althougli the chief port of the export grain business,
did not i)Ossess a single stationary elevator.

The use of elevators would have necessitated the adoption of the
western method of handling grain by "grades." The custom of selling
grain on sample had become too tirmly hxed by fifty years of habit to
be easily nprooted, and especially so as such a departure would seri-
ously impair the value of enormous vested interests of the very per-
sons who were expected to make the change. The great expense
involved in the old method of handling grain if shipped in bulk at the
railroad terminals, and the great reductions made by the introduction
of elevators, will be seen by the following statement made up by the
general freight agent of the Baltimore and Ohio Eailroad:

"Previous to January, 1872, all grain shipped to Baltimore in bulk
was unloaded by hand, at an expense of from 4 to 5 cents per bushel.
At this time the company completed an elevator of 600,000 bushels
capacity and reduced the charge for receiving, weighing, wharfage,
delivering to vessels, and storing for ten days to If cents per bushel,
by which means also the detention to vessels in loading was reduced
from five or ten days to as many hours.'"'

Two years later, when the Baltimore and Ohio entered Chicago and
became an aggressive competitor for a share in the movement of agri-
cultural products from the West, all the other trunk lines were forced
to improve their terminal facilities. Without ijroper facilities for
handling grain at the seaboard no road could meet the competition of
the lake and canal route, for this line possessed fairly satisfactory
terminals. The transfer charge of from 4 to 5 cents was sufficient to
turn grain to the lake and canal route. Not only was the movement
of grain by rail checked by the high charges at the seaboard terminals,
but it was at times entirely inhibited by the lack of facilities for removal
of grain from cars. Mr. 0. M. Gray, 'assistant general freight agent of

iThe "wild" vessels of the lakes are the tramp vessels of the ocean.

^Charges for shoveling amf trimming the grain in the hold of the ship are paid hy
the vessel.

Development of Transportation Systems in the United States, Ringwalt, p. 211.

^ Report of the Select Committee on Transportation Rontes to the Seaboard, Vol. I,
p. 27.

-■Ibid., Vol.11, p. 346.

"Ibid, VoI.I, p. 27.

H. Doc. 277 3

34 STATISTICS OV LAKE COMMERCE.

the Lake Shore aud Micbigau Soiitheru kaih'oad, in testifying before
the Senate Committee on Transportation Koutes to the Seaboard,
stated that the hick of terminal facilities at the seaboard for promptly
uuloading cars had resulted iu such a shortage of cars ou the Pittsburg,
Fort Wayne aud Chicago, aud ^Michigan Central iu the winter of 1872-73
that these roads were practically forced to suspend the movement of
bulky freight for a period of six weeks because of a lack of cars. Uis
own road, the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, was reduced to such
straits by the dearth of cars that it was forced " to cut off all freight west
of Chicago and receive nothing except the local freight of Chicago."^

Up to within very receut times our Government has takeu but little
interest iu our internal commerce, aud has therefore collected but little
information concerning It, and thus it is impossible to set fortli as defi-
nitely and accurately as might be desired the diversion of the grain
business from the Great Lakes to the railroads and from the latter back
to the former. We shall in the main be forced to rely for statistics
ni)on the reports of the conimercial bodies of the cities chiefly con-
cerned in the grain business, and unfortunately they have not collected
as full or accurate information as could be desired. From the two
sources, however, enough information can be obtained to i)resent in a
rough way the change that has taken place; but this can not always
be done in the simplest manner.

The diversion of the Hour and grain traffic from the lakes to the rail-
roads and from the railroads back to the lakes will be considered under
the following heads: (1) The diversion of the Hour and grain business
as shown by the movement of these commodities by lake and rail from
Chicago;'- (2) the diversion (if any there be) as shown by such data as
we have of the total eastward movement; and (3) the export move-
ment from tlie West through the Gulf ports will be examined — it is not
only a diversion from the lake line, but also from the east-bound trunk
lines.

II.— THE LAKE AND KAIL TKAFFIC EASTWARD FROM CHICAGO.

In the early sixties the railroads began to make serious inroads into
the flour traffic from Chicago, and during the eighth decade secured
the lion's share of this business. L'lour was the first heavy commodity
of comparatively low value that the railroad carried in competition with,
the water lines. The railroads gained this traffic, partly because ship-
ment by lake to points not accessible to lake craft involved a trans-
shipment, and flour could not be transferred with the same ease and
facility that grain could be transshipped ; partly because expeditious
delivery is frequently demanded, the element of time being of much
greater imi)ortance in the movement of flour than that of grain, and,
■finally, because flour can not be stored without considerable loss, so it
■would not be field during the winter for the opening of navigation to
so large an extent as grain. To these causes may be added a fourth —
tfie cost of marine insurance. The diversion from the lakes to the rail-
roads of the traffic in flour will be seen from the table in Appendix II,
Table III, Part I. It will be noted that from the opening of the seventh
decade the railroads rapidly monopolized the business, and continued to
do so until the year ISSO.*^ Since 1885 the relative importance of the
rail lines has diminished. In 1885 they carried almost seven-eighths of

1 Transportation Routes to the Seaboard, Vol. II, p. 280.

2 A table showing the lake and rail movement of flour and grain from Milwaukee
may be found in Appendix II, Table IV.

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STATISTICS OF LAKE COJI MERCK.

the Hour shipped eastward from Chicago, while in 181Hi they carried
but a little more than three-tiftlis.^

For many years the loug-distance traffic of the railroads was almost
wholly coiilined to the trausi>ortatioii of live animals, i)ro visions, and
general merchandise. As we have seen, however, at a comparatively
early day the railroads secured a large portion of the tlour business,
lu 1872^ they became in the fullest sense competitors of the lakes for
the wheat traffic. Up to this time, although they had in various years
carried considerable quantities of wheat, they had never been regarded
by the lake carriers as serious rivals.

In the spring of 187U the railroads entered the field for a part of the
grain traffic and secured a liberal portion of it throughout the season
of navigation. In the following year the struggle was continued, the
railroads securing a large share of the business. Since 1873 the con-
test has been maintained. In some years the railroads have made
great encroachments into the traffic, and in other yeais the lake carriers
have almost monopolized the business. Shii)ments by rail exceeded
those by lake in 1881, and again in 1885. Since the latter year the
lakes have more than held their own, and in some years have captured
nearly all the wheat. The yearly movement by each mode of transpor-

1 It will be seen by the table in tlie appendix that the east-bound movement of flour
from Chicago reached its maximum volume in 1887. Until 1888 most of the tlour
shij)pcd from the Northwest passed through Chicago, but in 1888, by the completion
of the Minneapolis. St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway, much of the flour business
was diverted from Chicago. From 1882 the construction of a railroad from Minne-
apolis and St. Paul to the north of Lake Michigan and the lower lakes to the seaboard
had been much discussed by the millers and shippers of these two cities. Such a
line, it was hoped, would be of signal advantage to the interests of these two cities
and of the entire Northwest, for by this road not only the distance to the seaboard
would be materially shortened in comparison with the circuitous route around the
head of Lake Michigan, but the uncertainty of a speedy uioveuient through the
freight yards of Chicago Avould also be obviated. This line, connuonly known as
the " Soo," in connection with the Canadian Pacific and lake vessels, on its comple-
tion at once became a strong competitor for the flour and grain business of the North-
'west. Ihiriug its first year it forwarded from Minneapolis 931, .500 l)anels of flour,
and since then shipments have rapidly increased, as will be seen by the subjoined
table.

The yearly shipments of flour from Minneapolis over the '' Soo," as given in the
reports of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, have been as follows :

Year.

Bai-rels.

Year.

Barrels.

Year.

Barrels.

1888

931,502
1,367,792
1, 156, 516

1891.

1892.
1893.

1, 200, 642
1, 684, 005
1, 720, 166

1894 .
1895.
1896.

1 458 146

1890

...! 2,419,914
1

Since 1887 shipments of flour to the ports at the head of Lake Superior have also
greatly increased, and the combined rail and water routes through Wisconsin and
across Lake Michigan have secured a large traffic that formerly passed through
Chicago.

2 The following table covers the period in which the great change took place :

Eastward shipments of wheat from Chicago.

Year.

By lake.

By rail, j

Year.

By Lake.

By rail.

1870

Bushels.
13, 429, 069
r2,l£0,923

8, 831, 870

Bushels.
2,621,699

576,468 !
2,363,810 i

1873

Bushels.

15, 528, 984

16, 974, 149

Bushels.
8, 149, 209
9 725 251

1871 .

1874

1872

STATISTICS OF LAKE C0M3IERCE.

the tiour shipped eastward from Ohicago, while iu 181)0 they carried
but a little more than threetifths.^

For many years the loug-distauce traffic of the railroads was almost
wholly couliiied to the transportation of live animals, provisions, and
general merchandise. As we have seen, however, at a comparatively
early day the railroads secured a large portion of the tlour business.
In ISTii'^ they became in the fullest sense competitors of the lakes for
the wheat trafdc. Up to this time, although they had iu various years
carried considerable quantities of wheat, they had never been regarded
by the lake carriers as serious rivals.

In the spring of 1872 the railroads entered the iield for a part of the
grain traffic and secured a liberal i)ortion of it throughout the season
of navigation. In the following year the struggle was continued, the
railroads securing a large share of the business. 8ince 1873 the con-
test has been maintained. In some years the railroads have made
great encroachments into the traffic, and in other years the lake carriers
have almost monopolized the business. Shipments by rail exceeded
those by lake in 1881, and again iu 1885. Since the latter year the
lakes have more than held their own, and in some years have captured
nearly all the wheat. The yearly movement by each mode of transpor-

1 It will be seen by the table in the appendix that the east-bound movement of flour
from Chicago reached its maximum volume iu 1887. Tntil 1888 most of the flour
shipped from the Northwest passed through Chicago, but in 1888. by the completion
of the Minneapolis. St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie R.ail way, niach of the flour business
was diverted from Chicago. From 1882 the construction of a railroad from Minne-
apolis and St. Paul to the north of Lake 3.1ichigan and the lower lakes to the seaboard
had been much discussed by the millers and shippers of these two cities. Such a
line, it was hoped, would be' of signal advantage to the interests of these two cities
and of the entire Northwest, for by this road not only the distance to the seaboard
would be materially shortened in comparison wirh the circuitous route around the
head of Lake Michigan, but the uncertainty of a speedy movement through the
freight yards of Chicago would also be obviated. This line, commonly known as
the " So'o," in connection with the Canadian Pacific and lake vessels, on its comple-
tion at once became a strong competitor for the flour and grain business of the North-
west. During its tirst year it forwarded from ilinneapolis 931,500 barrels of flour,
and since then shipments have rapidlj' increased, as will be seeu by the subjoined
table.

The yearly shipments of flour from Minneapolis over the " Soo," as given in the
reports of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, have been as follows :

Tear.

i Barrels.

Tear.

Barrels.

Year.

■ Barrels.

1888

931 502

1891.
1892.
1893.

1, 200, 642
1, 684, 005
1, 720, 166

1894.
1895.
1896.

. . . , 1, 458, 146

1889

1,367 792

... 2,111,455

2, 419, 914

- The following table covers the period in which the great change took place :

Eastward shipments of wheat from Chicago.

Tear

By lake.

By rail. , Tear.

By lake.

By rail.

1870

Bushels.

1 13,429,069

' 12,]£0,923

8831.870

Stishels.

2 621 699 ' 1873 . .. .

Bushels.
15, 528, 984
16, 974, 149

Bushels.
8, 149, 209

1871

576,468 1874

2, 363, 810

9, 725, 251

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

tation since ISGO is showu by the figures given in Apijeudix II, Table
III, part 1.

In the years previous to 1873, with some exceptions, most of the wheat
taken from Chicago by the railroads was secured in the winter months,
when lake navigation was closed. Since 1873 the largest rail shipments
have often been made after the navigation season had fully opened.'

In shipping by rail the marine insurance is avoided, the grain is less
liable to damage in transit, is moved more rapidly and marketed more
readily, thus giving quicker returns and thereljy saving interest charges.
But these advantages combined were not sufiticieut to overcome the
additional rail charge which was frequently exacted. It is safe to say
that the marine insurance in all but exceptional cases was considerably
less than 1 per cent per bushel, and the difference in time between the
all rail and lake and rail was not a large factor. The danger from
heating in si)ecial cases would be very great, but in most cases it would
quite disapi)ear. During ^lay, 1875, the difference in rates amounted
to 10 cents, and witli such a variation it is surprising that the railroads
should have secured any wheat at all. With a fuller knowledge of the
situation, however, this will be readily understood. The published
rates were not the real rates. iSays .Air. E. II. Walker, statistician of
the New York Produce Exchange: "During a portion of the year 187.3,
the transportation by rail has been by the agreed schedule of rates." -

Tlie implication is that rates were generally not maintained, and
such must have been the case. From January to October the rates
given in the Internal Commerce reports remained stationary at 24
cents per bushel, then fell 1 cent for October, but recovered for Novem-
ber, and rose to 28 cents for December.^

The statistician of the New York Produce Exchange^ says that rates
were very low from the opening of the year until October, when they
advanced very sharply, but the published rates do not show this
movement. He also informs us tiiat Hour and grain were carried in
large quantities from St. Louis to New York by all rail at 2-i cents per

1 Tlie seriousness of the competition offered by the railroads at times during the
navigation season will be made evident by the following table:

Year.

Shipments during the
mouth of May.

Nominal dif-
ference of
rates in favor
of the lake
and rail route
as agaiust the
all-rail route.

By lake.

By rail.

Bushels.
272,591

Bushels.

340, 584

947, 902
1, 210, 352

735, 666
1, 114, 137

270, 110
1, 369, 732

Cents.

1873

1, 823, 310

; 2,367,796

' 1,160.435

1876

1,810,340

755,962

3.6

1878

902,958

3.1

For this data see Internal Commerce, 1876, charts 2 and 3, and Internal Commerce,
1879, Appendix, pp. 246-247. The third column of the table shows a surprising
amount of freight secured by the railroads in view of the great difference which
frequently obtained iu rates. Perhaps the published rates were not adhered to.

- New York Produce Exchange, 1874-75, p. 231.

3 Internal Commerce of United States, 1876, chart No. 1.

^ISTew York Produce Exchange, 1874-75, pp. 231-235. ,

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 37

100 pounds, wliicli woukl be equivalent to 15 cents per busljel.' It
is hardly to be supposed that the rate Ironi Chicago to Xew York
was maintained at 24 cents, with a rate of 15 cents from St. Louis.
That raib'oad rates were not stable during; the year 1875 is also testified
to by Mr. Charles Randolph, in his report as secretary for the Chicago
Board of Trade-
in a general way it may be said that the corn traffic has followed the
same course as the wheat tratiic. The railroads appear, liowever, to
have secured a considerable share of this business at an even earlier
time than they obtained a large part of the wheat traffic. During the
years 1808, 181)9, and 1870 the railroads carried considerable quanti-
ties of corn, and then for five years transported but little of this com-
modity. In the movement of this important crop the year 1876 was
the decisive turning point. The crop of corn grown in 1875 was large
and of good quality and the export demand was steady and strong, so
the grain was moved rapidly forward by rail. Throughout 1876 the
rail routes competed vigorously with the lake lines and obtained a large
share of the traffic. During the months of May and June 6,208,706
bushels of corn were shipped from Chicago by lake, and 5,588,830 bush-
els by rail. ' The amount of corn carried by rail during the year 1884
was almost equal to that transported by lake. During the following
year the shipments by rail again almost equaled those by lake, the
amounts being, respectively, i:8,68i\861: and l".),381',591 bushels. Since
1885 the lakes have regained much of the east bound traffic lost in the
earlier years. In 1890 they carried more than six times as much corn
as the railroads.

We have now considered the partial diversion from the lakes to the
railroads of the flour, wheat, and corn shipped from Chicago to the East.
There yet remains to be considered the movement of oats, the one grain
not yet taken up that is shipped eastward in large quantities. Rye and
barley, the other important cereals, are not transported in sufficient
amounts to warrant separate treatment. During 1896 the aggregate
shipments by lake and rail from Chicago amounted to but 11.112,217
bushels.^ Their movement may be inferred in a general way from the
discussion of the transportation of the other grains.

At a very earh' date, as will be seen by an examination of Table III,
part II, Appendix II, the transportation of oats by rail assumed an
important position. During 186_', 1863. 18()1, and 1865 a very large por-
tion of the oats carried out of Chicago was taken by the railroads. This
was largely due to the exceptional conditions which prevailed. The
principal contracts let all over the United States for supplying the
armies in the South with oats were filled in Chicago. As a result, the
shipment of oats from Chicago during the war increased with surpris-
ing rapidity: for the year 1861 they amounted to only 1,492,507 bush-
els, while for the last nine months of 1864 and the first three months
of 1865 they reached the large total of 15,020,792 bushels.

As a natural consequence the railroads leading from Chicago were
called upon to transport much of this gi-ain, and as there were no rail-
roads running far to the South west of the Mississi])pi, and but a sin-
gle road crossing the Ohio River and running to the South through
Kentucky, it bet-ame necessary to send commodities to the southeastern
points by the roundabout eastern lines. After the war closed the

' New York Produce Exchange, 1874-75, p. 232.

- Report of Chica.ijo Board of Trade, 1875, pp. 18, 19.

^ Interual Commerce, 1876, chart No. 3. Xavigation opeued before the 1st of May.

^Report of Chicago Board of Trade, 1896, p. 3.

38 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCP:.

movement of oats by rail dimiiiislied somewhat, but very shortly
increased at a rapid rate, and in 1873 the shipments by rail greatly
exceeded those by lake. From 1873 to 1886 the railroads secured
almost the whole traffic, and in some years left but an insignificant
amount to the lake carriers. Since the latter year the vessel men have
reentered the tield for this business and now obtain a, large portion of
it, but the railroads still hold the larger share.

The statistics of the movement of oats show that the railroads car-
ried a larger j)ro])ortion of this than of other grains. This is surprising,
for oats is a commodity of comparatively low value and large bulk, and
it is generally held that this class of goods is best adapted to water
transportation. The explanations of the larger lail movement of oats
are not far to seek; one of them, however, runs counter to long-estab-
lished opinion. Oats take ui) moisture more readily than other grains,
and as a very small amount will cause oats to become musty and thus
unfit for horse feed, it is sometimes found advantageous to ship this
grain by rail. But there is another and far more potent cause for the
surprisingly large rail movement of oats. It is the lake rates; these
are fixed more upon the basis of bulk than ot weight, and as oats is a
bulky' product, the freight per hundred pounds is considerably higher
than on wheat and corn.

Enough oats can not be stowed away in the hold of a ship to secure a
cargo equal in weight to that of the san)e ship loaded with wheat, and
therefore it is necessary to fix a higher rate ])er hundred pounds upon
oats than upon wheat. The grain car, on the other hand, is so large
that there is no difficulty in loading it to its full carrying cai)acity with
the bulky produ(;t outs, and as a conse([uence the I'ail rates on oats are
no more per hundred pounds than those on wheat and corn. The larger
lake movement of oats in recent years is perhaps in part explained by
the fact that since the agitation for deeper channels began vessels
have been constructed, to draw more water when fully loaded than the
existing channels would permit. This being tlie situation, nniny vessels,
so to sjieak, would have extra cargo room or unoccupied space when
transporting heavy conmiodities. These vessels, to a certain extent,
would suffer no loss in carrying the bulky product oats, for if they car-
ried wheat or corn a part of the hold would remain empty.

IH.— THE TOTAL EAST-BOUND TRAKPTC.

An almost entire absence of statistics of the grain and tiour trans-
ported over the railroads that tap the surplus grain producing regions
stretching far out to the south, west, and north of Chicago, makes it
wholly impossible to present anything approaching a satisfactory ex-
position of the general movement of these commodities. Thus far
nearly all the facts we iDossess have been gathered under the direction
of the commercial organizations of the cities in which the grain and flour
business is centered.-

'The unrabers 32, 56, aud 60 represent, with a fair degree of accuracy, the weights
of a like bulk of oats, corn, and wheat, respectively. The measured i)ushel of oats
weighs about 32 pounds, that of .shelled corn 56, and that of wheat 60; the measured
bushel of oats, however, more frequently exceeds 32 pounds than does that of wheat
exceed 60 pounds. Recently theie has been a machine invented for "cli])piug'' oats.
By "clipping" the weight of the measured bushel is increased by one-halt to one and
one-half pounds.

^The statistics published by these organizations are generally in part based u])on
the custom-house records. For the sources of the grain statistics see Appendix II.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 39

While these data are complete enou-ih for many purposes, they are
not siitiit'ieutly comprehensive to disclose the characteristics of the
general niovenient of the cereals from the interior producing- regions to
the consuming districts of the East and South, and to foreign countries.
Thus far, our General Government has devoted but little attention to
inland commerce; the reports on our internal commerce which have
appeared u[> to this time have contained but little statistical matter
which had not previously appeared in reports of transportation com-
panies, boards of trade, produce exchanges, and chambers of commerce
of our great trading centers.

1 shall now attempt to show, but in a somewhat roundabout way,
what share of the Hour and grain traffic from the West to the East has
fallen to the lakes, and what portion has been secured by the railroads.
The tigures which will be given should in no case be wrested from their
context. Conditions which obtained at the beginning of the period
under consideration no longer exist, and thus the statistics standing by
themselves would be very misleading.

The transportation of iiour and the chief three cereals — corn, wheat,
and oats — will be investigated. In the case of eai'h one of these com-
modities, the receipts at the principal eight Atlantic ports will be com-
pared with the receipts by water at the chief lower lake ports. If the
receipts at the Atlantic ports increased at a more rapid ratio than those
of the lake x)orts it may be legitimately inferred, if all circumstances
except those of transportation remain unchanged, that the railroads
were proving the stronger competitor, and vice versa. The conditions,
however, as will be shown as each commodity is considered, have not
remained fixed.

Attention is first invited to the movement of wheat ; the transportation
of tiour will next be taken up. The order of consideration has been
imrposely changed, because the movement of flour is partially explained
by the circumstances which have alfected the alterations in the ship-
ment of wheat. A very large portion of the grain shipped by lake is
received at Buffalo and Erie, and therefore the receipts of these two
ports may be regarded as fairly representing the lake 'movement.^
Moreover, the relation between the receipts of grain at these ports and
the other lower lake ports has not materially changed ; so, for comparative
purposes, the amounts received at Bufialo and Erie maybe assumed as
reflecting the whole movement by lake. In the comparisons which will
be instituted, the total receipts at the lower lake ports by lake have
not been used, for the reason that such statistics can not be had except
for the census year 1889.

The impossibility of securing statistics of the entire movement to
and through the Atlantic States and the eastern portion of Canada has
forced me to accept the receipts - at the chief centers of the grain and
flour business on the Atlantic Seaboard as indicative of the whole move-
ment into the regions just mentioned. It thus appears that the value
of the comparison turns (1) upon the accuracy with which the lake
movement is reflected by the receipts at Buffalo and Erie, and (2) upon
the permanence of the proportion existing between the total movement

^Insufficient data make it diffi<nlt to iiive an estimate of the relation between the
receipts of linttalo and Erie and those of .ill the lower lake ports, hut it is prohably
safe to say that the receipts of Bntfalo and Erie ar-e 80 per cent of the total.

- Instead of the receipts at Newport Xews and Norfolk, I have i;sed the exports,
for the latter alone represent the tra ffi c which may he regarded as competitive between
the lakes and the railroads. The other ports selected are Montreal, Portland, Bos-
ton, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

40 STATISTICS OF LAKH (OMMEliCE.

to the seaboard and that to the selected ports. As lias already been
stated, the receipts at Biittalo and Erie reflect, with considerable exact-
ness, the total movement by vessel to the lower lake ports. As to whether
the proj)ortion between the total movement to tlie seaboard and that
to the selected i)orts has remained the same, we can not speak with the
same assurance, for we have but few statistics to assist us in forming-
opinions. As the exports of wheat seem to have maintained a fairlj'-
cou.^^tant relation to the total production of wheat in the United States,
yearly fluctuations being left out of account, it may be assumed that
the receipts at the seaboard ports of wheat for export have not varied
greatly. The (piestion then remains as to whether or not the total
receipts at the seaboard ports, less the (juantities exported, have
increased at as rapid a rate as the receipts at all the other points com-
bined. This question must probablybe answered in the negative, and
for two reasons: In the earlier years of the period under considera-
tion the smaller interior cities seldom enjoyed as favorable freight rates
as the larger cities, and so the former often obtained their supplies fiom
the latter; aud in the earlier years, when the Eastern States i)roduced a
large i)ortion of the wheat consumed, the snialler cities of the localities
where the grain was raised would be sure to obtain the surplus, leav-
ing the larger cities to look to the more remote regions for the satisfac-
tion of their necessities.

By examining Table V, Part 1, in Ai)pendix II, it will be seen that from
the beginning of the period under examination (1808) down to the year
1876, the combined receipts of wheat at Buffalo and I'h'ie by lake were,
although varying from year to year, somewhat more than one-half as
large as those of the selected Atlantic ports. In ]87(» this relation was
slightly changed, and for the first time tlie receipts of the Atlantic
ports were more than double those of the two lake ports; there was,
however, no great change, as the receipts at the former ports M-ere
4J,881,00() bushels, and at the latter L»l,147,01>(). During 1877 the lake
ports regained their former position, the receipts being 25,791,491
bushels, while the receipts at the Atlantic ])orts were 4(),8-!8,000 bushels.
Thus far the relation existing between the receipts at the lower lake
ports and at tidewater on the Atlantic Coast have remained fairly con-
stant, although the aggregate receipts have increased api)reciably. A
great change took place during the next five j'ears. The ratio between
the receipts at the lower lake ports and the Atlantic ports was very
much altered ; instead of being about as 1 to 2, the ratio was now about
as 1 to 3i; for the live-year period the aggregate stood at 172.0 million
and 548.6 million bushels, respectivel3^ For the year 1881 the receipts
at the Atlantic ports were more than four times as large as the re-
ceipts at Buffalo and Erie. In 1883 there was a partial return to the
relations which formerly obtained, and in 18S4 there was a still further
change, so that for this year the receipts at the Atlantic ports lacked
just a trifle of being double those of the lake ports. For the three
succeeding years there was no great change. But in 1888 and in the
following year the situation changed so much that for the year 1895
the receipts at Buffalo and Erie almost equaled those of the selected
Atlantic ports, the receipts of the former being 49,933,100, and of the
latter 49,205,()()0 bushels. This proportion during 1890 was changed
somewhat in favor of the Atlantic ports.

Thus far nothing but the superficial facts have been presented. These
seem to show that the railroads and the lakes maintained a pretty even
struggle during the decade beginning with 1868, and that for Ave years

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMEECE

thereafter tlie railroads gained a decisive advantage aud tlieu for a lew
years waged a stubborn contest, but only to be utterly driven from the
held in the years from 188S to 189<3. The facts thus far presented, how-
ever, are wholly inadequate for an understanding of the events Avhich
have taken place. Conditions have radically changed. The striking
fact in the history of wheat growing in the United States during the
past thirty years has been the westward and northward movement of
the surplus wheat-producing areas.'

At the beginning of the jieriod under consideration, ]S"ew York and
rcnnsvlvania held iiromiuent places among the wheat-producing
States^ and the great wheat raising States were for the most part on
the southern shores of the chain of Great Lakes. By the middle of the
eighties all this was changed and a large proportion of the surplus
wheat grown in the United States was harvested in tiie far Northwest,
the Dakotas and Minnesota being the princii)al wheat growing States.
The last column of the foregoing table discloses the present importance
of these States, two of which produced no sur])lus wheat until the
middle of the period under examination. The westward and notth-
ward movement of the wheat raising areas has had a very decisive
influence in the selection of the agencies emjiloyed in the movement
eastward of the grain produced. When the grain to be shipped was
raised in Ohio and Indiana and in the southern portions of Michigan
and Illinois it was almost sure to go by rail, for in iiearh' all cases shii)-
ment by water would involve a short rail haul to the lakes, with its
high local rates, and in some cases, after the grain reached the lake, it
would be only slightly advanced in its eastward journey by lake ship-
ment. Charges of transshipment in the case of the short lake ship-
ment would l)e of relatively greater importance than in the case of the
larger lake shipment. In the early days the grain grown in the West
was produced in regions or carried to places where the railnsads were
in a favorable position to compete for it. Most Western wheat found
its way to Chicago or Milwaukee.

1 lu speaking of the great wheat-produciug areas, I refer only to the wlieat-growiug
regions east of the Kocky Mountains. The shifting of areas is made clear by the
following table:

Production of wheat.

[,000 omitted.

1869. rt 1879. b

1889. c

1895. d

State or -rr.„,,. State or j Y\e^,\
Territory. ^^^^'^- Territory. ^'®^''-

State or
Territory.

Yield.

State or
Territory.

Yield.

Bmh. Bush.

Illinois 30,128 Illinois 51.111

Iowa 29.436 Indiana 47,285

Ohio 27,982 Ohio 46.015

Indiana 27,747 Michigan 35,533

Wisconsin 25,616 Minnesota 34.601

Pennsylvania... 19,673 Iowa 31.154

Minnesota 18,866 Missouri 24,967

Michigan 16,265 Wisconsin 24,8X5

Missouri 14,315 Pennsylvania.. 19,462

KewYork 12.178 Kansas 17,-324

Kentuckv 5. 729 i Nebraska 1,3,847

Kansas 2.390, :NewYork 11,588

Nebraska 2. 125 j Kentucky 11,356

I)ako*a 171 Dakota 2 830

Minnesota

Dakotas

Illinois

Indiana

Ohio

Kansas

Missouri

Michigan

Pennsylvania..

M'isconsin

Kentucky

Nebraska

New York

Bush.
52, 300
40,945
37. 389
37,319
35, 559
30, 399
30,114
24, 771
21, 505
11,699
10, 707
10,571
8. 305
8; 250

Dakotas

Minnesota ....

Ohio

Kansas

Pennsylvania -

Indiana

Illinois

Missouri

Michigan

Kebraska

Iowa

Kentucky ....

Wisconsin

KewYork

Bush.
90. 319
65, 584
32, 216
22, 919
20. 456
•:o, 294
19. 061
18. 499
15.238
14, 787
13, 655
9,501
8.616
7,301

aKinth Census: Industry and Wealth, p. 83.

6 Tenth Census ; Vol. III! p. 177.

cKeport on the Statistics of Agriculture in the United States at the Eleventh Census, p. 16.

rf Report of the Cliicago Board of Trade, 1895. p. 182.

42 STATISTICS OF LAKF. COMMERCE

From these points the raih-oa<ls possess a decided advantage over
the hike carriers in the point of distance, for the hitter ninst round the
lower peninsnhi of Michigan, while the former run directly across
countr}^ to their destination. From Chicago to Buffalo b3^ lake is 880
miles/ while the distance from Chicago to Xew York City by the
shortest rail route is but 012 niiles.^

From Buffalo to Xew York City by the shortest rail route is 410 miles. '
It thus a])pears that every mile covered in the passage to Buffalo by
lake results in an effective eastward movement of O.odi mile. By the
westward and northward movement of the surplus wheat-producing
region the situation has been wholly changed. The districts which
formerly produced the surplus that was almost certain to go by rail now
grow but little if any more wheat than will satisfy their own necessities,
but the location of the new wh- at growing areas is the important factor.
These districts are located directly west of Lake Superior. Tliis fact
is clearly shown by the crop maps of the Eleventh Census.' The pro-
duction of wheat in the far Xorth has been greatly increased since these
maps were published, as will be seen by an examination of the table on
page 41. As a result of this northward and westward movement of
the wheat llelds, the railroads have lost the advantage in point of dis-
tance which tlsey formerly possessed. By the sliifting of the wheat-
growing districts the lake carriers have been placed u})on terms of
substantial equality with railroads. In shipping by lake from (jhicago
it was found that every mile traversed in the passage to Buffalo resulted
in effective eastward movement of but 0.504 nrile. Sliipment by water
from the head of Lake Superior is not accompanied by this wasteful
expenditure of energy. Every mile t)ie grain is moved resnlts in its
being practically 1 mile nearer one of our great exporting poi'ts.'

The increased importance of the shipments of wheat from the far
Xorthwest, in the receipts at Buffalo and Erie, is made clear by the

'Eleveutli Census: Transportation Business. Part II, p. 290.

-Chicago to New Yorlv City over the Pennsylvania Railroad. By rail the distances
from Chicago to the dilfereat seaboard citii's are as follows:

Miles. >MiU's.

To Boston 1. 00(1 To Newport News 896

To Baltimore 802 To Norfolk !'8.1

To Philadelphia 822

(Railroad Gazette, Vol. XXIX, No. 13, p. 21.5.)

'From Buffalo and Erie the distance to the s(^aboard ports by the shortest routes
is as follows :

Miles. • Mile.H.

Buffalo to New York 410 Erie to New York 512

Buffalo to Boston 481 Erie to Boston 569

Buffalo to Philadelphia 418 Erie to Philadelphia 506

Buffalo to Baltimore 402 Erie to Baltimore 490

(Ibid., p. 21().)

* Eleventh Census: St.itistics of Agriculture; Crop Map No. 13.

'" In coniy)aiison with certain rail routes, however, the lake route from the head of
Lake Superior does not appear in this favorable light. Either the Duluth, South
Shoie and Atlantic, or the Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Sault Ste. Marie, in cimnec-
tion with the Canadian Pacific, affords a much .shorter line to an ocean port (Mon-
treal) than do the lakes and the lailroads to any of our Atlantic ports. These all-rail
lines may in the future effectively compete with the lake carriers in the transporta-
tion of grain to certain regions. It does not follow because these roads have not
done so in the past that they will not do so in the future. The discussion of this
point, however, would lead ns too far afield, and therefore it will not now be
taken np.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COM.>rERGE.

following table, coveriiii;- the moveiueiit of wheat tliroiij^h the St. M ary.s
Falls Canal:

Moreinciil of wlwal.
[(00 oinitteil.]

Movement
throuprli
St. Marys

Falls Canal.

Buahels.

18S0 2. 1(16

1882 ;!.729

1884 11.986

1886 l.'^DOl

1888 !8.r)9(>

1890 l'^. 217

Keceiptsat

Buffalo
and Erie. ,

FallSal. «->Erie.

usiiels. Bushels.

44,477 1891 a8,817

27.080 1892 .' | 40,995

34, 692 '1893 43,482

42, 57.T 1894 :«. 869

27,805 1895 46,218

2.j.0:i4 1896 63,2,56

83,749
86. 085
71,, 578
52, 450
49, 033-
60, 054

By tlie abov^e table it appears that the movement of \«l]eat through
the St, Marys Falls Canal now just about e(iua]s the combined recei])ts
of the two prominent lower lake ports — Buffalo and P>ie. Were the
receipts of the lower lake ports no larger than the shipuients from
the lake ports otlier than those of Lake Sni)erior the receipts of the
selected Atlantic ports would have much more than held their own with
the receijits of Buffalo and Erie. A comparison upon this basis would
be worthless, however, because the whole situation has changed. That
the railroads are less able to com])ete with the lake route than formerly
can not be inferred from a comparison of the receipts of the lower lake
ports and of the Atlantic ports, for the railroads never were competitors
for the traftic of the far off region which now produces the bulk of our
surj)lus wheat. The existing status of the struggle between the rail-
road and the water lines will not be dis<uissed further at this point.

The statistics for the transportation of Hour show that the movement
of this commodity very much resembles that of wheat. For the first
three years (18G8-1870) of the period under consideration the receipts
at Buffalo and Erie were about one-fifth of those at the selected Atlantic
ports. Then for several years, but not without occasional setbacks, the
receipts at the seaboard ports gained on the receipts of the lower lake
ports, until in 1877 the receipts of the former ports were more than ten
times as large as those of the latter. After 1 877 there was a reverse move-
ment, and in 1883 this had gone so far that the relations which obtained
at the outset were about restored. During the next two years tliere
was practically no change, but in 1880 the lake ports made a decided
gain upon the seaboard ports, and in 1889 increased this gain so much
that the receipts of the lake ports were more than one-half as large as
those of the seaboard ports. Since 1889 there has been no change of
note. The vearlv alterations which took place are shown in Appendix
II, Table V, Part I.

A strong resemblance in the movement of Hour and of wheat will be
noticed on comparing the figures (in the Appendix) covering the move-
ment of hour with those presenting the movement of wheat. The gen-
eral tendencies have been in tiie same direction, but the movement has
not proceeded so far in the one case as in, the other. The shifting of
the surplus wheat-producing districts has been accompanied by a cor-
respondinu movement of the great milling centers. From 1878 Minne-
apolis has, with but few interruptions, steadily increased her output of
flour, reaching the enormous total of 12,874,890 barrels in 189(5. At the

TATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

head of Lake Superior, in the cities of Duliith and West Superior, tliere
has recently spiung- uj) another important milling center.'

As the milling- industry has in a large measure followed the wheat-
growing region westward and northward, it follows that the lakes are
now in a more favorable position for competing for tlie flour traffic than
formerly. That a large portion of the increased receii)ts of BuHalo and
Erie originate in the Northwest is evidenced by the statistics of the flour
moved through the St. Marys Falls Canal.'^

The shipments from ^Minneapolis by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and
Sault Ste. Marie Kailroad have the same effect, since the bulk of the
flour carried by this road is transshipped to lake vessels at Gladstone, a
port on the northern shore of Lake. Michigan.

It appears, then, that the shipments of tiour through the St. Marys
Falls Canal, pins the shipments of flour from Min.neapohs by the Min-
neapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Ifailroad, are now about as large
as the total receipts of Ihiffalo and Erie. For 18!>r) the former were
actually largetthan the latter.' This brings us to the maiu considera-

'Tbe subjoined taltle will show the development of tliese two milling districts.

Annual production (barreh).

fOOO omitted.]

|MiB„eapo.

Duluth.6 1 Tear. ^'»];!r"' 1 ^"^"t'"'

1878 941

189U 6 089 4'!!

1880 2,052

1882 .... 3 176

189"' 9 751) 1 004

1884 5.S18

1886 . 6 168

189:{ 9.378 870

1894 9 401 'tl8

1888 . 7 0.i7

si"

1895 10 58'' (•■' 078

«Eeport8 of the Trade and Commerce of Minneapolis.
b Kepnrts of the Trade and Commerce of Diiliith.
cThc (lutput of the Diiliith and We.st Superior mills.
(? Flour manufactured at the '■ Head of the Lakes." (Re
compiled b.v the Duluth Cliamber of Commerce.)

-lew of the Trade and (.'oiiimerce of Duluth,

-Movement of , Hour (harreh).
[000 omitted.]

Tear.

Through
the canal, a

From Min-.
neapolis, bv

S^l^ rear. 1 tEnfl'a
and Sault jthecanal.a
Ste. Marie 1
R. R.b [

From Min-
neapolis, by
Minneapo-
lis. St. Paul
and Sault
Ste. Marie
R.R.6

1880

524

1891 3 780

1 ''01

1882

1884

1.248
1,759
2,191
3,239

1894 8.966

931 1895 8,90-2

1,368 1896 8,883

),458
2,111

1888

1890

dofument prepared by Mr. E. S.

« Statement of the commerce through the St. Marys Falls Canal,
Wheeler, the Government olliccr in charge of the canal.
6 Reports of the Chamber of Commerce of Minneapolis.

■'This fact does not, however, throw discredit npou the method of approachiug
the problem of the general east\\ard movement of the several commodities nnder
investi<;ation, for the total shipments of flour from Minneapolis by the "Soo" Rail-
road are not transshipped to lake vessels. And the receipts at Buffalo and Erie do
not reju-esent the total receipts of the lower lake ports as fully as the shipments
through the "Soo" Canal, plus the shipments over the "Soo" Railroad, represent the
shipments from the upper lake ports. It should also be remembered that at the out-
set I disclaimed all intentions of making an exact mathematical demonstration.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 45

tioi). We tin<l in the case of flour, as in the case of wiieat, that the shift-
ing- of the i)hxces of productiou has i)ut the water carriers in a more
favorabk^ position to nieet the competition of the raihoads. 'J lie hike
carriers are no longer handicapped by an excessively circuitous route.'

In striking contrast with the movement of wheat and its manufac-
tured product, flour, is the eastward movement of corn. It appears from
Appendix II, Table V, Part li, showing the receipts of the selected
lake and seaboard ])orts, that the receipts of these two groups of ports,
although they have varied greatly during the period under considera-
tion, have moved together and at about the same rate. From 1S()8 to
1870 the lake receipts were about one-half as large as those of the sea-
board, then for half a dozen years the seaboard receipts gained some-
what upon the receipts of the lake ports. The year 1882 was, in some
respects, anomalous. The receipts of tlie lake ports almost equaled those
of the seaboard ports, the former being- a little more than 24,000,000
bushels and the latter somewhat more than 28,000,000.''*

For the next four years there were wide variations, and from then
(1887) the lake receipts, with the exception of 1892, were somewhat
more than one half as large as those of the seaboard receipts. During-
1896 the seaboard receipts were more than double those of the lake
ports, the former being 113.5 million and the latter but 54.7 million
bushels.

The eastward movement of corn thus stands out in strong contrast
with that of wheat and flour. In our investigation of these breadstuffs
we found that after the opening of the eighties the transportation of
these commodities by water gained very lapidly upon the movement
by land, and that at the close of the period the quantities received at
Bitflalo and Erie by water were practically equal to the total quanti-
ties received at the leading seaboard cities. The explanation of this
divergence of tendencies is not far to seek. It is found in the fact that
the shifting of the surplus corn producing region has been westward,
and not northward as well as westward ; it has been along the parallels.
Our surplus wheat, as was seen, is now largely grown in the far iNorth-
west — in Minnesota and in the Dakotas. The great wheat fields are
now back of Lake Superior, and thns in a favorable position for the
movement by lake of the crops gathered from them. These States
have thus far produced but little surplus corn, and will probably never
produce much, as they lie almost wholly without the corn belt. In the
southern portions of Minnesota and South Dakota corn can be grown
successfully, but these areas are limited in extent. The great surplus
corn region now lies to the west and southwest of the southern portion
of Lake Michigan,^ falling- within the States of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri,
Kansas, and Nebraska, and, as a consequence, if corn is to go by water
to the East it must be carried from the ports at the head of Lake
Michigan on the circuitous Journey around the lower peninsula of Michi-
gan. The advantages of the rail lines running to the Atlantic ports
in point of distance will not be further discussed, as this matter has
already been dwelt upon.

As the surplus corn producing- regions now lie to the southwest of
the head of Lake Michigan rather than directly to the west of it, there

1 For qualifications, see note on page 42.

^ The receipts of this year were far below the normal, and in this fact is to be found
the explanation of the variation of the relation. Ju.st why a small movement should
affect the seaboard receipts more than the lake receipts will be shown later.

'This is very clearly shown by Crop Map No. 9, Eleventh Census: Statistics of
Agriculture.

4G STATIST1C8 OF LAKE ('OMMERCE.

lias been a very decided teiideucy to sliip corn for export by tlie all-rail
lines to the south Atlantic ports, notably Baltimore, Philadelphia, New-
port News, and Norfolk. Shipments by the all-rail routes to these ports
will probably increase. Th»^ distances from the corn growing- districts
to tlie south Atlantic ports are less than to the north Atlantic ports.
There is another reason, and a much weightier one, for the movement to
the southern ports from Chicago. Philadelphia has a differential rate
in its favor of -5 cents, and the other i»orts one of 3 cents i)er 100 i)ouuds
as compared with New York. Wheu these diifereutials were agreed
upon, April 5, 1877, they were given to Southern ports to offset the
advantage New York ])ossessed in the matter of ocean rates.'

Since 1877, however, tlie situation has radically changed. New York
has, in good part, lost the advantage she then possessed in the item of
ocean rates, and thus the reason for the existence of these diflerentials
has disappeared. The differentials, however, not only remain, but have
become much more effective than when adopted. Nominally the differ-
entials remain as they were fixed in 1877, but really they are much
higher than they were then. This is true because the rates have fallen
very deciilcdly, while the differentials have remained absolutely sta-
tionary. Had the ditterentials been fixed upon a sliding scale, falling
as the rates fell, the Southern ports would not have the advantage
which they now possess. What might have been easily arranged in
1877 can now be brought about only by a serious struggle, and one which
the Northern trunk lines are not likely to make. The grain traffic is an
important item to the Southern roads, and they will wage a desperate
struggle to retain it. This is fully recognized by the more })ros|)erous
Northern roads, which have a more profitable miscellaneous business.
We have here a case of a wide difference in marginal utility of a certain
traffic to two different sets of roads. The Baltimore and Ohio, the
Chesapeake and Ohio, and the Norfolk and \Vestern — roads hungry for
traffic — set a much higher value upon the traffic in corn, which at best
yields but a small profit, than do the New York Central and Pennsyl
vania roads, whose terminal yards are already crowded andean only
be enlarged at 'a great outlay of money.

As these Southern roads also tap the territory to the south and west
of Chicago, it may be expected that they will also, to an increasing
extent, div^ert grain directly to the Southern ports, instead of permitting
it first to go to Chicago and then to take it to those ports. A large
jDortion of the surplus corn being produced in the territory to the
soutli of Chicago, this diversion may seriously affect the corn trade of
this city.

The table covering oats shows that its eastward movement differs
widely from that of each of the other commodities considered. For the
first four years of the period under investigation, namely, 18G8 to 1872,
the receipts by lake at Buffalo and Erie were almost equal to one-half
the receipts of the eight selected Atlantic ports, the former being 33.8
million and the latter 68.5 million bushels. Beginning with the year
1872 the receipts of the lower lake ports not only declined relatively,
but even absolutely, and in the year 1880 reached the very small aggre-
gate of 1,(351,350 bushels. For the next four years the receipts Avere
somewhat larger, but in 1885 they again fell very low, being less than
the small amount received in 1880. The receipts at the Atlantic ports,
on the other hand, steadily rose from 23.7 millions in 1880 to 40.4 mil-
lions of bushels in 1885. In 1886 the lake receipts increased slightly,

'Proceedings of the special committee on railroads appointed under a resolution
of the New York assembly to investigate alleged abuses in the mauagemeut of rail-
roads chartered by the State of New York, 1879, Vol. Ill, pp. 3041,3012.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COM.MERCE. 47

aud those of the seaboard i)orts fell oft" somewhat. Since ISSIJ the
rei^eipts of the lake ports have grown much more rai)idly than tliose of
the Atlantic ports, the receipts of tlie former ports for 181)6 being 40.5
miillion and those of the latter 78.9 million bushels.

Wiule investigating- the transportation of wheat and corn, it was
found that the shifting of the great producing areas was a factor of i)rime
importance in determining the route by which the crops would go to
market. lu th(i case of oats, the movement was very largely westward
and but slightly northward; so the situation has not been so greatly
changed as in tiie case of wheat. Most ot the surplus oats is now grown
in territory directly west of Chicago. There has been, however, some-
thing of a northward movement of the oats-growing districts, and the
shipments by the northern routes — by lake from the head of Lake Su])e-
rior and by the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Kaiiroad —
have increased very rapidly, and in a measure explained the unusually
large receipts at Kuftalo and Erie in 18i)6. It niay be exj)ected that
shipments over the northern lines will increase largely, and therefore
Chicago may lose the prominent position she has so long maintained in
the handling of this grain.

It has now been shown to what extent the railroads encroached upon
the flour and grain traffic once monopolized by the lakes, the causes
have been brietly dwelt upon which enabled the railroads to make these
inroads, and the periods have been given when the greatest incursions
were made. Attention was also directed to the fact that since the mid-
dle of the last decade the lake carriers have regained much of the traf-
fic lost in the earlier years. But this was not fully explained; in i)art
it was shown to be due to the shifting of the surplus grain-producing
regions. But nothing in the way of an explanation was attem}»ted of
the fact that the lake -carriers had been more successful in their strug-
gle with the railroads for traffic from the old competitive points, such as
Chicago and Milwaukee. This was done designedly, as it was thought
best to postpone examination of this matter until this stage of this dis-
cussion had been reached.

Antiquated methods of doing business prevailed on the lakes until
the middle of the last decade. It is not to be understood that there
had been no progress in any of the departments of lake transportation,
for such was not the case. Upon the whole, however, lake transporta-
tion had not availed itself ^of the advances made in science and the
mechanical arts. The railroads, on the other hand, had been alert to
introduce one improvement on the heels of another. For example,
the railroads had profited fully a decade and a half by the series of
inventions which resulted in cheap steel before the lake carriers began
to use steel to'any appreciable extent. Methods of doing business on
the lakes were also out of date; modern methods have only recently
been introduced. It took the lake carriers a decade to realize that the
railroads had become worthy competitors. Xo attempt will be made to
show in detail the revolution that has taken place since 1885; the
improvements will be discussed in their proper setting. Suflice it to
say that the era of metal shi[)s of great capacity propelled by steam,
and dock and harbor facilities for giving these vessels dispatch in load-
ing and unloading date from this period. It is needless again at this
point to dwell upon the importance of proper dock facilities. A vessel
in port is not i)erforming the function for which she was built — namely,
carrying freight — and therefore earns nothing. It is not to be under-
stood that there was a great and sudden improvement in lake transpor-
tation in the year ISSG and that as a result the lake carriers obtained a
much larger share of the east-bound traffic than in 1885. The improve-

48 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

ments were uot far-reacliiug enough to account for the change. The
sudden success of the hike carriers was rather due to the termination,
in November, 1S85, of a ruinous struggle between the trunk lines, dur-
ing which they had at tunes carried goods at far below remunerative
rates.

lY.— THE TRAFFIC THROUGH THE (JULF PORTS.

Xotonly liave the east and west trunk lines diverted tratiBc from the
lakes, but the Mississippi River and the railroads leading to the Gulf
have done so as well. This southern movement, however, never assumed
large proportions until the year 180(5, and for this year the growth was
largely accounted for by the increased movement of corn. Our total
exports of corn last year having been unusnally large, it may be sup-
posed that the sudden prominence of the Gulf ports ' in the shipment
of grain is ei)hemeral. But such a view is hardly justifiable. !f tlie
Mississippi River were the only competing route to the Gulf ports, the
southern route would not greatly encroach on the traffic now moving
over the lakes and the east and west trunk lines. But the Mississippi
is no longer the only line seriously competing with the great east and
west routes to the xitlantic ports.

The railroads leading to the Gulf are in certain sections competing
with the great east and west I'outes. As regards the railroads east of
the Mississippi River, this is esi)ecially true of the Illinois Central,
which has recently completed very excellent terminal facilities at New
Orleans for handling grain. The small export movement of grain via
New Orleans in past years has been largely due to the inade-piate ter-
minal facilities at that i)oint. Although there may be an increased
grain traffic over the Illinois Central, this enlarged business will not to
any great extent be at the expense of the lake route. Grain grown in
the territory but a short distance south of Chicago and east of the Mis-
sissippi River does not go east over the lake route, for this is effectually
prevented by the high local rates for the short haul to the lake ports. It
need hardly be said that if the lakes can not monopolize the tlour and
grain traffic fiom points situated immediately n|)on the lakes, such as
Chicago and Milwaukee, they can not successfully compete for the shij)-
meut of these commodities from x)oints south of Chicago. The Senate
select committee, appointed in 187-5 "to investigate and report upon the
subject of transportation between the interior and the seaboard," took
the position that " the railroad interests practically control the transport
of grain from all that part of the States of Illinois and Indiana situated
south of a latitudinal line GO miles south of Lake Michigan."^

The railroad interests here referred to did not include the railroads
running to the Gulf, but merely the lines running to the seaboard. The
grain produced in the region some little distan(;e south of Chicago for
the most i^art has been, and in all probability will continue to be, carried
to the Atlantic ports. The railroads leading to the Gulf have no advant-
age over some of those running to the Atlantic in point of distance ' ; and,

1 For the exports from the leading two Gulf ports, New Orleans and Galveston, see
Appendix II, Table VI. The exports rather than the receipts are given, because the
former alone represent competitive business.

■^Report of the Select Committee on Transportation Routes to the Seaboard, page
24 (Forty-third Congress, lirst session). Mr. Windom was chairman of the com-
mittee.

»From Chicago to New York, 912 miles; from Chicago to Philadelphia, 822 miles;
from Chicago to Baltimore, 802 miles; from Chicago to Newport News, 896 miles;
from Chicago to New Orleans, 926 miles. (The Railroad Gazette, (|uarto vol. xxix.
No. 13, p. 215.) The distance to New Orleans is that given in the folder of the Illi-
nois Central Railroad, and is the distance over that line.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 49

iis oceau frei<;lit rates to European ports are materially higiier than those
from Atlantic ports, and as the Gulf railroads obtain but little return
freight, it is difficult to see how these Hues are going to draw much traffic
in the territory east of the Mississippi River and north of St. Louis from
the northern trunk lines, and it is still much more difficult to understand
how the south-bound lines will encroach upon the traffic which has
gone over the lakes. The south-bound lines have easy grades and are
not troubled with snow and ice; but these advantages are not sufficient
to offset the disadvantages under which they operate.

An entirely different problem is presented by the movement of flour
and grain from the regions west of the Mississippi. In this territory
the railroads leading to the Gulf will probably carry a great deal of
grain to the Gulf ports that formerly went to the Atlantic ports over
the rail and lake route and the all-rail lines. Itoughly speaking, the
grain grown in the territory north of the east-and-west line passing
through the southern boundary of Iowa will continue to go over the
eastern rail and water line. And probably the grain produced in
northeastern Missouri will continue to move over the old routes. On
the other hand, the grain grown in Missouri south of the Missouri^
River and in the southern halt of Kansas, and in all the region lying
south of these two States, will ])robably go, if intended for export, by
the south-bound lines to the Gulf. Between these two regions lies a
district of debatable territory, formed of the northern half of Kansas,
the southern part of Nebraska, the extreme southwestern part of Iowa,
and of northwestern Missouri. This region includes much of the best
agricultural land of the country west of the Mississippi River. It
may therefore be expected that the eastern lines will not relinquish the
traffic of this territory without a struggle.

As the railroads leading to the Gulf have erected or are erecting ter-
minal facilities for the handling of grain on a large scale, particularlj^
at their southern termini, they may be expected towage a spirited con-
test for the traffic of the disputed territory, and, as a consequence,
grain rates to the Atlantic Seaboard and to the Gulf will probably fall
in the near future. The most southern of the east-and-west trunk lines
of the Central Traffic Association were pressed by the association to
maintain rates, and as a result they saw much of the traffic which they
at one time handled go to the Gulf by the river and rail lines. The
southern lines of the Central Traffic Association did not regard this
traffic as valuable enough to warrant them in breaking loose from the
association, and the association preferred to lose some traffic; to the
Gulf lines rather than reduce rates on all east-bound grain traffic to
such a point as would prevent grain from the southern limits of their
territory from finding an outlet through the Gulf ports. Although the
Central Traffic Association viewed with equanimity the diversion of a
portion of its traffic to the Gulf ports, it does not follow that the asso-
ciation will much longer permit the diversion to the Gulf ports of the
traffic originating in the territory which has supplied the railroads
forming the association with much of their east-bound freight.

Up to the present time the rail and water lines and the all-rail lines
to the Atlantic Seaboard have regarded themselves as the natural heirs
to the whole of the traffic originating in or destined for the entire
West. To the lake carriers and the managers of the east-and-west
trunk lines the westward course of empire has always presented itself as
new traffic for them. For many years there was an increasing tendency
of commerce to move on east-and-west lines. The opening of the Erie
Canal, in 1825, gave the first decisive impulse to commerce to move
H. Doc. 277 4

50 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

across the country instead of down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers
In later years the constructiou of the great trunk hues, parallel to th
northern water route formed by the Great Lakes and Erie Oana
strengthened a movement which had already become tirmly estab
lished. On the Atlantic Seaboard, IS^ew York, Boston, and Pliiladel
phia had come to be looked upon as the natural outlets and inlets for
the commerce of the whole country; and, in a like manner, Chicago,
by reason of its favored position on the lakes and its excellent rail-
road facilities, liad come to be viewed as the natural distributing and
receiving point for the entire West.

This idea that Chicago was to be the gatewoy througii which the
commerce to and from the West would move received a severe shock
some years ago. As the farmer has pushed westward and still farther
westward, it has become easier and easier to make a flank attack upon
the old lines of commerce. This has been rendered doubly easy where
the new* regions settled have been either north or south of the great
east-and west line of movement. It has already been shown how, with
the westward and northward migration of the wheat fields, the wheat
and Hour traffic avoided Chicago and sought tlie more northern routes.
Most of this business still goes through our chief Atlantic ports, but
with the rapid eidargemeut and improvement of Canadian transporta-
tion facilities now in progress it will be surprising if Canadian ports,
notably Montreal, do not secure a larger portion of the export grain
business.

Let us now return to the movement of flour and grain through the
Gulf ports. The old east-and-west routes have recently been brought
face to face with a new and serious situation in the central West and
Southwest. The lines extending northward from the Gulf are not dis-
posed to allow the east-and-west lines to control this great traffic of
the transmississippi region. The Gulf roads hold that the central
West and Soutliwest should exi)ort their surplus products through the
Gulf ports and receive imports through the same cities. This proposi-
tion is nothing short of revolutionary. It means a breaking away
from the old channels of shipment through Chicago and New York and
the other eastern cities; further, it means that the northern water
route and the eastern trunk lines are no longer to be the dominant
power in moving the products of western farms. During the past year
the railroads running to the Gulf have been increased in number by
the construction of the short line — tlie Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf
Eailroad.^ This line, which was designed to make Kansas City inde-
pendent of the eastern • routes, extends from Kansas City almost due
south to Port Arthur (Tex.), at the head of Sabine Lake, an arm of the
Gulf. In the contest which is already on with the east-and-west lines
this route will be found in the van. The distance to tidewater from
Kansas City is much less by the Port Arthur route than by the eastern
rail routes, and therefore very much less than by the way of the Great
Lakes.^ But too much must not be expected from this route simply on
the ground of its being much shorter than the eastern lines to tidewater.

- It is commonly known as the Port Arthur route.

2 The following table of short-line rail distances from Kansas City will make this
clear :

Miles. I Miles.

New York 1,303 Galveston 799

Philadelphia 1,228 Port Arthur 767

Baltimore 1, 198 !

(Manufacturers' Record, February 19, 1897, p. 2.)

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 51

It need hardly be said that cost of service does not vary as the dis-
tance and that rates are not fixed on a niileag'e basis. Easy grades,
straight tracks, a hirge tratfic in both directions, and cheap fuel are
fully as important as the question of distance. So far as the first two
items are concerned, the Port Arthur route will compare very favorably
with any of the Eastern trunk lines; it can also secure fuel as cheaply
as most of them. In the remaining point, however, th6 Eastern trunk
lines have the advantage. Xot only will the traffic over the new line
be much less, at least for some time, than over the Eastern trunk lines,
but it will also be very largely in one direction unless this particular
railroad is more successful in securing north-bound traffic than the
other gulf roads. If no freight can be found for the cars going north,
the traffic going south must pay the cost, not only of its own movement,
but that of iiauling back the empty cars as well. It must be admitted
that the outlook for this road's securing a double haul is better than that
of most, if not all, of the other railroads running north from the Gulf.
The Port Arthur route passes through some of the best timber laud on
the continent, and it may therefore confidently expect a large north-
bound traffic in ties and lumber. As it passes through two large coal
fields, it may also hope to move large quantities of coal. Aside from
these main items, the managers of this line expect to haul a portion of
the imports consumed in the territory tributary to their railroad, and
also hope to develop a considerable traffic in earlj^ fruits and vegetables.

But even supjiosiug that the Port Arthur route can haul grain from
Kansas City to the Gulf for less than the east and-west roads can
carry to the Atlantic seaboard, can this line develop a large export
business! Are there not adverse circumstances which will fully
counterbalance the advantage of a low rate to the Gulf? Will not
higher ocean rates from the Gulf i)orts and the unfavorable climate of
the Gulf region prevent the growth of the Southern export movement?
In answer to the first of these questions, it may be said that ocean rates
are less unfavorable from the Gulf ports now than they were formerly,
and that as the amount of freight which is being offered to vessels is
increasing, there will be more steamship lines to Southern x)orts and
rates will be still further lowered. The second question seems to have
been answered by the facts. The large amount of capital that has
recently been invested in Southern terminals for handling grain by per-
sons familiar with the climate and the immense movement of grain
through Gulf ports during the year 1896 should be deemed sufficient
proof that the climate of the Gulf does not rise as an obstacle to pre-
vent the development of an export trade through the Gulf ports. How-
ever, the most circumspect persons make errors, and the experience of
a single year does not afford a sufficient basis for a sound inference, so
perhaps this point is not even now to be considered as definitively set-
tled in the affirmative.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Appendix II.

TABLES RELATING TO THE FLOITR AND GRAIN TRAFFIC.

Table I.

Elerator charges at Chicago and Buffalo and lake freights on wheat from Cliicago to Buffalo.

Elevator charges.

Lake

Year.

Chicago .
wheat per
bushel. a

Buflalo
wheat per
bushel.6

Chicago

aud
Buflalo.

Ce7its.

freights.
Chicago
toBuff'alo.

Cents.

Cents.
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00

Cents.

1872 - -

2.00
2.00
2.00
2.00
2.00
2.00
1.25
1.25
1.25

3.25

3.00

2.25

2. 125

2.125

1.625

11 46

Ig75

3 4a

1877

a 72

1879

4 74

5.76

1. 25 - 875

1882

1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
.75
.75
.75
.75

.875
.875
.875
.875
.875
.875
.875
.875
.875

2.50

1884

2.18

2.02

1887 .

4 13

2.56

1889 .

2.51

1.96

1891

. 75 . 875
. 75 . 875
. 75 . 875
. 75 . 875
.75 .875
.75 .875

2.38

1892

2 19

1.66

1894

1.27

1.92

1896

1.63

a Published rates; from 10 to 20 days' storage included.
b Storage included ; 5 to 10 days the limit.

A comparison of columns 4 and 5 shows that the elevator charges have not fallen so rapidly i
transportation rates ; the former have therefore become an increasing burden.

Table II.

Elevating and storage rates at Buffalo.

[Internal Commerce, 1885, p. 489.]

Charge to Charge to "^JT^^t^
grain. ' vessels, ^l^l^l

1855 and 1856a

1857 to 1860a

Cents.

Cent.

1862 to 1804

1865 and 1866

1867 and 1868

1869

1870

1871...

Charge to Charge to
gram '

5
10

20 ;,

10 i
10

5 I

Cents.
1872 and 18736.... cl

1874 1

1875 and 1876 &.... cjtoj

1877 j I

1878& Jto|

1879 & I I to I

1880 6 and 1881 . . . . ; | to |

18826 1 dj

1883 and 1884 |

Cent.

i
i

Number
of days'
storage.

o Estimated. Elevators running wild greater part of the year. Xo records kept; figures obtained
from old residents in the grain and vessel interests.
6 Running wild part of the year,
c About.
tiAverage.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

NOTES ON THE FOLLOWING TABLES.

The tables of sbipmeuts of flour auci grain by lake from Chicago, compiled by
George F. Stoue, secretary of Chicago Board of Trade, are based upon the custom-
house records; rail shipments are obtained directly from the railroads. In the case
of Milwaukee, shipments by lake are also based upon the custom-house reports;
shipments of flour and grain as given in the following tables are much less than
they really were, for Milwaukee is used very largely as an intermediate port. Kail
shipments from ^lilwaukee are furnished by the railroads. Receipts of flour and
grain at Erie are based upon the custom-house records. Receipts of flour and grain
at Burt'alo are also based upon the custom-house records. The table of receipts at
Buttalo was, however, submitted to P. G. Cook, secretary of the Western Elevating-
Association, and pronounced by him approximately correct for the years for which
his association has records. The records of the association cover more than half the
years of the table.

Table III.

East-hontid shipinenta of flour and wheat from Chicago.

[Compiled from data furnislied by George F. Stone, .secretary of Chicago Board of Trade.]

Tear.

Year ending December 31-

1860

1861

1862

1863

Tear ending March 31 —

1864

1865

1866

1867

Year ending December 31-
1870

Flour (barrels).

Wheat (bushels).

1,001,618
672, 961

626,823 11,817,476
1. 544. 545 15, 005, 735
1,730,764 13,466,325

377, 647
730. 873
175, 322

12, 195, 123
15, 736, 608
13, 641, 647

1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
1877.
1878.
1879.

1894.
1895.

270. 855

208, 747

721, 068

1, 585, 776

1, 187, 582

1, 749, 973

989, 160

694, 274

1, 022, 968

1, 773, 467

1, 672. 037
1,872,943

2, 309, 530
2, 229, 729
2,371,623
2, 675, 402
2. 264, 886
4, 235, 559

2. 887, 603

3, 067, 275

3, 930, 576
4, 450, 051

2, 244, 376

4, 682, 546

3, 613, 922
1, 951, 274
2, 172, 761
2. 244, 280
3, 123, 553
2, 493, 206
1,926,285
1,597,495
1, 666, 739
1,557,342

1, 478, 198
1, 243, 540
1, 367, 424
2, 067, 267

1, 837, 949

2, 524, 529

1, 563, 553
1, 182, 979

1, 246, 425

2, 201, 788
2, 227, 189
2, 201, 226
2, 546, 121
2, 378, 508

2, 693, 271

3, 005, 659

2, 792, 759

4, 394, 974

3, 680, 367
3, 868, 374

4, 683, 933
5, 102, 424
3, 635, 611
6, 226, 742

5, 325, 292
3, 762, 741
3, 930, 506
3, 885. 018
5, 578, 559
3, 964, 266
3. 556, 630
2, 389, 115
2, 673, 690
2, 618, 076

10,646,052
9,983,567
6,502,575
5, 827, 846
8, 492, 187
8, 896, 647

13, 429, 069
12, 120, 923
8,831,870

15. 528, 984

16, 974, 149

16, 061, 054
7, 396, 369

10, 345, 983

12, 903, 481

17, 622, 796
16, 685^046

14' 944] 258
7, 067, 657

11, 518, 884

5, 436, 461
10, 513, 126
17, 313, 351

5, 895, 379
10, 330, 675

6, 965, 834
31, 102-, 888
33, 498, .'547
19, 720, 775
15. 016, 804

13, 258, 440
13, 232, 818
18, 449, 628

114,075
1.147,510
3,605,618
1, 072, 078
2,114,300

2, 621, 699
576, 648
2, 363, 810
8, 149, 209
9, 725, 251

5. 956, 609

5, 378, 792

2. 957, 250
10,018,880
12, 232, 323

4, 742, 343
7,728.124
2,920,526

2, 696, 071

6, 322, 493

5, 496, 544
2, 462, 918

6, 893, 504

3, 998, 998

4, 814, 978
2, 953, 826

5, 470, 333

6, 792, 284
2, 618, 327

940, 202
5, 666, 997
9, 845, 117
5,511,774

10, 685, 820

10, 097, 642
7, 650, 085
9, 433, 464
9, 564, 265

11, 010, 947

16, 050, 768

12, 697, 571
11, 195, 680
23, 678, 193
26, 699, 400
22, 017, 663

12, 775, 161

13, 303, 233
22, 922, 361
29,85.5.119
21,427.389
15, 416, 196

17, 864, 784
9, 763, 728

17, 841, 377
10, 933, 005
12, 976, 044
24, 206, 855

9, 894, 377
15, 145, 653

9, 919, 660
36, 573, 221
40, 290, 831

22, 339, 102
15, 957, 006
18, 925, 437
23, 077, 935

23. 961, 402

STATISTICS OP LAKE COMMERCE.

East-bound shipments of corn and oats from ChiciKjo.
I Compiled from data furuished by George F. Stone, secretary Chicago Board of Trade.

Corn (bnshela).
Rail.

Tear ending December 31—

18CU 13, 063, 043

1861 28,987,240

1862 29, 248, 677

Year ending March 31 —

1864 24, 749, 400

1865 11, 998, 475

1866 24, 421 , 600

1867 31, 457, 855

1868 i 19, 940, 172

1869 ! 21 , 671, 071

Year ending December 31 —

1870 13,598,387

1871 34,200,876

1872 1 41,589,508 '

1873 34, 487, 205

1874 30,242,311

1875 21,850,652

1876 28,104,265

1877 1 38,607,611

1878 46,368,653

1879 41,561,.-!36

1880 72, 400, 769 I

1881 ' 44,164,571 I

1882 31,394,261

1883 ' 47,738,117 '

1884 27, 360, 924

1885 29,382,591

1886 40, 950, 177

1887 38,710,856

1888 47, 759, 708

1889 63, 200, 754

1890 57, 255, 466

1891 40, 069. 786

1892 43,920,570

1893 62, 967, 955

1894 37, 148, 719

1895 47, 857, 550

1896 74,379,206 ]

1897 85,250,760

577,611
352, 044
125, 162

120, 694
616, 077
674, 053

1, 452, 162
1,612,851

3, 367, 718

4, 018, 479

2, 435, 220
5, 388, 402
2,194,361
2, 364, 833

4, 321, 559
17, 299. 232

7,657,511
13,504,458
19,711,615

21, 100,849
29. 625, 348
16, 965, 706

22, 766, 745
24, 526, 517
28, 682, 864
13, 903, 051
10, 674, 781
20, 520, 599
20, 070, 032
31, 834, 558
25, 282, 938
19, 900, 596
15,055,015
16, 171, 144
10, 384, 623
12, 063, 390
11, 482, 004

13, 640, 654
24, 339, 284
29, 373, 839

24, 870, 094
12, 614, 552
25, 095. 653
32, 910, 017
21, 553, 023

25, 038, 789

17, 616, 866
36, 636, 096
46, 977, 910
36,681,566
32, 607, 144

26, 172,211

45, 403, 497

46, 265, 122
.59.873,111
61,272,951
93, .501, 618
73, 789, 919

48, 359, 967
70, 504, 862
51, 887, 441
58, 065, 455
54, 859, 228

49, 385, 637
68, 280, 307
83, 270, 786
89, 000, 024
65, 352, 724
63. 821, 160
78, 022, 970
53, 319, 863
58,242,173
86, 442, 596
96, 732, 764

Oats (bushels).

Rail.

605. 304
1, 422. 776
2, 470, 745

5, 696, 800
12,(198,000

8, 719, 900

7, 395, 113
9, 745, 205

12, 755, 929

6, 339, 220

8, 797, 599
6, 370, 784
5, 985, 954
4,741,088 i
4,579,248
2, 997, 335
5,013,278
6,255,003
1,589,939
2,139,473 ,
4, 807, .581 I
3,633,638
4,938,546 t
5,444,889
1,571,481
3,219,833

10,215,112 1

13,764,336

24,948,459

18, 522, 884

17,832,975

19,127,515

22,563,294

13,913,761

17,694,345

23,798,409

50,192,982

357, 451

2, 213, 058
2, 922, 792
1, 538, 383

1, 911, 664
388,114

2, 004, 191

2, 064, 333
3,312,421
5, 853, 319
9, 559, 635
5, 674, 137
5, 512, 812
8, 166, 155
7, 424, 788
10, 149, 386
11, 880, 719
18, 402, 996

17, 844, 017

18, 966, 513

26, 372, 649

27, 780, 317
29, 925, 784
27, 756, 005
24, 612, 448
25,761,204
24, 814, 104
50, 604, 575
48, 518, 064
44,567,510
41, 425, 300
32. 719, 788
46, 472, 086
55, 992, 549
53, 340, 236

1, 492, 507
2,828,196

7, 909, 858

15, 020, 702
10,258,283

9, 300, 777
10, 133, 319
14, 760, 120

8, 403, 553
12, 110, 020
12, 224, 103
15,545,589
10, 415, 225
10, 092, 060
11, 163, 490
12,438,066

16, 404, 389
13,470,658
20, 542, 469
22, 651, 598
22, GOO, 161
31,311,195

33, 225, 206
31, 497, 265
30, 975, 838

34, 827, 560
30, 525, 540
49, 762, 563
69, 127, 459
66, 351, 030
63, 695, 025
63, 988, 594
46, 633, 549
64,167,031
79,790,958

103, 533, 218

TATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table IV.

JEasl-bound sk'qjments of Jlour and ivlieat from Milivankee.
[Prepared from data I'uruished by "W. J. Langson, secretary of Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce.]

Flour (barrels).

Wheat (bushels).

Tear.

Rail.

Trausit
lines. a

Lake.

Total.

Kail.

Trausit
lines.a

Lake.

Total.

1860

- 11,454

118, 307

327, 782

457, 543

8.298

27, 756

7, 532, 554

7, 568, 608

1861

76, 371
10, 183

224, 632

373, 471

674, 474

98, 780

13 201,715

13,300 495

1862

260, 947

440, 275

711, 405

6,773

14, 908, 907

14, 915, 680

127, 468

472,619

1864

5,265

52, 251

357, 317

414, 833

3,712

8,169

8, 980. 598

8, 992, 479

1865

69, 662

47, 953

449, 961

567, 576

310,495

2,289

10, 166, 993

10, 479, 777

242, 681

83, 812

393, 872

720, 365

695, 188

63, 170

10, 876, 391

11, 634, 749

1867

324, 048

111, 535

486, 080

921, 663

322, 461

29, 543

9, 246, 448

9, 598, 452

1868

359, 721

104. 882

552, 995

1, 017, 598

455, 810

10, 401

9, 411, 888

9, 878, 099

1869

340, 493

188, 864

690, 701

1, 220, 058

312,515

19, 536

13, 940, 748

14, 272, 799

1870

233, 540

209, 201

783, 200

1, 225, 941

282. 061

79, 752

15. 766, 025

16, 127, 838

1871

127, 722

362, 606

719, 921

1, 210, 249

302, 399

24, 078

13, 082, 990

13, 409. 467

1872

306, 076

421, 757

507, 168

1, 235, 001

785,557

168, 043

10, 616, 975

11, 570, 575

1873

757, 805

257, 608

789, 787

1,805,200

1, 702, 326

489, 247

22, 802, 693

24, 994, 266

1874

854, 584

330, 271

1, 032, 724

2, 217, 579

3, 172, 165

1,193,786

17, 889, 429

22, 255, 380

1875

990, 038

353, 300

819. 047

2, 162, 385

2, 820, 257

374, 140

19, 474, 270

22, 668, 667

1876

1, 289, 147

719, 268

643, 977

2, 652, 392

2, 265, 374

1.751,211

12, 754, 987

16,771,572

1877

102, 675

555, 700

493, 026

1, 151, 401

568, 572

930, 687

16, 098, 525

17, 597, 784

1878

170, 084

533, 439

734, 543

1, 438, 066

1, 937, 110

2, 330, 795

10,510,017

14, 777, 922

1879

333, 118

821,728

728, 639

1,883.485

1, 841, 888

1, 205, 229

9, 955, 085

13, 002, 202

1880

230,415

859, 666

938, 575

2, 028, 656

1,021,490

286, 462.

7, 025, 959

8. 333, 911

1881

473, 340

668, 825

717,707

1,859,872

793, 962

403, 062

5, 000, 589

6, 197, 613

1882

218, 241

971, 369

1, 540, 549

2, 730, 159

174, 110

189, 548

825, 570

1, 189, 234

1883

162,678

1, 236, 932

1,402,181

2, 801, 791

123, 700

8,780

1,871,995

2, 004, 475

1884

200, 398

1, 272, 800

1, 581, 997

3, 055, 205

1, 446, 663

66, 209

2, 083, 817

3, 296, 689

1885

530, 636

883, 476

1, 370, 922

2, 785, 034

2, 107, 940

41, 757

3, 228, 934

5, 378, 631

1886

153, 609

1, 495, 500

2, 344, 673

3, 993, 782

507, 695

4,146

4, 205, 470

4,717,311

1887

328, 538

1, 306, 791

1, 663, 914

3, 299, 243

543, 600

98, 463

4, 213, 906

4, 855, 969

1888

413,418

1, 167, 660

1, 820, 123

3, 401, 201

682, 490

35, 115

1, 759, 508

2, 477, 113

1889

268, 819

1,114,446

1, 836, 308

3, 219, 573

436, 845

91, 382

973, 035

1, 51)1, 262

1890

196, 389

1, 379, 389

1, 613, 728

3, 189, 504

203, 875

122, 395

1, 389, 714

1,715,984

1891

407, 912

1, 543, 120

1, 858, 027

3, 809, 059

1, 158, 678

165,919

1. 247, 724

2, 572, 321

1892

467, 728

1, 525, 035

2, 312, 673

4, 305, 436

1,299,699

454, 101

1, 833, 994

3. 587, 794

1893

417, 405

962, 694

1, 677, 033

3, 057, 132

1, 303, 820

47, 591

1, 971, 776

3, 323, 187

1894

336. 525

928, 000

1 889 686

3,154,211

224, 850

13, 565

231, 227

469, 642

1895

416, 172

1, 149, 781

1, 790, 653

3, 3.56, 606

1,519,350

262, 305

858, 600

2, 640, 255

1896

410,710

2,164,016

1, 975, 165

4, 549, 891

1, 084, 900

370, 350

797,873

2, 253, 123

1897

449, 330

1, 395, 355

2, 077. 145

3, 921, 830

756, 700

166, 545

1, 106, 604

2, 028, 849

a "Transit lines" are the routes formed by vessels across Lake Michigan and railroads running to
the east and southeast.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE,

East-honnd shipments of corn and oats from Milwaukee.
[Prepared from data furnisUed by W. J. Langsou, secretary of Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce.]

a " Transit lines " are the routes formed by vessels across Lake Michigan and railroads running to
he east and southeast.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table V.

Beeeipts of tlonr and wheal at Erie and Buffalo btj lake, and receipts at the lcad\n<j eight
Atlantic ports.

[,000 omitted.]

Flour (barrels)

Wheat (bushels), Leading

eight

Buflalo.6 Total. ^«X'

flf The receipts at Erie are those given in the annual reports of the Xew York Produce Exchange.

b The receipts at Biiffalo are those given in "A sketch of the commerce, industries, and resources of
Butialo, 1883," by William Thurstone, secretary of the Bufialo Merchants' Exchange, in the annual
reports of the Xeiv York Produce Exchange, and in the annual reports of the BuflFalo Merchants'
Exchange.

c Canadian receipts through the custom-house not included in 1877. 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, and
1883 in the statements of Buffalo receipts.

d No separate record kept : estimated same as in 1889.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Beceipts of corn and oats at Erie and Buffalo hji lake, and receipts at the leading eight
Atlantic ports.

[,000 omitted.]

Com (bushels).

1868

517

1870

554

1871

1872.

621

1873

1 344

1874

1875

859

1876

2,941

1877c

1878 c

3 195

1879c •-

1881c

4 667

2,578
3,140
1,263
1.647
1 479

1883 c .

1884

1886

354

1 63P

1888

1889

3,522
7,225
2,231
5,595
8,009
2,651
2, 759
6,843

1891

1892

1894

1895

1896

1897

17, 321
12, 186
9,964
26, 412

35, 264
29, 895
26. 474
23, 452
23, 881

36, 385
38, 329
35, 110
69, 284
39, 102
24. 243
38, 115
19, 801
22, 675
30, 634
30, 554
:i8, 058
50, 649
51,362
31,847

37, 973
48, 549
31,730
40, 339
54, 654

Leading

eight
Atlantic

Oats (bushels).

Erie, a Buffalo . 6 Total.

30, 800
20, 315
18, 655
40, 417
71,488
49, 322
51, 749

46, 929
84,713
82,716
97, 306
94, 680

115,410
84, 983
28, 402
62, 764
39, 555
77, 440
67, 585
43,614

47, 799
83, 149
92,444
50, 949
83, 838
59,802 I
53, 546
66, 933

113, 456

11. 492

5,459
6,846
9,006
6, 050
5,972
5,396
8,494

2, 397
4,279
5,122
1,104
1,649
3,565
1.650

3, 226
3,174

767
1,014

4, 656
7,897

14, 309
13, 860
12, 454
16,500 ,
20,700
15,560
22,231 ,
40,107 \
64,141 I

11, 806
5,589
7, 367
9,048
6,997
6, 323
5, 991
8,682

2, 703

4, 301

5, 200
1,384
1,654
4,070
2, 197

3, .502
.3, 194

1,014
4,656
7.965
14,861
13, 865
12, 637
16, 500

21, 061
15, 565

22, 281
40, 492

Leading
eight

Atlantic
ports.

16, 755

15, 259
15,486

21, 015

22, 2.54
•1-1. 270
'JO, :i33
19,070

23, 705

19, 243
23, 842

20, 786

23, 714

24, 738
25, 464
30,040
31,525
40,412
35,917
35,449
40, 052
38,415
52, 310
45, 563
50, 453
52, 495
44, 940
45. 109
78, 919

a The receipts at Erie are those given in the annual reports of the New York Produce Exchange.

&The receipts at Buffalo are those given in "A sketch of the commerce, industries, and re.sources
of Buffalo, 18i83," by "William Thurstone. .secretary of the Buffalo Merchants' Exchange, in the annual
reports of the New York Produce Exchange, anil in the annual reports of the Buffalo Mercbauts'
Exchange.

c Canadian receipts through the custom-house not included in 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 18S2, and
1883 in the statements of Buffalo receipts.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Taislic VI.

Exports of flour and icheatfrom Xeic OrUans and Galveston, (a)
[ ,000 omitted.]

Flour (barrels).

1881-
1882-
1883.
1884.
1885.
1887.
1888.

1890.
1891.
1892.
1893.
1894.
1895.

New
Orleans.

5-t
43
32
44
52
22()
118
133
91
26S

Gal
veston.

Wheat (bushels).

New Gal-

Orleans, veston.

3,923
7,671
1,543

1,590
4,346
1,566
961
1,523
10, 336
14, 207
12. 897
2,926
836
3,853

587

378

1,311

135

3,439

3,923
7,671
1,543
7,092
675
1,592
4,346
1,566
961
1,523
10, 923
14, 585
13, 208
3,061
836
7,292

a For 1880 to 1890 the figures were obtained from Commerce and Navigation of United States,
1889 to 1896 from the annual reports of the New York Produce Exchauoe. The exports wert
instead of the receipts, because the former alone could be competitive traffic.

,nd for

taken

Ex-ports of corn and oats from New Orleans and Galveston.

Tear.

Corn (bushels).

Oats (bushels).

New
Orleans.

^^^" i Total
veston. ^"'^'''•

New Gal- rr.^^,
Orleans, j veston. ^^*^'-

1880

8,039
8,900
1,740
6,378
6,052
6,645
7 506

' 8, 039
i a, 900
i 1,740
3 1 6.381
6, 052
! 6,645
i 7 .SOfi

4 ' 4

188-'

3 3

1884

3 1 3

1885

1887

■> 5 7

1888

4,950
11,813
12. 028
1,912
7,379
6,506
5,441
8,757
25, 293

145

1,233

6,222

4,950
11, 813
12,064
1,925
7,524
6,604
5,446
8,990
31, 515

1 n 1

1889

26
2
9
123
13
24
262

1890

1 [ "7

1892

1893

1894. .

18 31

1895

1896

262

PART III.

LAKE TRANSPORTATION AND THE IRON-ORE INDUSTRY.

In exaininiu.ii- the traffic statistics of the (Ireat Lakes our attention
is at ouce arrested by the enormous amount ofiron ore that is annually-
transported. During the navigation season of 1897, of the 18,1)82,755
net tons of freight sent through the St. Marys Falls Canal, 10,033, 7]o
net tons were iron ore; the total shipments of iron ore by lake from all
the lake ports aggregated 13,(581,522 net tons. At present, approxi-
mately, two-thirds of the iron ore consumed by the blast furnaces of
this country is carried, during some portion of the journey from the
mine to the furnace, over the waters of the (Ireat Lakes. That this
vast amount of ore from the Lake Superior region has affected the
mining operations of the otiier ore-producing districts and has had a
far-reaching effect upon the development of our iron and steel industries
is a matter of general information. It may be of interest to point out
the extent to which the exploitation of tiie mines in other portions of
the United States has l)eeu effected by the output from the mines of
the Lake Superior region.

Before develo[)ing the point Just raised, it will be well, perliaps, to
locate in a general way the regions in which large (piantities of ore are
now being mined. Iron ore is very widely distributed throughout the
United States. With possibly three exceptions every State and Terri-
tory in the Union has mined iron ore or contains deposits. But at
present nearly the whole product is won from the inines of three districts.

The Eastern region, and naturally the first to be noticed, covers a
great extent of territory; but the mines of New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and Ohio have contributed nearly the whole output of
this division. Within its borders all four of the varieties' of ore are
mined.

'For tfie sake of simplicity I sliall use tlie classification of ores adopted by the
TJnited States (Geological Survey, as follows: (1) Red hematite comprises those
ores in which the iron occurs as an anhydrous oxide, giving a red streak on a porce-
lain plate, the color of the ore being generally a brownish-red or red, although
sometimes a dark gray, almost black. This class includes " red hematite," "fossil,"
or ''Clinton" ores, "specular," "micaceous" ore, "slate" ore, etc., as well as some
"martite." (2) Brown hematite, which contains more water than the red hematite,
is generally of a brown or yellow color, and when powdered shows a brown or
brownish-yellow streak on the porcelain plate. The varieties are known as
"limonite," "turgite," "pipe" ore, "bog" ore, "goethite," "oolitic" ore, etc. (3)
Magnetite comprises those ores in which iron occurs as a magnetic oxide, generally
black or blueblack, or occasionally steel gray or greenish in color, and which when
powdered give a black streak on a test i)late, and are attracted by a magnet. In
this class is iucluded some "martite,"- which is mined with magnetite. (4) Carbon-
ate includes those iron ores which contain an excess of carbonic acid. They are
generally gray, yellow, or rather Initf and brown in color, and are tested by the use
of hydrocliloric acid. They comprise the "black band" ores, "clay ironstones,"
"spathic" ores, "siderites," etc.

From some mines, brown and red hematite, or red hematite and magnetite, or car-
bonate and brown hematite ores are obtained out of the same workings, the extent
to which ores are hydrated or weathered transferring them from one class to another ;
or different classes of ore are found intermixed or alternating in the same deposit.
(John Birkinbine, The Production of Iron Ore in Various parts of the World, p. 177.)
60

STATIISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 61

Pennsylvauia is ricli in allot' the four different kinds of ore, but they
seldom contain as bijih a percentage of iron as is now insisted upon by
managers of blast furnaces. The bulk of Pennsylvania's product is
now of the magnetite variety. This is largely taken from the Cornwall
Ore Hills, three hills of iron ore situated in Lebanon County in the
southeastern part of the State. This ore is suited to the manufacture
of Bessemer steel, but is rather low in metallic iron, as it averages but
40 to 50 per cent. N^ew York also produces the four different varieties
of ore, but at present the bulk of the product is magnetite in character
and is mined in the Lake Champlain district. Most of this ore is rich
in metallic iron and some of it is of Bessemer quality. Very near the
whole of the output of the mines of New Jersey is of the magnetite
variety, and much of it is of excellent quality. Many mines of this State
are now practically exhausted and others are operated only at increas-
ing cost lieoause of the depth to which the ore has been removed and
the narrowness of the veins.' The ores of Ohio are carbonates and are
comparatively poor.

The Lake Superior region, unlike the Eastern region, embraces but a
small extent of territory. It falls within the northern jiortions of the
States of Wisconsin and Minnesota and the Cpper Peninsula of Michi-
gan. There are live great iron-ore ranges within this district, Marquette,
Gogebic, Menominee, Vermilion, and 31esabi, The Marquette range is
located in Michigan; the Gogebic and Menominee are partly in Michi-
gan and partly in Wisconsin, and the Vermilion and Mesabi lie wholly
within the State of Minnesota. The ores of this region are red and
brown hematites and magnetites, but the bulk of the ore now shipj^ed
is of the red hematite variety. Only the richer ores are now shipped,
as most of the blast furnaces using Lake Superior ores are situated at
great distances from the mines.

The third great ore region is located in the South, and embraces the
central portion of Tennessee, the northern part of Alabama, and north-
western Georgia. It is generally known as the Alabama-Tennessee region.
This division ranks next in importance to the Lake Superior district
as a contributor to the iron-ore output of the United States. Xearly
all the ore now mined in this region is red and brown hematite. It is
neither so rich in metallic iron nor so free from deleterious ingredients
as are the Lake Superior ores.

It w^as stated at the beginning that the very large movement of ore
from the Lake Superior region has affected mining operations in the
other districts. In order to show the amount of ore contributed by the
various regions to the total for the United States in a form easily com-
prehensible, and also in order more clearly to present the comparative
development of the different districts, the figures covering the produc-
tion of iron ore in the several regions, and in the L^nited States as a
whole, have been put into the form of a chart. As reliable and complete
data are not obtainable, it has not been attempted to make the chart
cover the years previous to 1880.- As the changes which it is desired
to point out have for the most part taken place since 1880, the absence

' Under the leadership of Thomas A. Edison, a company has been organized and a
large plant erected for enriching the lean magnetic ores of New Jersey. The results
of this enterprise will probably disappoint the investors. For a description of this
undertaking see Iron Age, Vol. LX, No. 18, p. 1, and McClure's Magazine, Novem-
ber, 1897.

- For the census year 1870, the facts are given in Appendix III, Table II, and it is
also there explained in what respect the figures of that census are faulty. The
items which were combined to form totals that appear in the chart are given in
greater detail in the same place.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Long Tcns.

Ci --~ <\i O-j '<^h ^ ^ N^ ^ c>, ^ ~-^ ;\i cr, ■«. '^^ ^O
CO 00 00 CO 00 CD ^ oo CO 03 o^ o^ ctS o^ ;S ^ 0^

coQo^^^5^^202^co^oo^q)icgo

16.000,000

1
i

/ \

14,000,000

3 1

C/>\

-K \

->\

m I

f \

12,000,000

/
/

■^

10,000,000

/
/
/
/

8,000,000

^
^J

• '

/
1/

»'

6,000,000

4.000,000

--.

~~ ■

~" — -

/>if-

!y)b

»-£,.

"f^w

2,000,000

^--

^^^

^^ ■

' ''

^^„

»^

,■

>■

^ ^

•^

,-■

-"-*■'

,/Mp

ORTA

rjON

-''

*'*»

,-'-'

"■*

'''

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 63

of statistics for the earlier years is a matter of but little concern. But
the meagerness of information concerning the production of iron ore
during the decade beginning with the year 1880 is cause for regret,
for it was during this period that the greatest changes o(;curred in the
relative importance of the ore regions. It will be noted that during
the lirst ten years there is perfect uniformity of movement in the lines
which represent the total production for the United States, and those
for the Eastern and Southern divisions. These lines do not accurately
reflect actual conditions — the statistics that show the production dur-
ing the years intervening between 1880 and 1889 are not obtainable.
Such facts as can be obtained are given in Appendix III, Table II.

That the importance of the Lake Superior region can not easily be
overestimated is made clear by the chart; from a comparatively unim-
portant position it has, in the course of a decade and a half, come to
contribute almost twice as much ore as all the other parts of the United
States combined. In the census year 1880 the total production tor the
United States was 7,120,362 long toi^s; to this amount the lalie region
contributed but 1,077,814 tons, or 23.0 per cent of the tbtal output.
During the year 1800 10,005.449 long tons of ore were mined in the
United States, and of this amount 10,o6(),359 tons, or 00 per cent, were
taken from the ihines of the lake region. The bare figures without
further explanations do not, however, fully reflect the importance of
the northern district, for Lake Superior ores are very much richer in
iron than the ores of the other regions. If the quality as well as the
quantity of the ore be taken into consideration, the lake region is enti-
tled to even a more important position thaji would be assigned to it on
a simple tonnage basis of comparison. ^'y iinUflO

In striking contrast with the increased production of the lake region
is the rapid decrease in the amount contributed by the great mining-
States of the eastern region. During the census year 1880 the mines of
New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio yielded 4,243,372 long
tons of ore, the total product of the United States being but 7,120,362
tons. The production of these States fell off slowly in the years follow-
ing 1880, but after 1889 the decrease was rapid and continuous until
1895, when there vras a break in the downward movement. The share
of these four States in the total output of 16,005,449 long tons for 1896
was but 1,450,740 tons. Expressed in percentages, there was raised
from the mines of these States during the census year 1880 59.59 per
cent of the total product of the mines of the United States, and in 1890
but 9.10 per cent — an enormous ialling off'. This very great contrac-
tion ^ of the product of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio
is the more surprising because most of the blast furnaces of the United
States are located within their boundaries.

The output of the southern district has largely increased during the
period covered by the chart, but the progress of this region has been
much slower than that of the lake division. The southern district is
in large measure isolated; its ores are not thrown into direct compe-
tition with the lake ores, as is the case with the eastern ores, for trans-
portation charges act as a barrier and prevent such comjietition. The

' The ores of the eastern region must also meet the competition of foreign ores.
There has been, however, no large increase in importations, hence the decreased
output of the eastern region can not in any appreciable measure be ascribed to for-
eign competition. During the past few years there has been a decrease of importa-
tions. It is therefore very clear that the excessive competition of imported ores
does not explain the limited output of the eastern mines. Beginning with the year
1872 the importations will be found in Appendix III, Table II; they are also repre-
sented by the lowest line of the chart for the years which it covers!!

64 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

extent of the substitution of lake ores for eastern ores is shown by the
chart (p. 62). It yet remains to be shown why the former ores are i^re-
ferred to the latter, and how it is possible to carry ores from the mines
of Minnesota to the furnaces of Pennsylvania and sell them at such a
price that they will be taken in preference to native ores. Lake Supe-
rior ores are now transported almost to the Atlantic Seaboard' and
there sold in competition with both native and foreign ores.- That lake
ores have qualities which commend them to ironmasters is obvious.
The high esteem in which they are held is due ]\nrtly to their great
richness in metallic iron, largely to their freedom from deleterious
ingredients, particularly phosphorus and suli)hur, and to some extent
to their excellent physical condition and freedom from moisture.

All of these factors weigh in determining the value of an iron ore.
In general a rich ore requires less fuel to smelt it; it also has less for-
eign matter to be tiuxed out, and thus a smaller amount of limestone
will suffice for fluxing. If a rich ore be used there is therefore a three-
fold saving: (1) Because an ore rich in metallic iron generally reduces
more readily than a lean ore: (-) as less limestone is necessary, a
smaller amount of fuel will be needed to smelt the flux, and (3) there
is a saving of fluxing material which, in the case of a large establish-
ment, amounts to a considerable sum in the course of a year. With
rich ores, as less flux and fuel are required, the labor cost of handling
the raw materials is smaller, and as less cinder is made, the expense
of providing space for this cinder and means for handling it is con-
sequently reduced. The richer ores, together with the proper quan-
tities of fuel and tlux, occupy less space in the blast furnace than the
leaner ores combined with the fuel and flux required to reduce them,
and therefore generally permit of more rai)id " driving." In the case of
the richer ores there is, therefore, a smaller cost per ton of product,
for interest on the plant, management, and other fixed charges, because
these expenses are distributed over a greater tonnage than would be
the case if lean ores were used.

Other things being equal, the snjaller the amount of phosphorus sul-
phur and titanic acid and other undesirable substances ■ which the ore
contains, the greater will be its value. If an ore contains more than
one part phosphorus^ to every one thousand parts metallic iron, it is
unfit for the manufacture of steel by what is now the cheapest method —

'The blast furnaces in New Jersey aud eastern Pennsylvania receive a portion of
their supply of ore from the Lake Superior region. (See Eleventh Census : Mineral
Industries, p. 26; and The Production of Iron Ores in Various Parts of the World,
p. 188.)

-The ability of foreign ores to compete is of course aiiected by the import duties
paid. Previous to August 28, 1894, the duty was 75 cents per ton, and under the
tariff act of 1894 it was 40 cents ; in the tariff act of 1897 the rate appears unchanged.

3 "As won from the earth iron ores carry in greater or less proportions other ele-
ments, such as phosphorus, sulphur, manganese, titanium, chromium, copper, etc.,
which affect their value for specific uses, as do also the amounts of silica, lime,
alumina, magnesia, etc. ; these latter, however, generally influence the percentage
of metal obtainable from the ore, while the first named, as a rule, are more likely to
affect its quality." (John Birkinbine, The Manufacture of Pig Iron in Pennsyl-
vania, p. 2.)

It should not be understood that these substances are always injurious, for such is
not the case. For instance, if the iron produced is to be used for' foundry purposes,
silica is not harmful if great strength is not desired; in fact, quite the contrary is
true, for the silica gives the iron greater fluidity, thus making it a better casting
iron.

■» There is now a tendency to insist on a still lower percentage of phosphorus: late
specifications for steel rails do not accept 0.1 of 1 per cent x'hosphoriis, but demand
0.085 of 1 per cent phosphorus. Specifications for structural steel also insist upon
less phosphorus than formerly.

STATISTICS OF LAKK COMMERCE. 65

the original or acid Bessemer ])rocess. This is a very damaging- dis-
qualification, for at present the owners of the Bessemer steel works are
the largest purchasers ' of iron ore, and pay the highest prices.

Yet another important condition is to be added; not only must the
amount of phosphorns in tlie ore be small, but it must be uniformly
distributed; otherwise, m case the Bessemer converter be used, the
steel manufactured from the ore will vary in quality with every dis-
charge of the blast fnrnace.^ This is the case, because practically all
of the phosphorus in the ore goes into the pig iron, and is not removed
from it by the ordinary Bessemer converter. To make the matter per-
fectly clear an illustration may be given. Snppose that the quantity
of phosphorus in the ore as it comes from tlie mine shows rather large
variations, but that the average of phosphorus falls below the Bessemer
limit. Also suppose that the charges of the furnace to which the ore
is brought vary in the amount of phos})horus they (contain, some being
very low and others very high in phosphorus content. Such being the
case, the steel produced from the iron resulting from the charges very
low in phosphorus will contain but little of this element, the steel from
the charges high in phos])horus will contain a very large amount, and
it will, therefore, be unlit for the higher uses to which the steel is put.
This difficulty can, in a measure, be obviated by frequently testing the
ore and then mixing it in proper proportions, but this involves expense.

Favorable physical texture and freedom trom moisture, the two re-
maining characteristics of first-class ore, are also important considera-
tions. If ore be ver}" hard and dense, and if it be introduced in large
masses, it is not readily penetrated by the reducing gases of the fur-
nace. Hard ores, therefore, require more fuel and care to smelt them.
To break hard ores with a sledge, as was formerly done, was very
slow and heavy Avork. Manual labor has now been sui^erseded by heavy
machines, which crush the ore at slight expense, and thus the objections
that once weighed against the hard ores have lost much of their force.
Finely divided ores are also difficult to reduce. They pack and form
such impenetrable masses in the furnace that they are acted upon very
slowly by the gases. The very finely comminuted ores are also blown
out of the fnrnaces in large quantities by the strong blasts that are
now used, and in some cases these ores have caused serious explosions.
Moisture is objectionable for two reasons: It increases the weight of
the ore and therefore the freight, and in general there is at every point

'The extent and growing importance of the demand for Bessemer ores is indicated
by the following percentages, which give the proportion of Bessemer pig iron to the
total pig-iron prodnct of the United States:

Per cent. ! Per oeut. i Per ceut.

1889 41.4 1892 48. Ti ' 1895 59.5

1890 44.5 1898 50.9 i 1896 53.9

1891 41.9 I 1894 57.2 |

"As some iron ores not within the Bessemer limit of phosphorus were used in
admixture with low phosphorns ores in the production of IJessemer -pig iron, and as
many of the ores used for producing foundry and mill irons carry lower percentages
of metal than those smelted in the production of Bessemer pig iron, the proportion
of Bessemer ore will not bo so great as that shown for the pig metal, but the i)er-
centages are .sufficiently close to indicate the growing increase in the employment
of such material." (John Birkinbine, Production of Iron Ores iu 1895, p. 8.)

The i)ercentage for 1896 was deduced from the statistics of production as given
iu the Bulletin of American Iron and Steel Association, Vol. XXXI, No. 3, p. 21.

-For the information of those who are unacquainted with tlie manufacture of steel
it may be stated that the iron ore is reduced to met;il in the blast furnace, and then
placed in the Bessemer converter and changed to steel.

H. Doc. 277 5

66 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

a iHoiitless expenditure of energy in handling it. It also requires heat
to expel it from the blast furnace, which means an increasetl consump-
tion of fuel.

As was stated above, the lake ores find favor with ironmasters,
because they possess in a very high degree the four essential (lualities
of a good iron ore. That a definite conception of the relative standing
of the ores of the various districts may be formed, the results of the
be^it analyses we have will be submitted. The results of the very
numerous analyses made by Prof. IJaphael Pumpelly of the ores mined
in the census year 1880 will first be given. In some localities the char-
acter of the ore mined has changed considerably since his examina-
tions were made. For these localities the necessary corrections will be
made so as to show existing conditions. The following is a i)ortiou of
Professor Pumpelly's table sliowing the average per cent of metallic
iron in the ore mined during the census year 1880: '

Eastern region :

New York 53. 99

Ntw Jersey 53. 73

Pennsylvania 15. 28

Ohio.! 38.62

Southern region :

Alabama 50. 67

Tennessee 50. 59

Georgia 51. 37

Lake Sujierior region :

Michigan 59.57

Minnesota (-)

Wisconsin ^'52. 56

There has been no great change in the iron contents of the ores mined
in the eastern region, yet some of the best deposits have been exhausted.
Hence, if a test were now made, the ores of this district would not
appear in so favorable a light as they did in 1880. It is being found
necessary to an increasing extent to improve ores by washing, jigging,^
and by the use of magnetic separators.

There has been even a greater change since 1880 in the quality of the
Southern ores. The average yield of the ores used by the blast furnaces
of Alabama during the last census year was 44.4 per cent.'' The Clinton
fossil ores (red hematite), which now constitute the bulk of the ore
rained in this district, yield on an average from 42 to 47 per cent of
metallic iron. The Southern brown hematites are not so good as the
Clinton ores; if properly washed, however, they yield from 45 to 50
per cent of iron."

The lake ores are somewhat better in quality than those mined in
1880. In the opinion of David T. Day, special agent on the mineral
resources of the United States for the Eleventh Census, the ores which
were .shipped to distant furnaces contained on the average GO per cent
of metallic iron. The ores which were consumed in furnaces near at
band averaged 58 per cent of iron; but as these were relatively unim-
portant, the average of GO per cent was not much reduced. Since Mr.

1 Tenth Census : Mining Industries, p. 19. The census year began June 1, 1879, and
ended May 31, 1880.

~ Minnesota did not become a producer of iron ore until the year 1884.

^Wisconsin's uiiuiug operations were wholly carried on in a different part of the
State from where they now are, so that the tigures for this State are quite mean-
ingless.

* In jigging, the crushed ore is agitated in a jigger, water being introduced for the
removal from the ore of sand, clay, and earthy matter.

^ Eleventh Census : Mineral Industries, p. 11.

'The Production of Iron Ores in ^'arious Parts of the World, p. 23.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 67

Day made bis report the output of the A^ermiliou rauge has beeu ai)pre-
ciably iucreased, and the Mesabi has suddenly sprun.i;- into prouiiueuce
as a producer of iron ore. The latter now holds tirst place among the
ranges. As the ores which are shipjied from these ranges are richer in
iron than those of the older ranges, the census figures are now, perhaps,
a trifle too low. Mr. Franklin H. Head, an authority on the ores of
the lake district, sujjports me on this point. In a recent letter he says:
" I think a fair average of the ores shipped would yield in the furnace
62 tons of iron to each 100 tons of ore."

Unfortunately, it is impossible to give equally exact information cou-
ceruing the impurities in the ores of the several districts as has been
given of the iron contents. Perhaps less than one fourth of the ore of
the Eastern district can be classed as Bessemer; much of it contains
large amounts of sulphur, and some of it carries a small amount of
copper, and some of it has considerable qnantities of titanium. The
ore of the great Cornwall deposits contains on the average about 2.5
per cent of sulphur, and requires preliminary roasting in kilns to drive
off a portion of this and an excess of lime in the blast furnace to elimi-
nate the balance. About one-half of the sulphur is removed by the
roasting, which costs about 20 cents per ton for fuel and handling.
This ore also contains a small amount of copper, but still large enough
to be troublesome in some subsequent metallurgical processes. Many
of the ores of jSTew York contain titanium. In reducing these ores,
greater care must be exercised in fluxing. The furnace must also be
run under special conditions of temperature and pressure of blast,
otherwise titanium deposits will form in the furnace. This special con-
dition of lower heat, considered more favorable to the smelting of these
ores, requires more fuel. These disadvantages have prejudiced furnace
managers against ores containing titanium.

In many cases the physical condition of the eastern ores is against
them. The magnetites of New York and New -Jersey are very refrac-
tory: they are not easily penetrated by the reducing gases of the fur-
nace, because of their great density. Furnace managers assert that
they require more fuel and care to smelt them, and therefore, other
things being equal, they prefer the softer hematites of the lake region.
It is no longer found profitable to mine carbonate ores, for they must
be roasted to drive off <'arbouic acid before they can be charged into
the furnace. The cost of mining is also excessive, as they generally
occur in thin seams or in scattered dej^osits.

The southern ores are non-Bessemer in quality; they are either too
high in phosphorus, or else this element is very unequally distributed.
An exception to this statement is the Cranberry ore of western North
Carolina. Other ores of the same general characteristics are thought
to exist in the same part of the State and in Boan Mountain, of eastern
Tennessee, and possibly in the northwestern part of South Carolina.
With these exceptions no extensive deposits of low-phosphorus ores
are known in any southern State. The southern ores generally contain
considerable quantities of sulphur, and the percentage of silica and
lime varies greatlj'.

Most of the ores of the lake region are low in phosphorus, and thus
the larger portion of them is of Bessemer quality. The percentage of
Bessemer ores for the whole lake region is depressed by the contribu-
tions of the ^lenominee range, which produces mainly non-Bessemer
ores. The lake ores are very free from sulphur, and generally contain
no titanic acid. Furnace managers have experienced difBculty with
Mesabi ores because of their flnelv comminuted state; but this trouble

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

may be considered as temporary in character, for the blaot-furnace
managers may be relied upon to modify their furnaces and methods in
such a manner as will enable them to use the large and v^aluable
deposits of this range. However, it must be said that, after four years
of experimentation, in which large sums of money have been spent,
furnace masters are unable to use more than about 45 per cent of Mesabi
ore in their principal mixtures. Some of the lake ores carry considerable
moisture, and the average amount of water in the ores mined in the
lake region is greater than in the ores of the eastern district and about
equal to that in the ores of the southern region.'

It has been seen to what extent the lake ores have supplanted the
eastern ores. I have also shown why the lake ores are preferred by
the ironmasters of the East to the ores mined nearer to their furnaces.
Among the reasons for this preference are also found the facts which
make it desirable to move the ore. There then remains to explain the
peculiar combination of conditions which renders it i)ossible to mine
and transport these ores almost half way across the continent and yet
sell them at such prices that they are taken in preference to the native
ores.

It is obvious that in order to be available the ore must be found in
favorable conditions; it usually occurs in large deposits rather than
in narrow and irregular veins of varying dei)th. As a result it can be
more cheaply mined, for labor-saving machinery can be used', and there
is also much less waste material to be handled. The great extent of the
deposits permits large production and its incidental economies. The
steam shovel is an example in point; it is employed to dig and load
ore from open cuts and to load ore on cars from stock piles. During
one day in the summer of 1896 three steam shovels, working fourteen
hours each, dug and raised from the natural bed of the Oliver mine of
the Mesabi range 1(),7(K) gross tons or 428 cars of ore. Twenty five- ton
ore cars have been continuously loaded from the ore bed at the rate of
two and one-half minutes per car; the largest shovel' has loaded as
much as 5,825 tons, or 233 cars in a day of 10 hours.

It is estimated that the average cost of loading the ore into cars from
the bed of this mine is considerably less than five cents per ton. Before
the shovel could be put to work on the ore it was necessary to remove
a considerable amount of drift; but this expense, if averaged on all the

1 An accurate conception of the character of some of the ores of the Lake Superior
region can be obtained from the subjoined table, which contains complete analyses
of cargo samples of grades of ore taken from some of the largest producing mines of
this region :

[The Iron Mines of Minnesota, prepared for the seventy-third meeting of the American Institute of
Mining Engineers.]

Xame of mine.

Range.

Iron. SQica.

Phos-
phor-
us.

Man-
ga-
nese.

Sul-
phur.

Alum.

Lime.

Mag.

ne-

' slum.

Moist-
ure.

Minnesota

Chandler

Vermilion ....
do . ..

67.74 1.55
64.70 4.26
65.48 3.17
63.31 ' 4.53

fi?; on a /in

0. 048
.036
.034
.053

inn

None.
0.13
.49

None.
Trace:
0.006

0.90
1.37
1.43
2.10

2.10
.48
1 74

0.27
.33
.56

.20

.26
1.10
.19

0.12
.10
.20
.047

.024
1.35
.13

2.00
5 79

Burt

Mesabi

.. ..do ....

8 97

Oliver

Lake Superior
No 1

.23 1 .013
.19 .003
.34 1 017

1 15

Pewabic

Jforrie

Menominee... 64.36 3.85 .009
Gogebic fi.'? is .^ fi9 ! nil

6.46
9 86

2 This shovel is mounted on extra heavy railroad car trucks of standard gauge.
It weighs 90 tons, has hoisting engines of 200 horsepower, and is equipped with a
dipper having a capacity of 24 cubic yards, and will load five or six tons at each
swing.

STATISTICS OF LAKP: COMMERCE. 69

ore wliicli can be secured from the mine, would not exceed 5 cents per
ton, and in all probability would be much less. The cost of strij^ping
and of raising- the ore i)ractically represents the cost of mining this
deposit, and these items combined aggregate less than 10 cents per
gross ton.^

{Specialized transportation facilities have been a most important fac-
tor in enabling the ore of the Lake Superior region to compete at dis-
tant ]Joints. Several ore roads ' equipped with cars designed for the
ore traflic have been constructed.' and expensive terminals have been
built. At the shipping ports these consist of docks built as high as oTf
feet above the water, and so constructed that the ore trains can be run
out upon.them.^ The docks are equipped with pockets having a capac-
ity of from 65 to 18<i tons, into which the ore is unloaded from the cars
by means of drop bottoms. From the i)ockets of the dock the ore falls
through iron chutes into the holds of the vessels, which are run up
alongside of the dock.

By these appliances handling of the ore is avoided from the time the
ore leaves the mines until it reaches the receiving port, where it is
shoveled into buckets lowered into the ship's hold. Very little manual
labor is required in these operations. It is necessary to start the ore
by jamming it with crowbars at the opening of the pocket into the
chute, and it is also necessary to push it occasionally with poles, but
upon the whole the ore moves down by force of gravity alone. In the
hold of the vessel the ore is generally trimmed. For this there is
charged 2i cents per gross ton.

The ore-receiving docks at the lower lake ports are e(pially well fitted
for the work they perform. They are eipiipped with machinery well
adapted to the rapid removal of the ore from the holds of the vessels at
a very small cost. The outlay for shoveling the ore into buckets, which
are lowered into the holds of vessels, is the chief item. It is now 9 cents
per long ton, being done by manual labor. In addition to this there is
the dock charge of 5 cents, which makes the total expense of discharg-
ing ore 14 cents per gross ton. With the improved equipment of some
of the docks, the ore in buckets is raised from the hold, carried back
350 feet on the dock, and dumi)ed at a total cost (including labor, depre-
ciation of plant, interest, and fuel) of from 1 to 1^ cents per ton. Most
of the ore, instead of being dumped on the stock pile, is now loaded

1 From the Iron Age, Vol. LVIII, No. 16, p. 725.

-The iron-ore mines of each of the five ranges constituting the lake region are situ-
ated some distance from the lakes. The nearest mines of the Marquette range are 12
miles from a shipping port; none of the mines of the Menominee range are less than
41 miles from a shipping port. The Gogebic range is about 10 miles from the lake,
but the nearest shi])ping point is 3i> miles distant. The mines of the Minnesota
ranges are still farther removed from the lake, the Tower Mines of the Vermilion
range being 69 miles from the shipping ])ort of Two Harbors, and those at Ely about
20 miles farther removed. The ores of the Mesabi are carried about the same dis-
tances as those of the Vermilion range. Two Harbors and Duluth, Minn., and Suj)e-
rior, Wis., are the shipping ports of this range.

■'For the transportation of the ores of Minnesota, over 400 miles of standard-gauge
railroad have been constructed through what was a trackless wilderness ten years
ago. For a statement of the equipment of these railroads, see Appendix III, Table
VIII. In 1896 the ore roads of the old ranges were increased in uumlter by the com-
pletion of the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railway. The dock of this company is
at Presque Isle, 3 miles north of Marquette Harbor proper. During 1897 this road
hauled about 1,100,000 tons of ore.

••There are now on Lakes Michigan and Superior 21 of these docks, having a total
of 4,43s pockets, with a combined storage capacity of 617,250 gross tons, erected at a
cost of about $6,800,000. They are located as follows : 5 at Two Harbors, 2 at Duluth.
1 at Superior, 3 at Ashland, 4 at Marquette, 5 at Escanaba, and 1 at Gladstone. For
particulars about these docks, see Appendix III, Table VII.

70 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

directly info cars and carried by railroad to furnaces located from GO to
475 miles from Lake Erie ports.

Thus far attention has been directed merely to the labor which is
economized by the improved docks that have been constructed. But
these docks are also partially responsible for the very low transporta-
tion charges that prevail. Instead of losing- days in loading and
unloading, as was once the case, but a few hours are now lost. Vessels
lose almost no time at all at the docks; it is almost literally true that
they are constantly going or coming. With the finely comminuted ores
of the Mesabi range, which do not run so rapidly from the pocket down
the chutes as the hard and lumpy ores, vessels can be loaded in seventy
minutes with l*,500 tons of ore.'

At Two Harbors 3,02S tons of hard ore were loaded in seventy
minutes; vessels frequently load and depart with a cargo of .'},5()0 to
4,000 tons within two hours of the tinu' they reach port. There is also
great expedition in the unloading of vessels. With the a])pliances
possessed by the best docks, the largest vessels have been unloaded in
twelve to fourteen hours.-

At the new dock at Conneaut, which is to be operated in connection
with the Bessemer Steamship Company's fleet and the Pittsburg, Bes-
semer and Lake Erie Bailroad, it is confidently expected the largest
vess(!ls.will be unloaded regularly in ten hours, and it is hoped that iu
all but special cases the time will be reduced to seven hours. The new
plant is eiiuipped with 12 legs, one for each hatch of the vessel. When
all the legs are at work, it is hoi)ed the capacity of the plant will be
between !M)0 and 1,000 tons per lionr; and if this speed is attained ves-
sels of the 6,000-ton type can be unloaded in less than seven hours. It
is perhaps unnecessary to direct attention to the fact that a vessel's
daily expenses are almost as large while in port as during passage, and
therefore that dispatch in loading and uidoading means a large saving.
Of course, there is i^ractically no expense for fuel while the vessel is iu
port, but this is the only item of importance which is materially reduced,
and it is not of so great importance as is usually imagined — this item,
e. g., being only 28 per cent of the total cost of running the ships of
the Peninsular and Oriental Steamship Company.' It would be less
for lake vessels.

Xot only has the volume of the business in iron ores warranted the
expenditure of large sums on terminal facilities, but also the expendi-
ture of even larger amounts on the instruments of trans])ortation. Ves-
sels of great size and of special design have been constructed for this
trade. The entire storage space of the new ships is usually divided by
five bulkheads into four large holds extending from the water bottom
to the shelter deck. This permits economical handling and trimming

'The dispatch with which vessels are now loaded will, perhaps, be better appreci-
ated if comparison is made with the crude methods which once prevailed. In the
early days on the Marquette ran o;e the ore was conveyed from the mines in wagons
and dumjjed on a dock. From the dock the ore w^as transferred to the ship by the
ship's crew. After a time a traniroad wiis built on which the cars were drawn out
upon the dock by mules, where the ore was dumped upon an apron, from which it
could easily be loaded onto the ship. In this apron we have the rudimentary pocket.
It was not long after the construction of this road that the pockets, which are now
such an important adjunct of the docks, made their appearance in an experimental
way. Witli the constrmtion of the railroad from the mines of the Marquette range
to the shipping port of the same name the system of handling ore which now obtains
was perfected.

^ This represents a vast improvement over the primitive methods which were in
vogue until twelve or thirteen years ago. Formerly the ore was lifted from the hold
in buckets by horse power, dumped into wheelbarrows, wheeled back on the dock,
and emptied on the stock pile.

'Report of Commissioner of Navigation, 1894, p. 25.

STATISTICS OP LAKE COMMERCE.

of cargo. The strength usiuvll}- obtained by transverse bulkheads is,
in the main, secured by deck beams, extra shell plating, stanchions,
and intercostals. Several of the iron ore companies have brii^t fleets
adapted to the requirements of the ore business. The Bessemer^team-
ship Company has a fleet of nine large steamers and nine bargesv all of
recent design and construction. These vessels have an aggregate
gross tonnage of 58,5-5 tons and a total net registered tonnag^ of
48,020 tons, and have an actual carrying capacity of 71),400 gross t\us
on a mean draft of 16 feet and 10 inches. The Minnesota Steamship
Company has a lleet capable of carrying 52,450 gross tons per trip qu
a draft of 17 feet.^

It was estimated that the floating equipment on the Great Lak^s
January 1, 1896, employed primarily in the transportation of ore, had
a value of $46,680,207,- and it has since been largely increased.

The ores of the Lake Superior region have (lualities that render them
very valuable to the iron masters of the iron and steel producing districts
of the Eastern States, and therefore it bei-omes desirable to move them.
It is the perfection of the transportation facilities that renders this
possible. Effective terminal facilities, together with efficient instru-
ments of carriage, have made possible the very low freight rates that
have prevailed and without which the ore could not be moved. During
the navigation season of 1806 large quantities of ore were carried from
the head of Lake Superior to the lower lake ports, a distance of 889
statute miles, ' for 60 cents per gross ton, which is equivalent to a ton-
mile charge of but 0.67 of a mill.^ This rate, although very low, was
much reduced during the summer of 1897, the rate being but 50 cents
for some weeks. This rate is equal to but 0.56 of a niill.

When it is remembered that a ton mile charge of 3 mills on railroads
is regarded as something exceptional, it will be realized how very low
the lake rates on iron ore are. Mr. Carnegie states that the directors
of the new mineral road between Conneaut, on Lake Erie, and Pittsburg
hope to reduce the cost of hauling ore and coal below 3 mills per ton.'^
If lake rates were as high as rail rates the ore of Minnesota could not
be moved. When it is known that the price of red hematites of Besse-

iln the subjoined table the e<iuipment of several of
fonnd :

the largest ore fleets may be

Xaine of tieet.

Is; et res- Actual jip,,„
isteied I carrying ^ j;'^"
tonuage. , capacity. ' "

ishipCo.

25. 080
2J. 540

Our M.MiiM r (liuilcHue)

Two hai-Hi-s (liuilding)

Miiuii-sdta .Steaiiisliip Co. :

Nine st.-a niers

Five b:irL;('s

OuesclKMHM.T (Innli'.mjr)

Cleveland Clilts Imn ( e. ;

Seveu .■;t<Mii;rrs

Two scliodiieis. . _

One steamer (ImililinL: i

Lake Superior Imi] 1,1. : si-, sttamers

Menominee Trau.-^it Co.: I'i\i- steamers

^lutnal Tran.sportatioii Co.: Four steamers.

19, 7^5
13. 629

7,329
1,554

8,750
9,376
»,344

rt.

Tn.

41.700

37, 700

6,6?5

14, 000

30, 250

;,7

22, 200

6,000

18, 750
3,175
5,750
Ki. 116
15.(^25
13.747

16 10
16 10

16 10

- Blue Book of Americau Shipping (1896), p. 205.

'This is the distanre given in Eleventh Census, Transportation Business, Part II,
p. 291, from Dnluth to Ashtabula, the chief receiviug port of Lake Erie.

'Out of this very low rate the ve.ssels paid 2i to 3 cents for trimming and 16 cents
per ton for discharging cargoes. Freight rates and cliarge.s are for gross tons.

^Iron Age, Vol. LVIII, No. U, p. 622.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

niei' quality iu Clevelaud during tlie early spriug of 1895 was but $2.80,'
and that tlie price of this ore varied from $4 to $4.2;")-' in the summer
and autumn of 1890, and in 1S97 fell below 1895 prices,'' it will be under-
stood how absolutely important it is that freight rates should be low.
If tlie ton mile rate were 3 mills— which is regarded as exceptionally
low on railroads — the freight charge for transporting ore from Duluth
to Cleveland would be "^2.54 — a rate higher than the traftic could bear.
In view of the facts that Lave been presented it ought not to be diffi-
cult to understand why the ores of the Lake Superior region are sup-
planting the ores of the eastern region. This substitution has been
going on rapidly, and should the demand for steel continue to increase
at the expense of that for iron, this sul)stituti()n^ will persist unless
methods be discovered by which good steel can be made cheaply from
ores that can not now be used to advantage.

Appendix III.

TA15LES KELATIXG TO LAKE TKANSPi )RrATIOX AXD THE IKON-ORE
INDUSTRY.

Tabi.k I.

Shipments of iron ore from the Luke Sitpcrior region.

Previous to

1854

1K55

1856

Long tons.

1861.
1862.
1863.

75, 083
3, 000
1.440

;)6, :u:i

2.-), G46
15. 876
68. 832
114,401
49, 909
124, 169
203, 055

1864.
1865.
1866.
1867.
1868.
1869.
;8"0.
1871.
1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.

243,127

236, 208

4,;i, .'tw

4!)1.44;)
617, 444
830, 940
779, 607
9I!0,901
1,162,4.58
919, 557

Year.

Long tons.

Tear.

Long tons.

1876

992, 764

1887

4, 738, 903

1877

.' 1,014,687

1888

5, 023, 279

1878

1,111.110

1889

7, 390, 387

1879

. 1,375.691

1890

9, 003. 701

1880

1, 908, 647

1891

7, 094, 981

1881 .

. 2,314,502

1892

9, 073, 568

1882

. 2, 966. 375

1893

6, 065, 795

1883

. 2, 341, 227

1894

7, 755, 494

1884

. 2,518,048

1895

10, 429, 037

1885

. ! 2, 456, 548

1896

9, 934, 446

1886

.: 3, 562, .570

1897

12, 469, 638

*The figures given in this table include the amounts sliipped by all-rail roiite.s; tlio quantities thus
tran.sported are, however. relati\ ii\- unimportant. Iu 1892 the all-rail sliijuiientu were ,525.768 gross
tons: in 1893, 194.127: in 1894. 1.13,874: in 1895. 194.127: in 1896, 290,-110. and in 1897, 253,993 gro.ss tons.
The all-rail shipments lor 1892 were obtained from Mineral Kesources of the United States (1892),
p. 39,and the figures foi- 1893-96 were taken from the Blue Book of Ameiiean Shipi)ing (1897). p. 118,
and for 1897 from Tlie Iron Trade Review. Lake Hhiiiinents of iron ore as {ri^en by'Birkinbine in
The .Production of Iron Ores in Various Parts of the World (p. 195) are as follows: In 1892, 8,545,313
gross tons; in 1S93, 5,836,749; and iu 1.894, 7,621.620 gross tons.

The first experimental shi])nient of iron ore from the Lake Superior region was from tlie Marquette
range and occurred in 1850: but shii>nieiits from tliis range for commercial jmrposes did not begin until
1853. See Mineral Resources i if the T'nitcd States (189l>. p. 49. Tlie shipments previous to 1854 are
given in Mineral Resources of tlie Tnitid Statis (1889 and 1890), p. 27; for the years 18,54 to 1886, ibid.
(1886). p. 15: for 1887 and 18.88, iliid. (l-isg). p. 17: for 1889 to 1893, ibid. (1892), p. 38 : for the years 1893
to 1896, Blue Book of American Shipping (1897^ p. 118; for the year 1897, Mr. A. I. Findlev, editor of
The Iron Trade Review.

1 Iron Age, Vol. LVII, No. 2, p. 155.

2 Jbid., Vol. LVII, No. 22, p. 126.3, and VoL LVIII, No. 13, p. 595. In 1894 Bessemer
standard ores sold for $2.C5 per ton and nou-Iiessemer for $2 per ton at lower lake
ports. (Ibid., Vol. LVII, No. 1, p. 24.)

"'The prices of some of the standard lake ores in 1897 delivered at Lake Erie ports
were as follows:

Minnesota hard ore, cnislied $3. 11

Chandler 2. 92^

Norrie 2. 65

Lake Anjreline, haid oro 3. 46

Burt Mine, Mesabi 2. 65

Chapin 2. 40

Red hematites, non-Bessemer quality .$2. 00 to 2. 50

^ There is no likelihood that the ores of this region will be .speedily exhausted. Mr.
John Birkiubine says of the Mesabi: "No other iron range thus far discovered pos-

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.
Taisle II.

Production of iron ore in the lake districts of the several States of the Lake Superior
region, in the lake region as a whole, in the United States, and importations into the
United States.

I Loiij; toDS.]

Tear. Michigan.

Michigan.

Lake dis-
trict of Minnesota.
Wisconsin.

Total for
the Lake Su-
perior region.

Total for

the United

States.

Importa-
tions.

Unknown 91 850

18J5

1,449
6.790

i "" '

25, 646
22, 876
68, 832
114,401
114,258
124, 169
203, 055
247, 059
193, 758

1858

221876
68. 832
114,401
49, 909
124, 169
203, 055
243, 137
187, 106
288, 806
457, 642
510, 522
629, 532
861,403
813, 379
952, 077

22, 876

1860

114 401

2, 873, 459

1861

114,258

186H

203 055

■

247, 059
193, 758

1865

1867

465 504

465, 504

510, 522

639, 097

859, 507

813,984

948, .553

1, 195, 234

935, 488

910, 840

993, 311

1, 025. 129

1,125,093

1.414,182

510. .-i22
639 097

1869

1870

859,507 :

813,984

948, 553

3,031,1^91

1872

27, 000

1, 195, 234

935, 488

910, .S40

993,311

1. 025. 129

1, 125, 093

1, 414, 182

1874

69, 000

4, 500, 000

83, 000
26, 000
42, 000
29, 000
284, 141

1876

1877

1878

1879

2,123,404 197,911
2, 672. 287 ' 276, 020
2,518,048 62,175
2,225,148 34.612
2.203,599 ! 55,181
3, 175, 959 i 150, 294
3,933,681 i 400,104
4,113,803 t 381,140
5, 856, 169 798, 937
7, 141,656 ! 549,359
6,127,001 1 910,465

2,321,315 j 7,974,000 : 782,887
2 948 307 1 9 744 000 ' 589 655

1882

1883

1884

1 885

1886

•;■;;;;•

62,' 122'

227, 075
307, 948
3'.U. 910
511,953
804, 508
891.910
945, 105
1,255,465

1, 499, 927

2, 968, 403

3, 806, 453

4, 283, 880

2.580!223 1...'....'.....
2. 321, 882 1 8, 550, 330
2, 485, 855 1 7, 600, 000

3,034.201

4.728,695

490, 875

487, 820

390, 786

1, 039, 433

1,194,301

1887

1889

1890

1891

7, 519. 6U U,M8,041

8. 941,o:;i Ki (i:;r,, 043
7,621, ((;.-. 14, .-.1)1. 178
9,.m;i.::,-s n; "k-. fififi

853, 573

1,246,830

912 804

806, 585

1894

1895

1896

'.'..'......'...

4. 668, 324
4,419,074
5,812,444

5, 700, 736

420, 367
305, Oil
590, 081
575, 743

6. .V.u.ci.-
io; 2os; iIts

10, 566. 359

11..-.S7.629
ll.sTit. 679

15. 957. 614

16, 005, 449

526, 951
167, 307
524,153
682, 806

I'p to the cen.su8 year 1880 tlie .statistics given iu the census reports coveriug the
production of iron ore iu the United States, and those of the production iu the sev-
eral States iu particular, are very unsatisfactory. For the reports of 1850, I860, and
1870 tlie .statistics of production were very largely obtained from the statements
made by the luauagers of the various blast furnaces as to the amount of ore con-
sumed.' The tables do not specify in what States the ore was produced, but merely
give the amounts reported as being consumed by the blast furnaces. This being
the case, in giving the production of the States in the early years I have used,

sesses greater apparent reserves. Conservative estimates formulated from the rec-
ords of properties now exploited and worked, together with others determined by
systematic explorations and analyses, show that the Mesabi range can supply ore
(which will equal in average iron and phosphorous contents) double the quantity
(or 200,000,000 gross tons) wliich the entire Lake Superior regiou has produced in iifty
years. In this estimate there are not included n number of properties which have
been imperfectly explored."' (The Production of Iron Ores in 1895, p. 16.) Since Mr.
Birkinbine wrote many new deposits have been explored and his estimates must
now be regarded as falling far short of the amount of ore this range contains.

74 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

■wherever it has been possible, the statistics giveu in Mineral Resonrces of the
United States, as they seemed the more reliable. The census flgnres for 1880 appear
to be accurate, and as it was necessary to use them in some cases they iire given in
all cases where they occur. The only objection to them is the fact that thc'y are not
for the calendar year. These tigures are here inclosed in brackets. It is to be
remembered that tlie census year 18X0 ended May 31, 1880. In otht^r cases, unless
otherwise stated, the year here referred to is the calendar year.

The figures of the column headed "Total for the United States" were obtained from
the following sources: For the year 1860, Eighth Census, Manufactures, p. clxsvii;
for 1870, Ninth Census. Industry and Wealth, p. 768; for 1875, Tenth Census, Mining
Industries, p. 33; for 1880. Eleventh Census, Mineral Industries, p. 12; for 1881, 1882,
and 1884. Tenth Census. Mining Industries, p. 33; for 1885, Mineral Resources of the
United States (1S85), p. 188, and for 188!) and the succeeding years down to 1896, The
Production of Iron Ores in the United States (1895), p. 10. The statement for 1896
was obtained from The Production of Iron Ores in 1896, by .John Berkinbine, p. 23.
In some cases short tons have been converted into long tons. The compilers of the
Ninth Census think the production of 1870 as given is underestimated l)y about eight
or nine hundred thousand tons (Ninth Census, Industry and Wealth, p. 749). For the
years 1X75 and 1881 the amounts given are estimates made by Mr. I. Lowthian Bell,
and the amounts given for 1882, 1884, and 1885 are estimates made by Mr. .James M.
Swank, general manager of the American Iron and Steel Association. The figures
of im])ortation into the United States from 1872 to 1891 were obtained from Mineral
Resources of the United States (1891). p. 41; from 1892 to 1894, from The Production
of Iron Ores in Various Parts of the World, p. 19S; for 1895, from The Production of
Iron Ores in the United States, p. 25, and for 1896 The Production of Iron Ores in
1896, by John Berkinbine, p. 26.

In giving the production of the States forming the lake region it was thought best
to include only the ore mined within this region: Wisconsin's product is therefore
somewhat less than that usually reported for the State. The figures of production
up to 1889 were obtained from 5lineral Resources (1889 and 1890), p. 30, and since
1889, by assigning to Wisconsin the difference between the total output of the Lake
Superior region and the com])ined output of Michigan and Minnesota. Michigan's
output, as it appears in the first column, is given in the Geological Survey of Michi-
gan (1869-1873), Vol. I, Part I, Atlas Plate 12. It is not contended that these figures
are exact. To some suuill extent the figures of the second column are of my own
deduction. Up to the time when Wisconsin became a jiroducer I have given Michi-
gan credit for the total yield of the Lake Superior region. In Mineral Resources
(1883), p. 116, it is statect that the total output for the lake region for 1856 and the
previous years was 86,319 gross tons; this might also be placed in the second col-
umn. It will be noted that this amount does not correspond with the first column.
From 1880 to 1889 the difference between the total amount mined in the lake region
and the combined f»utput of Minnesota and Wisconsin is assigned to Michigan.
Since 1889 it is given as reported in The Production of Iron Ores in the United States
(1895), p. 10; for 1896 see The Production of Iron Ores in 1896, by John Birkinbine,
p. 23.

No ore was raised in \Viscon8in from the mines of the lake region up to the close
of the census year 1880; there was, however, some ore mined in this district during
the calendar year 1880. For Wisconsin's output from 1880 to 1888 see Mineral
Resources (1889 and 1890), p. 31. Since 188S that portion of the total production of
the lake region not belonging to either Michigan or Minnesota has been assigned to
Wisconsin. For Minnesota's vield of ore from 1884 to 1888 see Mineral Resources
(1889 and 1890), p. 31, and fr()m'l888 to 1895, The Production of Iron Ores in the United
States (1895), p. 10; and for 1896, The Production of Iron Ores in 1896, by John
Birkinbine, p. 23.

Down to 1882 the figures for the production of the lake region as a whole were
taken from Mineral Resources (1883), p. 116; for the years from 1883 to 1888 the
figures are those of Mineral Resources (1891), p. 38; for the years 1888 to 1894, Pro-
duction of Iron Ores in Various Parts of the World (1894), p. 195; for the produc-
tion of 1895, The Production of Iron Ores in the United States (1895), p. 12; and for
the production of 1896, The Production of Iron Ores in 1896, by John Birkinbine, p. 8.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Tablk III.

Production of iron ore in ihe Cornivall Ore Hills of Fennsylrania and the Lake Champlain
district of Xew York, in Xtw York, Xeiv Jersei/, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, and the total
for these States.

[Long tons.]

Xear.

Cornwall
Ore Hills.

Lake

Champlain

district.

New York..

>few
Jersey

Pennsyl-
vania.

1
Ohio, j

Total

for these

States.

1864 ...

11 monthg.
165, 915
114,803
216, 660
202, 755

165. 843
173, 429
174,408
176, 055
193, 317

166, 782
112, 429

98, 925
137, 902
171, 589
179. 299
268, 488
231, 173

249, 050
309, 681
363, 144
412, 320
508, 864
688, 054
667, 210
722, 917
769, 020
686, 302
663. 746
634, 714
439, 705
371, 710
614,598
463, 059

226. 000

1865

1866

1867

275, 067

1868

1869

1870

a (469. 190)

(323, 782)
450, 000
600, 000
665, 000
525. 000
390, 000
285,000
315, 000
409, 674
488, 028

[676, 225]
745, 000
737. 052
932, 762
521,416
393, 710
330, 000
500, 501
547, 889
447, 738
415, 510
495, 808
525, 612
465, 455
356, 150
277, 483
282, 433
264, 999

(978, 112)

(282, 615)

2, 05;i, 699

1871

1872

350, 000
420. 000
250, UOO
300. 000
290, 000
365. 000
380, 000
480, 000

700, 00(1
637, 000
725, UOO
540. 000
530; 000
420, 000
588. 829
768, 852
669,5.53
779, 900
821, 994
554, 865

1873

1874

1875

1876

1877

1878

1879

1880

6[l,126,899]{

|[1,951,496]

[488,753]

4 ''4S 372

1881

1882

1883

.:::::::::::

1884

1885

' '344,'484'
377. 465
253,352
254. 294
169, 088
104, 487
95,768
68, 141
58,493
44, 834
58, 480

'.'.'.'.'.' ".'.'.'.\\

1887

"i," 247,' 537''
1,253,393 i
1,017,216
891,099
534.122
242, 759
307, 256
385, 477

1889

1, 560, 234

1, 361, 622

1, 272, 928

1, 084, 047

697, 985

532, 087

900, 340

747,784

3. 477, 575

1891

2, 920, 243

1892

1893

1894

1, 656, 398

1895

1 534 863

1896

1, 456, 740

a The fignres inclosed in parentheses are those of the Ninth Census: Indiistry and Wealth, p. 768,
and, as has already been explained in the notes to Table II, they are of doubtful value.

6 The figures inclosed in brackets are for the census year 1880, see Eleventh Census : Mineral ludns-
tries, p. 13.

NOTES TO TABLE III.

The sources from which the output of the Cornwall Ore Hills was obtained are
as follows: From 1864 to 1890 Mineral Eesources (1889 and 1890), p. 29; for 1891,
Ibid., p. 41; for 1892, Ibid., p. 40; for 1893, Ibid., p. 43; for 1894, Production of Iron
Ores in Various Parts of the World, p. 184; and for 189.5, Production of Iron Ores in
the United States, p. 20; and for 1896, The Production of Iron Ore in 1896, by .lohn
Birkinbine. p. 21. For the production of iron ore in the Lake Champlain district
see Mineral Resources (1891), p. 41. For New Jer.sey's output down to 1889. see
Geological Survey of Xew .Jersey (1893), p. 443. In Mineral Resources (1891), p. 41,
may be found Ohio's output for the years from 1886 to 1888. The production of each
of the States from 1888 to 1896 is as given in Production of Iron ()res in the United
States, p. 10; for production during 1896, see The Production of Iron Ores in 1896, by-
John Birkinbine, p. 23.

76 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table IV.

Production of iron ore in Alahama, 'Tennessee, Geonjict, and the total for these States.
[Long tons.]

Tear.

Alabama.

Tennessee.

Georgia.

Total.

30, 909
[93, 272]

1880

[171, 139]

220, 000

250, 000

ZScf, 000

420, 000

505, 000

650, 000

675, 000

1, 000, 000

1,. 570, 319

1,897,815

1, 986, 830

2, 312, 071
1,742,410
1, 493, 086
2, 199, 390
2, 041, 793

[81,621]

1346,032]

1883

1885 .

;:::::::;:::::;::::::::

18SQ

473, 294
465, 695
543, 923
406, 578
372. 996
292, 831
519, 796
535, 484

248, 020

244, 088

250, 755

185, 054

a 186, 015

a 174, 694

a 272, 014

« 175, 331

2 291 633

1890

1891

2, 607, 598

2,781,508

2, 903, 703

a 2, 301, 421

a 1,960, 611

a 2, 991,200

1892

1893....

1895

1896

a 2, 752, 608

a iJicludiug North Caroliua, whith has two and generally but ou« small establishment mining ore
XOTK.S TO TABLE IV.

All of the tigiiies for 1870 were obtained from Xiuth Census : Industry and Wealth,
p. 768 ; they are open to the same criticism as the figures for 1870 of Table II. Those
of Alabama and Tennessee for 1880 were obtained from Eleventh Census: Mineral
Industries, p. 13; they are therefore for the census, not for the calendar, year. For
1880 the production oi' Georgia is given in Tenth Census: Mining ludu.stries, p. 23,
Alabama's production for the years 1881 to 1888 is given in Mineral Kesources (1891),
p. 19; these figures are estimates based on the production of pig iron. Since 1889
the production of each of the States is that given in The Production of Iron Ores in
the United States (1895), p. 10. For 1896 the statistics were obtained from The
Production of Iron Ore in 1896, by John Birkinbiue.

Table V.

Shi2)ment8 of Lalce Superior iron ore hy ports {gross tons).
[Data furnished by A. I. Findley, editor of The Iron Trade Review.]

Tear.

Marquette.

Escanaba.

St, Ignace.

L'Anse.

Ashland.

1884

918,489

750, 047

853, 396

803, 411

844, 694

1, 376, 335

1, 307, 395

1, 056, 027

1. 026, 338

1, 086, 934

1,424,850

1, 079, 485

1, .578, 600

1,945,519

1, 356. 587
1, 219, 777

1, 538, 821

2, 072, 708

2, 202, 965

3, 003, 632
3, 714, 662

3, 058, 590

4, 010, 085
2, 048, 981

1, 644, 776

2, 860, 172
2, 321, 928
2, 302, 121

51,109
93, 588
74, 590
91, 554
107, 399
51, 853

64, 420

20, 027

119, 563

1886

721 983

1 016,414

1889

1,484,802

1890

2,123,856

1891

1 261 658

1892

2, 223, 684

1893

1,117,520

1894

1, 738, 590

1895

2, 350, 219

1896

1,566 336

1897

2, 067, 637

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Shipments of Lake Superior iron ore by ports (gross tons) — Continued.

Tear.

'^7^^^ar- Gladstone.

Superior.

Duluth. Total.

1884 .

2, 390, 605

2, 428, 486

3, 493, 186

4, 398, 857
4,621,947
6,804,511
8, 063, 067
6, 444, 440
8 54.T 314

1885

225 484

450,475 --- -1 ----

819,639 ' 68,250

826,063 i 91,091

890, 299 1 177, 866

1,165,076 ' 115,886

903, 329 ' 203, 585

1,373,253 1 79,208

2,118,156 1 109, 2n

1,813,992 1 220,888

2,651,465 341,014

1890

1892

4,245
80, 273

440, 502
1, 369, 252
1.ii98.7«3

1894

7, 629, 829

117, 884

1896

167,245 1 1,988,932
531, 825 2. 376. 064

9,657 921

1897

12, 215, 645

Eeeeipts of Lake Superior iron ores, hi/ vessel, at lake ports (f/ross tons).
[Data furnished by A. I. Fimlley, editor of the Iron Trade Review.]

Tear.

Toledo.

Sandusky.

Huron.

Lorain.

Cleveland.

Fairport.

758, 983

826, 419

993, 046

723, 129

904, 850

589, 234

1, 034, 650

1,216,423

971, 775

1,742,415

1, 945, 492

1, 257, 775

1,950,224

1, 260, 716

1,624,573

2, 312, 370

2, 313, 170

2, 456, 704

1881

[

1883

27, 617
2,444
15, 000

26. 960
61, 729
75, 601

82. 961
164, 295
191, 105
139, 987
145, 515
158, 384
260, 730
301,794
416,438

58, 825
166, 540
143, 180
157, 970
160, 600
154, 924
186, 082
174, 596
106, 907
49, 736
4,464
23, 043
12, 361
58, 667
79, 792

25, 794
30, 156
13,180
99, 744
134, 764
197, 000
280, 000
280, 450
266, 009
190. 400
165, 667
150, 424
214, 219
191,445
355, 188

40 334

1885

31, 992

44, 021

21, 288

4,351

680

1,200

14,910

65, 000

137, 700

172, 775

146,442

226, 515

198,231

112, 000

1887

501, 368

611.140

1889

829, 121

1,096,408

1891

699, 434

1893

792, 517

1894

976, 222

1895

914,617

1896

941, 446

1, 008, 340

Tear.

Ashtahula.

Conneaut.

Erie.

Buffalo,

Tonawan-

da.a

Total.

Receipts of

other
lake porta. 6

18S0

298, 594

377, 976

598, 037

670, 000

650, 000

582, 000

672, 000

1, 103, 839

1, 288, 530

1, 963, 490

2, 176, 730

1,599,785

2,555,416

1, 845, 738
1, 987, 722

2, 474, 791

2, 272, 822

3, 001, 914

1881

106, 787
116, 027
122, 223
91, 250
20, 488
240, 338
373, 595
487, 493
393, 759
645, 230
469, 299
624,438
811, 989
847, 849
1,311,526

40, 203
8,760
7,160
31,869
28, 699
240, 000
298, 000
548, 000
410, 000
197, 000
308, 238
395, 339
719, 742
545, 101
797, 446

i, 692, 689
1, 841, 877

1, 503, 969

2, 270, 554
3, 439, 198

3, 783, 659

5. 856, 344

6, 874, 664

4, 939, 684
6, 660, 734

5, 333, 061

6, 350, 825
8, 112, 228
8, 026, 432

10,120,906

548, 728

924, 517

1886

1,222,632

959, 659

1888

P48, 167

1890

1, 188, 403

1891

1,504 756

1892

1,130
203, 207
237, 905
244, 967
327, 623
495, 327

1, 884, 580

548, 153

1894

1895

1896

1, 279, 004
2,121,682
1, 631, 489

1897

2, 094. 739

a Buffalo alone to

6 Most of this ore was received at South Chicago.

78 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE,

Table VI.
Freight rates, by lale vessel, on iron ore per lonij ton from ports named to Lake Erie ports.

Escauaba. j Marquette.

Ashland, Superior,
Duluth, and Two Harbor.s.

Tear.

Rate.

Wild or
daily
rate.

Con-
tract
rate.

Rate.

Wild or
daily
rate.

Con-
tract
rate.

Rate, a

Wild or
daily
rate.

Con-
tract
rate.

$3.00
3.00
$2. 00 to 2.50
2. 00 to 2.50
2. 00 to 2.50
2. 00 to 3.00

2. 25 to 4.50
3. 00 to 4.00

3. 00 to 5.00
2. 05 to 5.00
2. 75 to 6.50
2. 00 to 4.00
2. 25 to 3.25
2. 75 to 4.50
2. 05 to 3.25
2. 05 to 4.00
2. 85 to 6.60
3. 25 to 4.00
1.60 to 2.50
1.30 to 1.50
1.25 to 2.20

1857

1859

1860

1862

1863

1864

........

1865

18C6

$2. 50 to $5. 75

1.05 to 3.05

1.06 to 2.06

1867

1868

. 1

;::::;:;:::::: i::::::::::::::

1870 1.65 to 2.50

1871 1 1.50 to 2.50

1872 1 2.00to 5.25

1873 1 2.30to 3.00

1874 1.30to 1.40

1875 ' 1 10t,.> 1 30

1876

!R0.86 ' iftl.2fl

$1.35
1.41
1.22
1.83
2.26
2.05
1.26
1.40
1.08
.98
1.51
1.87
1.30
1.19
1.07
1.02
.98
.71
.60
.92
.66
.55

$1.50
1.40
1.30
1.40
2.75
2.45
1.75
1.20
1.35
1.05
1.20
1.63
1.15
1.10
1.25
.90
1 15

. 65 to 1. 50 1 . 98 1 1. 00 1. 25 to 2. 00
60 to 1 15 ' 81 ' on ! 1 00 to 1 50

1878

1879

.70 to 2.10 i 1.25
1.50 to 2.00 1 1.70
1.00 to 1.60 1..S6

.90 1. 25 to 3. 00
1. 85 2. 00 to 2. 75
1. 75 2. 00 to 2. 30
1. 40 1 1. 25 to 2. 00
1. 00 1 1. 30 to 1. 75
1.10 1.00

1880

;::;:;::

1881

1882

.50 to 1.40

.90 to 1.50

.65

1.00

1.35

1.75

. 90 to 1. 45

.90 to 1.25

1.10 to 1.00

1.04
1.22
.87
.78
1.28
1.59
1.05
1.01
.89

1883

1884

1885

1886

1887

1888

1889

1890

.90
1.05
1.40

.90
1.00
1.10

1.40
1.75
2.15

1. 10 to 1. 15
.90 to 1.25

1.25 to 1.10

$1.07 to $1.65
1.02 to 3.00
1.75 to 2.75
1.02 to 1.08
1.25 to .90
1. 35 to 1. 00

$1.25
1.78
2.23
1.43
1.34
1.17

$1.15
1.20
2.00
1.25
1.25
1.35

1892

74 1 00

1 ^r,

1 25

.56 ' .85
.46 .60
.73 .55
.52 .70
45 d^

1894

.80
.75
.95
.65

.78
1.13
.77
.57

.80

1895

.80

1896

1.05

1897

■ Rates from Asbland alone.

NOTES TO TABLE VI.

Out of the rate that is received the vessels pay trimming and unloading charges.
In 1895 and 1896 these amounted to 19 cents per ton and in 1897 to lti.5 cents. Some
few boats do not trim, and thus escape tlie trimming charge, which in 189.5 and 1896
varied from 2.5 to 3 cents, and in 1897 was 2.5 cents. All vessels pay the unloading
charges, which in 1897 were 9 cents for shoveling the ore into buckets lowered into
the ship's hold and 5 cents as a dock charge.

The rates as given in the first column for each port were obtained from Mineral
Resources of the United States, 1889-90, pp. 27-31. They were compiled by the
State commissioner of mineral statistics of Michigan. The other rates were com-
piled by the Marine Review, of Cleveland.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Taiuj: VII.
Record of orc-sliipjihu/ docls on the (ireat Lakes.

Railway.

Location.

DopvlLengtli

No «*■

^°- ' dock.

Dnluth aud Iron Kange i Two Harbors, Minn
R. K.

Duhith, Mia.sabi and Dulutli, Minn.

Northern Hwy.
Dnhitli. Superior and 1 Allouez Bay, Supe-

AVestern R. R. I rior, "Wis.
Chicaoo aud Northwest- Ashland, Wis

ern llwy.

! Escanaba, Mich

Dulnth, South Shore and Marquette, Mich .
Atlantic Rwy. '

Lake Superior and Ish- ! do

Gladstone, Mich .

pemmg Rwy.
Minneapolis, St. Paul and

Sault Ste. Marie Rwy.
Wisconsin Central.

Feet.
1,056
1,056
540
1.008
1, 008
2,304
1,152
a 600
b'JOO
1,404
1,404
1,104
1,152
1, 356
1,500
1,392
1,700
1, 200
1,200
1,200

Width

of
dock.

Ft. In.

52
49 8
49 8
46 8
46
37
37
37
37
37
40

53 6
36 8
52

1 j 768 I 37
1 1,908 I 36

Height
of dock

(water
to

deck).

48 6

40 3

52 8
48 6

53 3
45
37

pi" ^sc.°-

47
54 6

, Gross tons.

141 I 18,000

176 23, 900

90 16, 000

168

30, 000

33, 000
57. 600

34, 560
15, 000
25, 500
36, 036
24, 156
24, 104
20, 928
30, 284
32, 750
43, 152

27, 000
12, 780

28, 000
36, 000

15, 000

33, 500

* From " The Iron Mines of Minue.sota."
Institute of Mining Engineers.
a Old part.
6 New extension,
c Destroyed by fire November 30, 1897 but

Prepared for the seventy-third meeting of the American

rebuilding.

Table VIII.
Data relating to ore-carrying railroads of northern Minnesota.

Weight

Railway. of rails

[ per yard.

Weight of freight loco-
motives in working
order, with tenders.

Number of freight
locomotives.

Capacity of
standard
ore-car.

Number

of
ore-cars.

1 Founds.
Duluth and Iron 80
Range R. R.

Duluth, Missabi ' 60 & 80

and Northern

Rwy.
Duluth, Superior 60

and Western

R. R.

12 -wheel locomotives,
123 tons ; consolidation
locomotives, 88 tons.

10 -wheel locomotives,
97 tons; consolidated
locomotives, 118 tons.

12-wheel locomotives,
20; consolidated loco-
motives, 24.

10-wheel locomotives,
16; consolidation lo-
comotives, 2.

Gross tons.
24

2,293

1,801

600

* The Iron ]^Iines of Minnesota. Prepared for the seventy-third meeting of the American Institute
of Mining Engineers. This was the state of these railroads on July 14, 1897.

PART IV.

COAL TRAFFIC.

To the vast extent of territory about the (Ireat Lakes, but especially
to the country west and north of the Lakes Michigan and Superior,
lake transportation means cheap coal. During the greater portion of
the season of 189G coal was carried from Buftalo to Duluth and Su-
perior, a distance of 997 miles," for 20 cents per ton. It would be a
work of supererogation to emphasize what this very low rate means to
the people of the Xorthwest, where fires must be maintained for at
least six of the twelve months of the year. To the lake carriers coal
means west-bound cargoes. If it were not for coal, nearly all the vessels
carrying ore, grain, flour, and lumber to the h)wer lake ports would be
obliged to return "light.'' During 189(i coal constituted about three-
fourths of the west-bound trafitic through the Detroit River and 8G per
cent of the west-bound traftic through the St. Marys Falls Canal.

During 1896 shipments from the ports of Lakes Erie and Ontario
amounted to about 9,000,000 tons.^ The growth of this enormous traffic
from small beginnings in the seventies can not be set forth in detail
because of the meagerness of reliable data. Something may, however,
be Inferred from- the growth of the traffic of the leading shipping
ports.-' Shipments of coal from Buflalo have been as follows:

Year.

Tons.

Year.

Tons.

1873

570,443

439.720

589, 670

1 448 086

1890

2, 188, (582
2,617,268
2 400 U68

1875

1895

1880

1896 .. .

1885.

Most of the anthracite coal consigned by lake is shipped from Buffalo.
Erie, Charlotte, Oswego, and Ogdensburg are the other ports shipping
large quantities of this coal. But very little bituminous coal is shipped
from Buffalo; in 1896 .shipments amounted to but 21,000 tons. Bitu-
minous coal is shipped from the Lake Erie ports west of Buffalo — Erie,
Oonneaut, Ashtabula, Fairport, Cleveland, Lorain, Huron, Sandusky,
and Toledo. Cleveland has been the chief shipping ])ort of this form
of coal. The g-rowth of the traffic at this port may be seen from the
subjoined table:

Year.

Tons.

Year.

Tons.

1887

a 723 802

1 522 557

1890

1, 287, 177

a Includes a small rail tonnage.

In the decade covered by the table there was an increase of 149 per
cent in the business of Cleveland. Shipments from the Cuyahoga

^This is the di-stance given iu the Eleventh Census, Transportation Business, Part
II, p. 2ti8. For several weeks during 1895 coal was carried from Bufl'alo to Duluth
for 1.5 cents per ton.

-Shipments from Ogdenshurg are included in this estimate. Nothing in the way
of a definite statement can be yiven. as accurate data are not obtainable. Of all the
statistics thus far considered the statistics of the coal business are by far the worst.
This is due to the fact that coal, much more than other commodities, is taken on at
"intermediate " ports. Much of the business therefore is not recorded on the books
of the custom-houses.

^ These facts may be found in Appendix III, Tables I-V.
80

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

customs district, which includes Cleveland, Ashtabula, Lorain, Fair-
port, aud Conneaut, or all the ports shipping- large quantities of bitu-
minous coal except Toledo, have grown even more rapidly than the
shipments from Cleveland. In 1887, shipments from this district were
1,433,035 tons; and in 1896, 3,863,615 tons, a gain in the ten-year period
of 2,130,610 tons or 169 per cent.^

In the coal business the ports of destination are much more numerous
than the ports of origin. The small ports about the lakes receive not
only their own supplies of coal, but to some extent those of the sur-
rounding country as well. The aggregate receipts of the small ports
are not very large, however, and so the growth of the receipts of the
large ports shows pretty accurately the increase of the business and
the shifting of the great distributing centers. Fortunately we have
statistics of the receipts at the great distributing ports for a long period
of years.^ Chicago and Milwaukee, at the head of Lake Michigan,
and Duluth and Superior, at the head of Lake Superior, are the centers
from which the West and Northwest receive their coal. The tables in
A])pendix IV, Tables VI-VIII, show the growth of the coal business of
these cities, and the following table exhibits the present importance of
the traflic :

Total

receipts,

1896. a

Chicago

Milwaukee

D ninth and Superior.

Tons.
6,812,319
1, 587, 795
1, 775, 712

a Only about one-fifth of the receipts of Chicago come by lake. Chicago receives about two-thirds
of her supplies from Ulinois and Indiana. Duluth and Superior receive their stocks by lake, and
Milwaukee obtains nearly all her coal by lake, having received bat 100,312 tons by rail in 1896.

The absolute and relative importance of these ports as distributing-
points is much more accurately indicated by their shipments than by
their receipts. The shipments were as follows :

Tear.

Chicago

ship-
ments, a

Milwaukee
ship-
ments, b

Duluth and
Superior
receipts. c

1880

Tons.

Tons.
65, 390
121, 885
164, 444
235,771
205, 061
269, 277
284, 803
295, 439
453,837
413, 408
522,618
600, 888
469, 144
532, 993
432, 768
640, 470
446. 683

T071S.

60 000

1881

163 000

1882 . ..

260, 000

1883

420, 000

1885

592 000

991, 053

156, 037

1.471,338

1, 206, 608

1, 377, 594

1, 344, 055

1, 475, 624

1,401,659

968. 132

999, 308

913, 577

819, 686

1887

912 000

1889

1,205 000

1890

1, 780, 000

1891

1, 776, 000

1892

1,812,561

2, 126, 781
2 010,731

1894

1895

1,654,882

1896

1, 775, 712

1897

a See Appendix IV, Table XII, for particulars.

b See Appendix IV, Table XIII. for particulars.

The shipments of coal from Duluth and Superior can not be obtained. The consumption of coal in
Duluth and Superior is small, for the combined population of these two cities is not large, and thus
the receipts will answer for comparative purposes almost as well as the shipments. As our interest
lies in the rate of increase rather than in its absolute amount, and because it may be assumed that
8hii)ments from the ports at the head of Lake Superior have grown fully as fast as the local consump-
tion, the receipts instead of the shipments may be used without changing the results.

■ Detailed information may be found in Appendix IV, Table III.

- The statistics of tbe receipts are more accurate than those of shipments. The
tables compiled by the Chicago bureau of coal statistics, for example, are regarded
by those in a position to speak authoritatively as perfectly trustworthy.
H. Doc. 277 6

82 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

By the foregoiug table it appears that Chicago has no more than
held its own as a distributing point dviring the period covered by the
table, and that shipments from Milwaukee grew from 05,300 tons in
1880 to 600,888 tons in 1891 and fell to 132,768 tons in 181)1, but rose to
640,170 tons in 1895, but decreased again in 1896 to 146,683 tons, almost
reaching the low figure of 1891. The Duhith-kSuperior business grew
almost without setbacks from 60,000 tons in 1880 to the large volume
of 2,126,781 tons in 1893. In 1891 the traffic of these ports fell a trifle
short of that of 1893 and iji 1895 there was a more decided loss, but iu
1896 there was a partial recovery. The movement of coal through the
St. Marys Falls Canal in recent years has grown at a much more
rapid rate than the receipts of Duluth and Superior. The distribution
of (;oal from Lake Superior points lias therefore increased even more
rapidly than is indicated by the statistics of the business of Uuluth
and Superior.' Every effort has been made by the coal dealers of
Chicago and Milwaukee on the one hand and of Duluth and Superior
on the other to secure the trade of the VVest and Northwest,

Lake rates from the lower lake i)orts are almost always less to the
ports at the head of Lake Superior than they are to the ports at the
head of Lake Michigan. IJail rates to the West, on the other hand,
seem to favor Milwaukee and Chicago. The territory controlled by
these groups of ports expands and contracts with variations in rates,
but in a general way the territory supplied by either of them can be
located. If a line be drawn from Kau Claire, Wisconsin, to La Crosse
and through southeastern Minnesota across northwestern Iowa and
to the Missouri Kiver and down this river to Kansas City and then west,
all the territory lying to the north and west of this line would be sup-
plied with hard coal from the head of Lake Superior. It would be
difficult to indicate the line sei)arating the territory supplied witli soft
coal by Duluth and Superior from that supplied by Chicago and Mil-
waukee; it may, however, be said that the line would be somewhat
pushed back to the north and west.-

In the westward movement of coal from the mines there is the keenest
competition between the railroads and the lake carriers. In each case
the business is particularly desirable, because it is in the direction in
which the least traffic moves. It has already been stated that the east-
bound business of both the railroads and the lakes far exceeds the west
bound : it therefore becomes particularly desirable to secure west-
bound freight, for if it be not obtained it means that empty cars nuist
be hauled or vessels run "light."

As Chicago, of all ports in the West, is the point to which the rail-
roads can most successfully meet the competition of the lake carriers,
the business of this city will first be discussed. In the contest for
Chicago business the lake carriers are at a decided disadvantage in the
point of distance. From Buffalo to Chicago by lake is 889 miles, while
it is but 523 miles by rail.^ Thus every mile covered by lake results in
the effective westward movement toward Chicago of but 0.588 of a mile.
At points sourh of Lake Erie the railroads would be still more advan-
tageously situated. Nothing more will be said at present, as this mat-
ter will be discussed later on.

1 There is also a shifting of the coal business in the case of the jjorts about Lake
Michigan. A large receiving yard has recently been established on the car-ferry
slip of the Chicago and North-Western at Manitowoc.

- The coal mines of northern Iowa have sufiered a great deal by the severe com-
petition of eastern coal in the northern markets that they once supplied.

^This is the distance over the "Nickel Plate"— the New York, Chicago and St.
Louis Railroad.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 83

The issue ot" the struggle fur the coal traffic betweeu the lake car-
riers and the railroads is delei-miued very largely by the kind of coal
to be carried. Almost all of the sofc coal destined for Chicago is car-
ried by the railroads and the bulk of the hard coal by vessels.' The
facts ex])lanatory of this strange condition of things are not far to seek.
The solution of the difficulty is found in the location of the coal fields
and in the character of the coal. Hard coal is mined in a very limited
district in eastern l*ennsylvauia and is therefore favorably situated in
respect to the lake route. It can be carried to Buffalo and Erie and yet
not be made to deviate very much, so far as the short rail haul to the
lake is concerned, from the direct line to Chicago, But this is not all:
After the coal has reached Jkifl'alo it is so situated that the greatest
possible effective westward movement is linked with its westward jour-
uey. In other words, the ineffectual expenditure of energy that takes
place in rounding the lower peninsular of Michigan is reduced to a mini-
mum by the almost direct westward movement the whole length of Lake
Erie.

The bituminous coal mines in the East that in part supply Chicago
with coal are situated well south of Lake Erie. Hocking Valley, the
Pittsburg district, and West Virginia are the chief sources in the East
from which Chicago obtains soft coal. From these localities the rail-
andlake route can not compete with the all-rail lines because of the long
rail haul to the lakes and the circuitous journey around the lower
peninsula of Michigan. From Pittsburg to Ashtabula is 127 miles, to
Erie 148 miles, and to Cleveland 150 miles, while the total distance
from Pittsburg to Chicago over the Pennsylvania Kailroad is but 468
miles. From Athens, in the Hocking Valley district, to Toledo over
the Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo Eailrpad is 200 miles, while
the distance to Chicago is but 390 miles. After the coal has arrived at
Toledo it is still 091 miles from Chicago, if it go by lake. At all points
south of Athens and Pittsburg the rail and-lake lines would be at even
greater disadvantage, for the combined rail andlake distance to Chi-
cago would increase more rapidly than the all-rail distance.

If coal goes by the lake-and rail routes it must of course be trans-
shipped at the lake ports. In transshiimient soft coal breaks very
much more than hard. In the case of hard coal the breakage varies
from 6 to 8 per cent, Xo figures can be given for soft coal, as the
variations are too great; the breakage does, however, considerably
exceed S per cent. It needs scarcely to be said that the value of the
coal is very much affected by the breakage. As hard coal is damaged
less than soft it might be advantageous to ship the former l)y lake when
it would not the latter. It also costs more to unload soft coal than hard
at Chicago, the shoveling rate for the former having been 14 cents for
several years while the rate for the latter has been but 12 cents. It
will be seen later that improved devices are now largely substituted for
manual labor in unloading hard coal. It has now, perhaps, been made
clear why the bulk of the anthracite coal received at Chicago comes by
lake and almost the whole of the bituminous coal comes by rail.

Passing 85 miles north from Chicago to Milwaukee the position of the
rail and lake lines is wholly changed. All eastern coal, both hard and
soft, received at Milwaukee comes by the lake lines. In 1896 Mil-
waukee received 100,312 tons of coal by rail, but it was Illinois coal.
From the fact that Chicago receives a large portion of her supply of
coal from the East by rail and Milwaukee receives no eastern coal by

1 For the figures see Aj^pendix IV, Table VI.

84 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMiMERCE.

rail, it may be iuferred tliat the rail haul from Chicago to Milwaukee
tips the balance iu favor of the lake lines. There is, however, another
factor that must be taken account of— the distance by lake to Milwau-
kee from Lake Erie ports is about <S5 miles less than to Chicago, and
the rate is usually a few cents less per ton.'

In conclusion, a word may be said about the receipts at the head of
Lake Superior. It would be inferred that if the railroads can not com-
pete with the lake carriers at Milwaukee they would be less successful
at ports further north, and such is the case. Duluth and Sux)erior
receive their coal by lake. To the ports at the head of Lake Superior
the railroads do not have the advantage in point of distance they possess
to ports at the head of Lake Michigan.

No treatment of the transportation of coal by lake would be complete
without a discussion of the development of dock facilities for loading
and unloading vessels. Until very recent years the crudest methods
obtained; but lately wonderful progress has been made, and no one
need be surprised if in the near future hard <-oal be handled as, or even
more, expeditiously' than iron ore. But few improvements have lately
been made iu loading anthracite coal; trestles equipped with pockets
have long been in use, and vessels have been loaded with dispatch.
The Zenith City was recently loaded with 5,127 net tons of anthracite coal
at the Delaware and Lackawanna trestle in Butfalo in four hours.- In
the loading of soft coal, however, very great innovations have been made.
Lentil very recently soft coal was shoveled, at a great cost, from cars to
buckets and then swung onto the shi]) by derricks. Soft coal is difficult
to handle. Lacking uniformity of shape and size and often occurring
in large masses, men find it very difficult to shovel. These i)eculiari-
ties of shape also make it difficult to construct machinery that will
handle it. Its physical texture also presents difficulties; it can not be
dropped any great distance without great damage through breakage.

Because of the obstacles that had to be overcome the primitive
methods of handling soft coal persisted, but when the traffic assumed
large proportions the expense of transshipment and the delays to ves-
sels made it so desirable to institute better methods that every effort was
bent to find them, and large sums of money were expended in experi-
mentation. A satisfactory machine would have to attain a high speed
at a low cost with but a limited amount of breakage. These require-
ments seem to be satisfied by the car dumping machines, of which there
are several varieties. An example of the work done by one of these
machines will show how well these requirements have been met. A
vessel was recently loaded at Cleveland with 5,170 tons of coal in ten
hours and thirty minutes at a cost of -$13, or a per ton cost of one-fourth
of a cent.'

A definite statement can not be given of the breakage. It is con-
tended by some that there are machines that handle the coal with less
breakage than this particular one, but as yet it is impossible to obtain
satisfactory data on this point.

In unloading coal as great advances have been made as in loading.
The mechanical obstacles to be overcome in automatically unloading
hard coal were not very great, and it is surprising that progress was
so slow in view of the immense amount of coal handled, the delay to
vessels, and the great cost of labor. Because of its weight audcharac-

> The cost of nnloafliug soft coal from boats is also a trifle less at Milwaukee than
at Chicago.

*The Black Diamond, November 27, 1897.

■'Thirteen dollars very nearly represented the total cost of transshipment, for the
expenditures for labor, fuel, and oil and waste were included.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 85

ter coal cau only be handled rapidly by men who are strong and
endowed with great powders of endurance, and the services of snclnnen
have always been costly. Mechanical appliances were from time to
time introduced; but, although they cut down the time vessels were
delayed by increasing the amount of coal handled in a stated time, they
neither reduced the cost of shoveling coal in the ship's hold nor
lessened the physical tax on the laborer.'

The strain of working in the dusty, stitiing holds of vessels was
unbearable for any length of time by even the strongest men, and tiie
irregularity with which the men worked, and the irregularity of the
employment offered, proved a constant source of trouble between the
employees and employers. Finally this tedious method of unloading,
coupled, as it always was, with uncertainty''^ and great cost, became
intolerable and the self-tilling "clam shell" or grab bucket was devel-
oi)ed. With the best type of " clam shells"' hard coal can be removed
wdth wonderful rapidity and at a very low cost. A contract covering
the installation of a plant at Chicago guaranteed that the "clam shell"
would develop a speed of three trips per minute. The average load of
this bucket is a gross ton. It was also guaranteed that the total cost
of removing cargoes and delivering in the yard would not exceed 5
cents per ton for entire cargoes. Some coal has been raised and deliv-
ered in the yard for three fourths of a cent per ton. This coal was
directly under the hatches and theiefore very accessible. At one of
the yards in Milwaukee two vessels, whose cargoes aggregated 7,776

' An outline of these improvements will be given. Up to about 1873 coal was
handled at Chicago, and presumably at other lake ports, in a very crude way. The
coal was removed from the hold of the ship by means of buckets made from kero-
sene oil barrels (the upper third of which had been sawed off) and a rope lash-
ing for a handle. These bucket.s were raised by horse power — the horse traveling
back and forth. On a temporary stage the coal was dumped into wheelbarrows
and then wheeled back over a "spring run" made of planks supported at either end.
This work seems to have been difficult, for the men engaged in it received 75 cents per
hour. The shovelers in the hold received from 14 to 18 cents per ton. The tirst impor-
tant departure from this system was made about 1873. At this time the ''mast and
gafl" were employed as a derrick. An iron bucket holding about 500 pounds of coal
replaced the wooden bucket and steam power was used in hoisting. Instead of being
dumped into wheelbarrows the buckets were now emptied into tram cars, which
were moved l)y hand. These improvements greatly reduced the cost of raising the
coal from the hold and carrying it back on the dock, but did not reduce the labor of
the men in the hold or the cost of shoveling. The second great departure was made
when the coal was hoisted up over an inclined track that extended out over the
vessel but which could be swung back Hush with the dock when the cargo was dis-
charged. Steam was used in hoisting and the buckets were dumped into a hopper
in the derrick. Connected with the derrick was an automatic tramway which was
higher at the dock than at the point of discharge. The car dumped automatically
and was returned automatically by a weight that had been raised by the car as it
ran out but which was dropped when the car discharged its load. The buckets now
held from 1,200 to 2,200 pounds of coal instead of 500 pounds and also dumped auto-
matically. These improvements still further reduced the cost of handling coal
after it was hoisted. They were introduced in the years from 1873 to 1893. In
the fall of 1892 Mr. W. S. Bogle built an experimental derrick for the purpose of
unloading boats with self-filling "clam-shells," and demonstrated that his plans were
practical, provided the proper kind of a rig were built. During the winter of 1892-93
work was continued on the necessary appliances, and in the spring of 1893 the self-
tilling " clam-shell'" proved successful. The "clam-shells" could not be swung
either way under the hatch opening, so scrapers were devised (1893) for bringing the
coal directly under the hatch. The tramways have also been greatly improved, and
coal can now be carried back a mile for the same cost as it can be delivered on the
dock front.

All of the old forms of "clam-shells" are operated by steam power. One of the
companies constructing this form of machinery is experimenting with an electrical
bucket.

" The factor of certainty is of great importance. If a master cau not know when
his ship will be unloaded he is running a great risk in making contracts for new
cargoes, and often suffers.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

tons, began discharging' their cargoes at 8 a. m., and were ready to
leave at 8 j). m.' For handling soft coal a. special form of "grab" has
been devised. It works very effectively in view of the obstacles it has
to contend against. Its average load is about one-half that of the
"clam shells" commonly nsed in unloading hard coal, or about 1,000
pounds. This grab can also be used in unloading soft coal from open
cars. It is a very valuable machine in this occupation, because it does
the work that the shovelers find the slowest and hardest. It removes
tlie bulk of the load and thus enables the men to quickly reach the
bottom of the car at some point from which they work more effectively.

Before concluding this subject a word must be said about lake freights
on coal. A table of these rates may be found in Appendix IV, Tables
IX and X. These tables show two things : ( 1) that the rates are very low
as compared with those on other commodities, and {2) that they have
fallen very rapidly. For example, the average of daily rates on iron
ore from l)uluth to Lake Erie ports during 1890 was $1,05 per long-
ton, while the average of the daily rates on hard coal from Buffalo to
Duliith was 24 cents per net ton. The real difference, however, was
not so great as the ai)parent difference. Coal is handled without charge
to the vessel, while in the case of iron ore the vessels bear charges for
trimming and uid.iading amounting to 1!) cents i)er ton,- and in the
former instance the net ton is the unit, while in the latter the long ton is
the unit. The coal freights are so low that many vessels never engage in
this tiatfic. They are the vessels of the largest tyi)e, but it must not be
inferred from this fact that vessels of the largest class are not in general
as economical carriers as the smaller ones. It is the loss of time in receiv-
ing aiul discharging cargo that causes the very large vessels to avoid
this traftic. Coal docks have not yet been built with snfticient equip-
ment to give the largest vessels dispatch in unloading, and besides,
very often, much time is lost in waiting for boats to unload that have
precedence. The ore business is the favorite traffic of the large vessels ;
the dock equipment corresjjonds to their size, and the business is man-
aged systematically, so serious delays are infrequent. It has already
been explained why rates are low. It is sin)ply because the east-bound
traftic several times exceeds the west-bound. To the districts where
the east-bound bnsiness surpasses the west-bound in the largest meas-
ure the west-bound rates are the lowest. Hence it is found that the
coal rates to Lake INlichigan ports are almost always higher than those
to Lake Superior ports.

Not very much value is to be attached to a simple average of the rates
of a season. The variations are so great as to render such an average
very misleading.' To make the matter clear, resort will be had to a

' Marine Record, Vol. XX, No. 20, p. 9.
- These charges were reduced in 1897.

3 The following table, giving the rates per ton on hard coal from Buffalo to Chicago,
will show how great and frequent the variations are :

^ia-^- 1 Ce.ts.

Week end-
ing-

Cents.

Weekend-
ing-

Cents.

Weekend-
1 ing-

Cents.

Apr. 25

MaT 2

June 6......

50
50 to 60

GO
60 to 50

June 27

July 4

is!!!!!

^"^^ 1::;::

50 to 40

40 to 30

30 to 25

Aug. 29

Sept. 5

in!!!!!

Oct. 3

10 ......

20
20
20

20 to 30

Oct. 31

i Nov. 7

Dec. 5 to'
close

1
1

30
30
30
30 to 40
60

(Report of Buffalo Merchants' Exchange, 1896, p. 80.)

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

simple illustration. Suppose there n^ere but two rates during a season,
one 20 and the other 40 cents. A simple average for the season would
be 30 cents. Under certain conditions this average would be very mis-
leading. If 1,000,000 tons were carried for 20 cents per ton and but
300,000 for 40 cents per ton, an average of the rates actually paid would
be much less than 30 cents per ton, namely, 21.81 cents. Where the
variations in rates are very great, account must be taken of the quanti-
ties shipped as well as the rates; that is, a weighted average must be
secured'.

Appendix IV.
Table I.

Lale sJtipmcnts of coal fioin Jhiffalo.
[Data furnished by William Thurstone, secretary Bnti'alo Merchants' Exchange.]

Tear.

Anthracite.

Bituminous.

Blossburg.

Total.

Tons.
510,443
344, 500
389, 722
321, 455
405, 074
306,172
550, 646
554, 670
795, 240
995, 500

1, 467, 778
1,431,081
1, 428, 086
1,531,210
1,894,060
2,514,906
2, 151, 670
2, 157, 810

2, 365, 895
2, 822, 230
2, 681, 173
2, 475, 255
2,612,768
2, 379, 068
2, 229, 329

Tons.

Tons.
60, 000
40, 000
50. UOO
40, 000
50, 000
25, 000
30, 000
35, 000
30, 000
32. 000
...

Tons.
570, 443

1874

384, 500

439, 720

1876

361, 455

455, 074

331. 172

1879

580, 646

589, 670

1881

825 240

1,027,500

iggrj

1885

20, 000
10, 000
10,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
5,000
7,500
7,500
2,500
6,000
5,000

1,448,086

1.541,210

1887

8,706
7,452
11,673
25, 872
34, 066
54,216
15, 000
2,500
2,000
15,000
100, 000

1, 912, 766

2, 527, 358

1889

2,168,343

1890

1891

1892

1893

2, 188, 682
2, 404, 961
2, 881, 446
2, 703, 673

1894

1,485,255

1895

2, 617, 268

1896

2, 400, 068

1897

2, 334, 329

Table II.

Coal shipments, Cuyahoga customs district.
[Data furnished by F. A. Scott, assistant secretary Cleveland Chamber of Commerce.

City.

1890.

1891.

1892.

Cargo.

Fuel.

Foreign.

Cargo.

Fuel. Foreign.

Cargo. Fuel.

Foreign

Cleveland

Ashtabula

Tons.
880, 121
492, 459
298, 444

53, 523

Tons.
275, 358
87, 535
1,500
40, 000

Tons.
131,698
44, 334
16,914
6,477

Tons.
989, 044
241, 230
273, 036

Tons. 1 Tons.
417.696 114.919
239,894 25,173
160.776 16.701

Tons. 1 To7is.

1,154,0.58 ' 437,941

561, 446 ' 107, 883

352,000 1 5,649

Tons.
136, 832
56, 933

27, 509

Fairport

123, 649 24, 935 1 8, 408

114 738'

' t 1

Total

1. 724. 544

404, 393

199. 423

1,626,959 ! 843,301 i 165,201 2,182,242 j 551,473 | 221,274

1 1 1 1

1 In order that a conception may be gained of the great variations in rates and.
the difference in rates from Lake' Erie ports to the various upper lake ports, the
rates on hard coal for the season of 1896 from Buffalo to the leading receiving ports
will be given in Appendix IV, Table XL

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Coal shipment, Cinialioga ci(i:itoi)is dii^trici — Coutiuued.

City.

1893.

1894.

Cargo.

Fuel. 1

Foreign.

Cargo, j

Fuel.

Foieign.

Cleveland

Tom.
1, 095, 567
634, 600
506, 723
208, 014
13, 886

Tons.
252, 606
72,474
7,045 t

Tons.

174, 384
80, 579
26, 426
2,376

Tons.

807,507
533,672
327,805
290,787 '.
88,265 j

Tons.

205, 857
74,413
8,788

Tons.

104 530

20, 025
750

Fairport

2,642

Total

2, 458, 790

332, 125 1

283, 765

2, 048, 036

291, 700

197, 099

City.

1895.

1896.

Cargo.

Fuel. j

Foreign.

Cargo,

Fuel.

Foreign.

Cleveland

Tons. 1
833,968
665,365 :
262,698 :
209,080 I
89, 530

Tons.
291, 656 i
209,443
18, 543
15,000
12,000

Tons.
153, 003
104, 391
13,816

Tons.
1,295,254
623,212
316, 076
398,717 .
58,136

Tons
293, 718
411,604
838

Tons.
214 737

15 ''48

Fairport

Conneaut

69, 831

12, 006

153, 368

Total

2,060,641

546,642

341, 041

2,691,395

718, 166

454 084

City.

1897.

Cargo.

Fuel.

Foreign,

Cleveland

1, 442, 702
751, 289
195,000
185,318 .
28,970

365,751

200, 508

219 240

Lorain ...

35 742

Conueaut . -

1,333

126 384

Total

2,603,279

567, 639

Table III.
Summary of coal shipments from Cuyahoga customs district.

Year.

Cleveland.

Ashtabula.

Lorain.

Fairport.

Conneaut.

Total.

1886

Tons.

Tons.
1, 079, 784

1887

703, 506
1,000,000
1 825, 030
1, 287, 177
1, 521, 659
1.728,831
1, 522, 557

i; 278! 627
1,803,709
2, 027, 693

1,433,035
1 855 260

1888

1889

1489,585

624, 328

, 506,297

726,262

787, 653

679, 121

979, 199

1, 105, 547

1, 012, 758

1 273, 671

316, 858
450, 513
385, 158
540, 194
356, 618
295, 057
332, 164
230, 789

t 59, 438
100, 000
156, 992
114,738
210,390
291, 537
224, 080
398, 717
185, 318

2, 020, 996

1890

1 1, 647, 724
2 328 360

1891

1892

2 954 989

1893

13, 886
91,665
171, 363
223, 510
256, 687

3 074 680

1894

1895

2 948 324

1896

3, 863, 645

1897

* Shipments from Clevel.ind for 1887-88 include small quantities of bituminous coal shipped by rail.
The figures were obtained from seventeenth annual Report of the United States Geological Survey,
Part III, pp, 343, 344, The totals of the district for 1886-87 were obtained from Ibid., p. 344. The dagger
indicates census figures of Eleventh Census, Transportation Business, Part II, p. 316. The remainder
of the table is a summary of the preceding table.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.
Table IV.

Table shoivimj the tonnage of lalce coal shipped from Ohio, West Virginia, Maruland, and
Pennsi/lrania mines during 1S96, also the variety, and how it was distributed. ""

Lake ports.

Pennsylvania.

Anthracite. Bituminous.

Ohio.
Bituminous.

Buffalo, N. Y

Erie, Pa

Coniieaut, (_)Iiio ..
Ashtabula, Ohio ,
Fairport, Ohio ...
Cleveland, Ohio..

Lorain, Ohio

Huron, Ohio

Sandusky, Ohio . .
Toledo, Ohio..'--.

Total .

Lake ports

Buffalo, XT ....
Erie, Pa

Conneaut, Ohio ..
Ashtabula, Ohio .
Fairport. Ohio . . .
Cleveland, Ohio..

Lorain, Oliio

Huron. Ohio

Sanduskv. Ohio. .
Toledo, (jhio

2, 683, 560
492, 162

882,062 :.

184,933 i.

291,178 !.

1,037,242 |.

396,491 |.
1,4.3:!, 790

,905

104, 587
137,235
106, 528
271, 033
647, 652

4, 337, 815

1, 267, 035

West Virginia.
Bituminous.

Maryland.
Bituminous.

12, 178
38, 206

57, 626
10, 313
40, 789

Foreign ports.

Domestic ports.

Bitumi-
nous.

682, 062

2. 311

200, 612

71, 781

2, 400, 068
491,161

110,729
15, 248

0, 220
22. 308

Bitum:
nous.

I Total
Fuel for [ amount of
vessels. 1 lake

I tonnage.

48, 504
61,010
840, 502
354, 579
, 179, 570
120, 871
244, 135
257,811
629. 763

200,000

3, 565, 622

134,118 t

677, 095

29,556

291, 178

124,959 j

1, 037, 242

55.728 !

410,307

286, 284

1, 576. 583

137, 235

12, 055

257, 059

17, 320

281,351

55, 584

TOT, 655

Total .

,229 3,736,745

3, 720

.941,327

Total lake shipments, 8,941,327 tons.
Total lake shipments (bituminous coal), 5,765,605 tons.

Shipped to foreign ports (anthracite and bituminous coal), 1,396,633 tons; to domestic ports, 6,627,974
tons.

* This table was furnished by E. M. Haseltine, chief inspector of mines of Ohio. I fear these figures
are very inaccurate; for instance, the shipments of bltuminon.s coal from Buffalo co)ild not have been
so large as reported.

Table V.

Shipments of coal from lake ports from 1S90 to 1896 inclusive.''

Lake ports.

1890.

1891.

1892.

1893.

1894.

1895. 1 1896.

Buffalo,K.Y

Tons. I Tons.

2, 044, 134 1 2, 365, 895

129,304 586,990

Tons.

2, 852, 330

567, 028

Tuns.
2, 703, 673
625, 023
23. 184
787, 653
234, 089

■ Tons.

2, 485, 255
711, 928
89, 023
669, 735
300, 923
997, 513
303, 690
213, 595
261, 363
836,232

Tons. 1 Tons.
2,620,768 ! 3,-565,622

Ashtabula, Ohio

Fairport, Ohio

Cleveland, Ohio

452, 394 , 386, 375
63, 360 66, 914

726, 267
114,738

998, 772 : 1, 037, 242
325, 064 410. 307
1,055,480 ) 1,576,583
2T7,660 : 137,235
208,000 : 257,059
223 134 ' 281 351

Lorain, Ohio

Huron, Ohio

Sandusky Ohio .

227, 181
150, 000
271, 540
940, 000

288,811
200, 000
157, 571
947, 288

.351.168 526,405
240,000 227,444
1.57,515 ! 195,276
858,935 ! 938,533

Toledo, Ohio

716^099 707,655

Total

5, 200, 449

7, 318, 234 1 8, 941, 327

This table was furnished by K. M. Haseltine.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE,

Keceipts of coal at Chicago hy lake and rail (net tons).'

Year.

Anthracite.

Eastern bituniinou,s.

Lake. 1 Kail.

Lake.

Kail.

187->

Ton.<!. Tons.
495 765

Tons.
90, 820
199, 107
257, 200
273, 894
338, 426
358, 713
404, 447
282, 469
288, 987
288. 161
287, 794
214.488
243, 188
206, 817
166, 762
123,221
115,862
53, 684
40, 766

Tons.

1873

538 837 .

1874

404,383

1875

1876

373,146

446 04G

1877. . .

1878

325^ 55.'! .

1879

464 360

1880

457' 317 f

1881

1882 ....

663, 785 447, 636

738, 723 506, 688

820, 002 627, 806

741, 866 , 613, 054

768,164 j 616,997

853,1. '58' 845,386

1,242,044 j 702,7.37

1,283,811 , 408,514

1,236,021 346,101

1,310,347 .543,538

1,475,237 ' 649,826

1,424,8.53 668,767

1,277,191 : 528,351

1,269.512 519,685

1,319,693 641,000

1,233,771 542,629

390,212

1883

612, 462
790 169

1885

1886

888,771
1,196,324

1887

1888

803, 552

780, 249

976, 816

1,218,616

1890 . . .

1891

1892

1893

1894 . .

1895

872 198

1896

913,311
1 174 231

1897

* Reports of the Chicago Board of Trade down to liut not including 1882. The receipts by lake
are based upon the custom-house records ; the receipts l>y rail are furnished bv the railroad companies.
From 1882 to 1895 (inclusive of both dates) the figures were obtained from Mineral Kesources of the
United States; the statements were furnished by the Chicago bureau of coal statistiis and are
vouched for as accurate. Bituminous receipts by rail since 1890 include receipts by both lake and
rail of Pennsylvania, Oliio, West Virginia, and Kentucky coal; lake receipts are now very small and
are not kept separate by the Chicago bureau of coal statistics. Receipts for 1896 and 1897 were
furnished to me directly by this bureau.

Table VII.

Beceipis of coal at Milwaukee by lake and rail.*

1870.
1871.
1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
1877.
1878.
1879.

31, 608
24, 860
42,313
44. 503
36, 369
66, 616
74, 568
92, 992
87, 690
122, 865
175, 526
210, 194
229, 784
177, 655
228, 674
188, 444
253, 640
237, 332
325, 281

Rail.

Total.

11,082 : 188,737

15,962 244,636

11,957 j 200,401

11,144 264,784

3,658 I 239,667

25,559 I 350,840

Tons.
300, 245
450, 005
510, 493
550, 861
623,018
710, 736
714, 242
724, 594
961, 164
907, 743
903, 659
, 006, 656
, 210, 865
,117,448
, 229, 310
, 336, 603
, 487, 483
. 492, 278

Tons.
68, 323
100, 022
83, 349
61, 723
81,148
65, 014
45, 439
118,385
161, 989
72, 935
92, 999
149, 377
163, 549
132, 284
107, 736
109,820
100, 312

Tom.

368, 568

550, 027

593, 842

612, 584

704, 166

775, 750

759, 681

842, 979

1, 12.3, 153

980, 678

996, 658

1,156,033

1,374,414

1, 249, 732

1, 337, 046

1, 446, 423

1, 587, 795

1,501,577

* Compiled from the annual reports of the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce. Lake receipts are
based upon the custom-house record.s.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Tahi.k VIII.

Receipts of coal at Dulnth and Superior.

Tear.

Anthracite.

Bitn-
luiiious.

Total.

Tear.

Anthracite.

Bitu-
minous,

Total.

1878

Tons.

Tons.
31,000

1
1888

Tons.

Tons.
1 535 000

1880

60, 000
103, 000
260, 000
420, 000
372, COO
592, 000
736, 000
912, 000

1890

1,780,000
1, 776, 000
1,812,561
2,126,781

1882

1892

531 547 1 281. (lU

1883

1893

571,915
562, 222
489,495
496, 169

1, 554, 866
1, 448, 509
1, 165, 387
1, 279, 523

2, 010, 731
1 654 882

1885

1895

1887

* Down to 1892 the statements were compiled from the annual reports of the Dulnth Board of Trade ;
from 1891 tlie receipts were obtained from the Keview of the Trade and Commerce of Dulutli, com-
piled by the Duluth Chamber of Commerce, for year ending December 31. 1896, p. 9. The statements
of the Duluth Board of Trade are based on the custom-house records; those of the Chamber of Com-
merce were furnished by the coal companies.

Taui.e IX.

Average of daily tale rates on hard coal from Buffalo to Chicago, Dulnth, and Toledo.^

Tear.

Chicago.

Dulnth.

Toledo.

Tear.

Chicago.

Duluth.

Toledo.

1886

$0.87
1.05
.86
.52
.62
.56

$0.62
.70
.65
.41
.43
.29

1892

1893

1894

1895

1896

$0.59

.49

.46

.59

$0.43
.29
.25
.24
.24
,26

$0.27

$0.35
.41
.27
.33

.25 j

'^5

1889

1890

1891

1897

;::;::: :29

* Prepared by The Marine Review, of Cleveland.
Chicago and Detroit rate about the same as, Toledo
handled without charge to vessel.

Rate to Milwaukee about 2i cents less than,
rate. Coal of all kinds shipped in net tons, and

T.MU.E X.

A vera</c

of daily rates on soft coal from Ohio ports to Milwaukee, Kscanaha, Dulnth,
Green Bay, and Manitotvoc*

Milwau-
kee, a

$0.83
1.06
.84
.54
.64
.61
.58
.48
.485
.54
.335

Esca-
naba.

ath.

Green
Bay.

Mani-
towoc.

43
38
375
365
295
26

$0.55
.50
.495
.50
.325
.30

$0. 49

.51
.32
.31

* Prepared by The Marine Review, of Cleveland, Ohio.
a Chicago rate about the same as Milwaukee.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table XI.
Lake freights on hard coal from Buffalo to Chicago and other ports in 1896.*

AVeek ending-

Apr.
May

Chicao

40
40
40
50
50
50 to 60

July

Aug.

Sept.

13 60 to 50

20 50

27 50

4 1 50 to 40

11 40

18 ! 40 to 30

25 1 30

1 30 to 25

20 to 30

Dec. 5 to close

Milwau-
kee.

^^^^ Glad-
Superior. «tone.

40
40

40 :
to 50 :

45 I

to 55 I
55 !

to 45 !
45
45 1

to 85
35 I

to 30 '
30 I

to 25 1
20 1
20 i
20 '
20
20
20
20 1
20 ,
20 '
20 i

to 30

30
30
to 40
60
60

30 to 25
25
25
25
25
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
30
50
50

...:.J^::::::::::-

* This statement shows the ruling freight rates on coal per net ton, in cents, from BufiTalo to the
ports named during the season of 1896 for the weeks ending on the dates 8])ecilied. Coal is handled
without charge to the vessel. (Keport of Buflalo Merchants' Excliange, 1896, pp. 80, 81.)

Table XII.
Shipments of coal from Chicago.*

Tear.

Anthracite.

Bituminous.

Total.

1883 . .

Tons.
493, 860
585, 753
632, 274

451, 869
559, 560
598, 707
502, 865

/ 576, 665

\ 553, 245

606, 709

659, 942

682, 277

452, 967
377, 710
319, 791

Ions. ■

T071S.

1884

1885

1886 .

539, 184
1, 001, 477
872, 631
703, 743
951, 678
824, 349
737, 346
815, 682
719, 382
515, 165
621, 598
593, 786

991 053

1887

1888 . . .

1 471 338

1889

l! 206, 608

1890

1, 528, 343

1891

1892

1 475,624

1893

1,401,659

1894

1895

999, 308
913, 577

1896

1897

819, 686

* Down to 1896 the figures were obtained from the Mineral Resources of the United States. The
figures for 1890 given in Mineral Resources for 1891, p. 195, differ from those given in Mineral Resources
1889-90, p. 160. The lower figures are, I believe, the corrected ones. These figures were furnished by
the Chicago Bureau of Coal Statistics. The figures for 1896 were fumi.shed to me directly by this
bureau. .Shipments of bituminous coal down to, but not including, 1895 included coke. Shipments
of coke amounted to 279,874 tons in 1895, and 325,362 tons in 1896.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Tahlk XIII.
Shipments of coal from Milwaukee, a

Tear.

Net tons.

Tear.

Net Ions.

Tear.

Net tons. !

269,277 1
284,803
295,439
453,837
413,408 1
522, 618 1
600, 888

Tear.

Net tons.

1871

22, 960
24, 872
26, 515
27.619
39, 172
44, 409
63, 025

1878

61, 041
58,560
65, 390
121, 885
164, 444
235, 771
205, 061

1885

1892

469 144

1872

1879

1886

1873

1880

1887

1894

432, 768
640, 470
446, 683

1874

1881

1882

1875

1877

1884

a Compiled from the annual reports of the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce.

PART Y.

THE LUMBER BUSINESS AND LAKE TRANSPORTATION.

Of the commodities carried in large (juautities upon the Great Lakes,
lumber alone remains to be treated. The lumber traffic, in striking-
contrast with the ore, coal, and the tionr and grain business, is waning.'
Because of the meageruess of data, the total movement of forest products
on the lakes can not be presented for a series of years. That there has
been a falling off in the movement of this important commodity is,
however, clearly shown by tlie receipts of lumber by lake, at the great
lumber marts of Chicago, Milwaukee, Buffalo, Touawauda, Cleveland,
Toledo, and Detroit.'

The decline in the movement of forest products on the Creat Lakes
is largely due to the destruction of forests of white and Norway pine
on the shores of the lakes and on the banks of the logging streams
flowing into the lakes. The enormous drafts that have been made dur-
ing half a century upon the once seemingly unlimited supplies of
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota have in recent years well nigh
exhausted the forests near the lakes and on the banks of the streams
capable of floating logs. Stream after stream has sent down its last
logs. The mills at Saginaw and at other i^oints on the Huron shore of
the lower peninsula of Michigan are now in a large measure supplied
with logs rafted from the Georgian Bay district of Ontario.' The
Kalamazoo, the Grand, the Betsie, and the Bear rivers of western
Michigan have ceased to be logging streams, and the White, Muskegon,
and the Fere Marquette will soon Join them. The Wolf River of Wis-
consin, that once carried down large quantities of good factory pine,

1 The statistics of this traffic are even more unsatisfnctory than those of the coal
business. It would be futile, therefore, to attempt to set forth the pn-sent volume,
or the jiTowth and decline of the total movement of lumber on the lakes. It is not
surprising that the statistics of the lumber traffic should be unsatisfactory, for the
products of the forest are numerous and varied and the lumber business is widely
scattered and in many hands. A single unit of measurement usually promotes
accuracy. Such a unit is impossible where the j)roducts are as diverse as posts,
telegraph poles, shingles, and lnm1)er. Some unit of weight might be selected, but
lumber is not bought and sold by weight, and if weight were used as a basis of
measurement no idea of bulk would be conveyed, for there is vast ilititereuce in the
weight of dry and green lumber.

- For the receipts of these cities, see Appendix V, Tables I-VII. There is no reason
for inferring that the aggregate receipts of these ports now form a less proportion
of the total receipts of the lake ports than formerly.

• It is estimated that the following importations of logs were made during 1896, a
poor year in the lumber business:

Feet.

At Saginaw 146, 338, 400

At Detroit » 20, 269, 000

At East Tawas 19, 680, 000

At Alpena 27,472,446

At Cheboygan 40, 000, 000

Total 253,759,846

Marine Review, Jan. 7, 1897, p. 13.)
9

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 95

will soon tloat uo logs, and the cut of timber in the Green Bay shore
district is on the decline.

With the depletion of the forests of white and Norway pine contigu-
ous to the lakes and near the rivers flowing into the lalies, the trans-
portation situation has been radically altered. As the Inmbernieu
have been forced to go farther and farther into the interior, the rail-
roads have found it correspondingly easier to compete with the lake
carriers. This has followed because in a great many cases it has not
paid to haul the logs to the logging streams flowing into the lakes or to
transport them directly to the mill at the lake side. The former plan has
also been growing in disfavor for other reasons. Logs in some districts
now have considerable value and a good many are lost in floating them
to the mills. Then, too, there may be delays in driving the logs because
of ice or a lack of water. Now, as the cost involved in moving the logs
from the remote districts to the lake shore is often suflicient to prevent
such movement, the logs are sawed at mills located at interior points.
From these interior nulls the lumber generally goes to market by rail,
for the cost of shipping by the combined rail and- water route with its
charges for transshipment is greater than that by the all-rail lines.

There are also other factors that make it advantageous to ship by the
all-rail lines from the interior mills. The railroads have better termi-
nals in the large ports. This factor is often of suflicient importance to
determine whether lumber is to go by the all-rail or lake and rail lines.
With the rapid increase of the population of many of the lake cities,
the local trade has grown wonderfully, and in some instances now
exceeds the out-of town or wholesale business.' The growth of the
retail business is of significance, because it necessitates the delivery
of lumber to localities remote from the docks. To avoid the large
expense involved in the cartage, lumber yards are established in the
outlying districts and suburbs. These yards find it advantageous to
receive their stocks directly by rail, particularly where there is no extra
charge for switching. In cities covering a vast extent of territor^^, the
cost of delivering bulkj^ articles, such as coal and lumber, by team from
a central point, often forms a large proportion of the price paid for the
commodities. It is therefore higldy desirable to carry such commodi-
ties as near the point of consumption as possible by cheaper means of
transportatiou. The railroads furnish this economical form of carriage.

Transportation by rail has still other points in its favor. An order
for a special class of lumber can be sent to a mill or scattered among
different mills and readily filled. It is unnecessary to purchase a
whole shipload of one or more kinds of lumber in order to lay in a stock
of a certain class. Then, too, the lumber comes to the yard on cars,
from which it can be easily handled. To a large extent it can be taken
directly to the consumer from the car, thus avoiding the expense of
movement in the yard and j)iling. Often all the expense and delay
incident to handling lumber in the yard at the distributing point is
obviated, for the cars can be rebilled to the country dealer. It thus
appears that shipment by rail has three distinct advantages to ofter :
(1) expedition; (2) economy of labor in handling; (3) the dealer can
obtain just what he wants and no more, and thus is not forced to unbal-
ance his stock, as he is obliged to do when buying by the cargo. Dur-
ing the winter the railroads frequently move large quantities of lumber.

' An examination of Table I, Appendix V, will show the extent of the local con-
sumption in Chicago. In 1897, the receipts of lumber aggregated 1,406,580 M. feet,
while the shipments were but 574,743 M. feet, or very much less than one-half the
receipts.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Certain classes of lumber in the yards become exhausted, and, as there
are no boats moving, stocks must be replenished by rail; or the demand
may be greater than was expected, making necessary accessions by rail.
Altered methods of doing business at the mills also in part explain
the greater rail movement. It is becoming the custom to sort lumber
where it is sawed, and it is therefore possible to fill orders of consumers
and country dealers directly from the mills. These consignments gen-
erally go by rail. Formerly the sorting was done by the wholesalers
at the great distributing centers about the lakes, who bought supplies
by the cargo and often made a large portion of their profits by a nice
manipulation of the mixed stocks received. This revolution in handling
lumber has worked itself out very fully on the Saginaw River, and a
description of the change, in the words of Mr. E. D. (Jowles, will be
inserted :

A few years ago the manufacturer, with hardly an exception, sold his product by
the cargo, and it was shipped by water to other cities, where the finer manipulation
of the stock made business for large capital Jiud armies of mechanics and laborers.
Now the manufacturer sorts his stock and sells it in car lots as wanted by the con-
sumer. Ill other words, he combines the business of wholesaler with tliat of the
retailer, and this accounts in large, measure for the falling off in lake shipments.
Local dealers who do not operate manufacturing plants also have established yards
and buy lumber at interior points in the State and on this river, sort it up or convert
it into box material or plain stock, and ship it out by rail to their consumers.

The extent of the change in the kind of transportation employed iu
moving the lumber of the Saginaw River to market is made clear by
the subjoined table:

Lake and rail s/tijnwen/s of liunhcr from Saginaw Rirer points. *

Feet.
149, G72, 900
176,500,000
261, 900, 000
304, 362, 500
352, 500, OUO
401, 847, 000
408, 258, 000

Feet. I
659, 565, 000 '
591,013.100
486, 285, 000
451,391,000
432, 130, 000
409, 972. 01)0
404,577,000

1893
1894
1895
1896
1897

Feet.
427, 490, 000
369, 000, 000
381, 450, 000
393, 527, 000
280, 572, 500
379, 000, 000

Feet.
347, 866, 091
173, 154, 000
182, 600, 017
136, 120, 632
68, 743, 000
89,137,511

* The lumber manufacturing district of the Saginaw River is a narrow strip of land less than half a
mile wide and 18 rnileslong. 'Within this area there lias been manufactured a larger amount of lumber
than in any other district of equal area in the world. Since 1851, 22,943,072,900 feet of lumber have
been cut. The rail shipments for 1897 are estimated. The table was compiled by E. D. Cowles and is
worthy of confidence.

Perhaps the ultimate destination of the lumber has in jiart changed
during the period covered by the table, so that the lake carriers are not
in so favorable a position to compete for it as formerly. Upon this
point no information is at hand.

In some of the great lumbering districts the mills are now kept run-
ning during a large portion of the year on hard wood. The total output
of the districts about the Great Lakes is in part maintained in this way.
During 1897, 464,380,000 feet of hard-wood lumber were produced. ^

The change from pine to hard wood is of great significance, for hard-
wood logs are so heavy that they do not float; and they are therefore
generally sawed at interior mills. It has already been pointed out that
the lake carriers are at a disadvantage in competing with the railroads
from the interior mills, for the local rail rates to the shipping ports are
high and the lumber must be transshipped.

^ Northwestern Lumberman, January 22,

p. 10.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE. 97

Before closiDg tlie discussion of the declinlDg movement of lumber
on tlie lakes, something must be said about the methods of transship-
ment. Too much attention can not be given to this subject, for it may
in a general way be said that the railroads are competing most success-
fully for those commodities whose transshipment charges have not fallen
rapidly.^ The necessity of transfer has always been a handicap upon
the lake carriers, and where the cost of transshipment has not fallen as
freight rates- have fallen this burden has been an increasing one. It
may be said, almost without qualification, that no improvements have
been made in handling lumber on the docks. Everything is now done,
as it was a half century ago, by main strength. Practically all the
work is accomplished by manual labor. Machinery is used to a very
limited extent in hoisting posts and ties from the ship's hold, but
lumber is still handled in the primitive way.

The absence of mechanical appliances for handling forest products
is no doubt largely due to the fact that most of these products do not
readily lend themselves, by reason of their form, to mechanical manipu-
lation!^ However, the difficulties to be overcome do not appear to be
insuperable, and if the lumber traflic on the lakes were a growing
instead of a declining business, and in the hands of large companies
with abundant capital, it would be safe to predict that a way would be
found to reduce the cost of transshipment by the larger use of machin-
ery. It would be profitable, if a large volume of business were to be
handled, to expend large sums upon suitable terminal facilities. Per-
haps, in order to accomplish this end, some changes would have to be
made in the vessels, but these would be introduced. Tlie explanation
of the persistence of the primitive methods of handling lumber is
found in the fact that the lumber trattic on the lakes is declining, and
that the same companies seldom own the mills, fleets, and distributing
yards. The greatest economy in transshipment is found where the
terminals and the fleets are adapted to each other, and this adaptation
is most easily secured where entire control rests in one management.

A treatment of the lumber trafhc upon the lakes would not be com-
plete without some description of the lumber fleet. It is very largely
made up of vessels that are worthless for other purposes. When a
ship is no longer suitable for the ore or flour and grain traffic, it is put
into the lumber business, where it is good for a number of years of
service. This follows from the fact that a vessel loaded with lumber,
although water-logged, does not sink, and because the cargo sustains
but little damage from its contact with the water. Many of the small
vessels on the lakes are in the lumber business. They can navigate
the rivers that are too shallow for the large vessels. Most of the ves-
sels of the old schooner fleet have been transformed into barges and
are now engaged in the lumber traffic. Towing originated in the
lumber trade. Mr. John S. Noyes, of Buffalo, was the pioneer who
made this important departure. When the railroads were i)ushed
westward to the principal lake ports, in the early fifties, the fine pas-
senger and general cargo steamers that were then numerous upon the
lakes lost a profitable business. In 1861, Mr. Noyes transformed two
of these ships, which had long been idle, into barges. These vessels
were the Empire and the Sultana. In 1862, he changed another vessel
(the St. Lawrence) into a barge.' These barges were towed by the tug

^For loadiug and unloading charges, see Appendix V, Table VII.
- For freight rates, see Appendix V, Table VIII.
^Barges were at first called " Tows."
H. Doc. 277 7

98 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Reindeer. Mr. Noyes's venture proviDg successful, towing increased
rapidly, and about 1870 another important innovation was made; tlie
tugs were supplanted by a i)ropeller, which also carried a cargo.'

It has already been stated that the movement of lumber on the lakes
has been declining. Before many years it may be expected to fall oif
rapidly. Pine must continue to be, as it has been in the past, the
main reliance of the vessel owners. The supplies that can be drawn
upon are about as follows:

White and Norwav pine:- Feet.

Lower peninsula of Michigan 3, 000, 000, 000

Upper peninsula of Michigan 4, 000. 000, 000

Wisconsin 10,000,000,000

Minnesota 12, 000, 000, 000

Province of Ontario 19,404,000,000

Mr. Andrews, chief fire warden of Minnesota, estimates that there
are 20,26(;,475,00() feet of pine still standing in iVlinnesota,'' and others
have raised his estimate. The authorities also differ on the amount of
standing timber in Wisconsin and Michigan, but their estimates do not
vary so widely as in the case of Minnesota. This is to be expected,
for the i-esources of Michigan and Wisconsin are well known, while
those of Minnesota are comparatively unknown.

As the output of pine lumber from logs cut in Michigan, Wiscon-
sin, and Minnesota during 1897 was nearly 0,000,000,000 feet, and in
prosperous years has exceeded 8,000,000,000,'^ it will readily be seen
that the timber resources of these states will soon be exhausted.^
With the depletion of the timber supplies of Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, and the Province of Ontario, the movement of lumber on
the lakes will lose its present importance.^

In addition to the pine, there is a vast amoujit of hemlock and hard
wood standing in ^Michigan and Wisconsin and a limited quantity in
Minnesota." A portion of the lumber sawed from this timber will be
carried to market by water. But the bulk of the hard- wood lumber will
be transijorted by rail, for reasons that have already been given. Hem-
lock logs can be floated to the lake-side mills, but a large portion, per-
haps the lion's share, of the hemlock will be taken to market by rail,
for the good timber has already been stripped from the lake side and
the banks of the streams. The better growths of hemlock are now sit-

"For this historical information I am inflebted to Mr. George W. Hotchjiiss, who
assisted Mr. Noyes in pushing his enterprise to success.

-The estimates for Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are those of Mr. George
W. Hotchkiss, and the estimate for Ontario is that given in the Report of the Forest
Wealth of Canada, 1895, p. 182. It is to be noted that all statemcuts covering the
amount of standing timber are in the nature of things merely estimates. Those
here given are, however, made by persons well informed about the timber resources
of these districts.

It must not be inferred that all the lumber cut from this timber may be carried
over the lakes. Much of it is so far removed from the lake shore that it will go to
market by rail.

• Northwestern Lumberman, July 3, 1897, p. 3.

^Vav the lumber cut at the mills of the Northwest since 1873, see Appendix
V, Table IX. The figures just given include the output of lumber sawed from logs
im}>orted from Ontario.

"'The fear of forest iires and windstorms in a measure prcA^ents the owners of tim-
ber from reserving it for the future.

''In recent years there has been some traffic in Pacific-coast lumber and shingles.
This business will probably increase, but would be checked by the construction of
the Nicaragua Canal.

'According to the estimates made by Mr. George W. Hotchkiss the hemlock of
Michigan and Wisconsin combined exceeds the pine of these two states, and the hard
wood exceeds the liine several fold.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE, 99

uated well back from the loggiug streams, and the logs are therefore
likely to be sawed at the interior mills and the lumber taken to market
by rail.

Estimates of the amount of standinji- pine in the states <'oiitit,aious
to the lakes have been given. A ])rediction as to the inroads that will
be made into this supply during live years of active demand has been
ventured by the Northwestern Lumberman, and will be inserted:

The pine of lower Micliig;in aud the upper pctiinsuhi of that State will be well
nigh gone [in live years]. A few of the old-mill concerns at Menominee-Marinette
will still be sawing ])ine, but the majority will either have dismantled their mills or
will be keeping them alive Ity cutting hemlock and the hard woods and working up
cedar for shingles. The mills at the lesser points will not be cutting pine live years
from now. Pine production Avill have been driven back to the west end of Lake
Superior and into northern Minnesota. The red oak of Wisconsin will have been
about cleared out. Scattering mills throughout the uortheru conutry from the Mis-
sissippi to the Soo will be pounding away on maple, elm, bass wood, hemlock, etc.,
with such overlooked groups of ]iine as may be encountered in scraping the land of
timber. * * ^ Five years of prosperity, with the enormous demand whicli will
result, will cause such a melting away of the northern forest resources as can scarcely
be realized.'

This picture may be somewhat overdrawn; but if the prediction
made be verified forest products, which rank second among the com-
modities received at the lake ports during the last census year,- will
fall out of the first rank and be classed with the minor commodities five
years hence.

What may be hoped for from attempts to reforest the pine lands can
not be answered satisfactorily, for on this point the authorities differ.
Some hold that pine does not grow at once upon laud from which pine
has just been removed, and some admit that pine will grow, but that
the first growths will be low, scraggy, and full of knots, and therefore
unfit for the manufacture of lumber. Other auth(nnties insist that good
pine can at once be reproduced if (1) forest fires are prevented and {2)
the young sprouts be preserved from the depredations of live stock.
In support of their contention they cite the experience of New England.
But even if it be possible to restore the pine it would require a long
period of years for the trees to attain sufficient size for the manufacture
of lumber, and in the meantime existing supplies would long have been
exhausted.

Although the depletion of the forests of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Min
nesota is of itself of great moment to the lake carriers, .it becomes doubly
important because of its secondary effect. For years the railroads run-
ning out from the upper lake ports to the prairies of the West have
found in lumber a w^est-bound freight. Oars coming in with grain and
live stock have been sent back loaded with lumber. Lumber has long

-Northwestern Lumberman, January 8, 1898, p. 3. Mr. O. S. Whitmore, formerly
editor of Hardwood, aud Mr. George W. Hotchkiss in the main agree with this pre-
diction.

- In the last Census Report on Transportation by Water, coal and coke were grouped
together, and their combined movement just about equaled that of lumber. The
figures are as follows :

1
Eeceipts. Shipments.

Lumber . . . . . . . . . .

Tons. 1 Tons.
6 857 257 5, 348, 398

oke

5,162.471 1 6,105,799

The receipts aud shipments are the total receipts and shipments of all American
lake ports. (Eleventh Census, Transportation Business, Part II, p. 308.)

100

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

been one of the principal west-bound commodities. Its loss, therefore,
will be severely felt. The failure of the Northwestern timber supplies
comes at a very ino[)portune time for the vessel interests of the lakes.
The railroads running- to the western Gulf ports are just beginning the
struggle for the grain traffic of the central West. The exhaustion of
the timber resources of the lake region means that the great treeless
regions of the West will be forced in a large measure to obtain their
lumber from the South.

Tliis means that the north and south bound railroads will in the future
be assured a growing north-bound traffic, and as a result they will be
placed in a position where they can compete more successfully for the
grain traffic with tlie east and west bound railroads leading to the lakes.
In the past the Gulf railroads have been hampered by a lack of north-
bound traffic, but in the future tliey will be assured a large north-bound
business in lumber. Briefly stated, the exhaustion of the forests of the
lake country will mean the loss of west-bound traffic to the railroads
reaching the lakes and a gain of north-bound traffic by the railroads
terminating in the Gulf ports. The former railroads will therefore be
less advantageously situated in the struggle for the grain business now
under way, and the latter railroads will be more strongly intrenched.
The significance of these altered relations to the lake carriers scarcely
needs to be pointed out. It means that less grain will arrive at lake
ports to be carried East_-

Appendix V.

TABLES RELATING TO THE LUMBER TRAFFIC.

Table I.

Chicago receipts and shipments of lumber and shingles by lake and rail.*

Lumber.

Shingles.

Receipts
by lake.

Receipts Total chinmBTits Receipts I Receipts
by rail. receipts. Shipments, ^jyi^te. j by rail.

Total
receipts.

Ship-
ments.

1881.
1862.

1863 <

1864 (

1865 (

1866 (

1870.
1871.
1872
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876.
1877.
1878.
1879.

Mfeet.

254, 499

235, 668

295, 270

392, 800

480, 165

614, 020

687, 851

830, 035

965, 860

967, 897

979, 759

984, 758

1,017,319

1, 020, 638

993, 751

1, 080, 599

971,416

1,002,501

1, 093, 088

1,351,149

1, 419, 974 I

Mfeet.
7,995
13, 640
10, 404
20, 501
21,427
33, 125
42, 206
52, 626

62, 634
29, 839
39, 239
54, 570

166, 340
102, 730
66, 337
66, 594
68, 369

63, 851
87, 498

118, T29
141, 805

Mfeet.

262, 494

249, 308

305, 674

413, 301

501, 592

647, 145

730, 057

882, 661

1, 028, 494

997, 736

1, 018, 998

1, 039, 32S

1, 183, 659

1,123,368

1, 060, 088

1, 147, 193

1, 039, 785

1, 066, 452

1, 180, 586

1, 469, 878

1, .561, 779

Mfeet.
225, 372
189,479
189, 277
221,799
269, 496
385, 353
422, 313
.518,973
551, 989
581, 533
583, 490
541, 222'
417, 980
561, 544
619, 278
628. 485
576, 124
586, 722
626,735
753, 179

127, 803
79, 296
131,255
152, 435
133, 600
193, 230
197, 169
234, 917
297, 176
366, 843
350, 561
401,346
302, 623
294,548 1
365,490
420,298 I
456,404
464,880
605,941
588,362 I
583,340 '

19, 929
56, 569
117, 667
202, 956
212, 122
217,258
306, 323
301,530
246. 249
308, 201
223, 375
215, 183
215,410
110, 573
81,529
86, 603
82, 282
66, 206

127, 894
79, 356
131,255
172, 364
190, 169
310, 897
400, 125
447, 039
514, 434
673, 166
652, 091
647, 595
610, 824
,')17, 023
580, 673
635, 708
566, 977
546, 409
692, 544
670, 644
649, 546

168, 302
94, 421
55, 761
102, 634
138, 497
258, 351
422, 339
480, 930
537, 497
638, 317
666, 247
558, 385
436, 827
407, 505
370, 196
299, 426
214, 389
170,410
123, 233
146, 820
134,375

* This table was compiler! from the reports of the Chicago Board of Trade. The movements by
lake are based upon the custom-house records and the movements by rail were obtained directly Irom
the railroad companies. The tigures, particularly for the early years, do not reflect with the greatest
accuracy the movement of lumber and shingles "to and from' Chicago. The limited receipts by the
canal are included in the receipts by rail. In recent years a large amount of lumber has been received
from the South by rail.

a Board of trade year, which ended three months after the calendar year.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

101

Chicago receipts and slnpments of lumber and shingles by lake and rail — Continued.

Eecelpts Receipts Total
by lake. by rail. receipts.

Shipments.

Shingles.

Receipts Receipts Total
by lake, by rail, receipts.

Mfeet.
1, 657, 823
1, 872, 976
1, 685, 719
1, 610, 166
1, 504, 186
1, 427, 795
1,457,173
1, 626, 408
1, 447, 399
1, 359, 921
1,359,315
1, 443, 769
955, 280
1, 075, 763
1, 073, 847
779, 292
917, 212

M feet.
221, 099
244. 569
224, 191
212, 149
240, 706
315, 189
422, 995
440, 519
462, 044
581, 471
686, 103
760, 105
645, 397
486, 764
564, 283
507, 351
489, 368

Mfeet.
1, 878, 922
2, 117, 545
1, 909, 910
1,822,315
1, 744, 892

1, 742, 984
1, 880, 168

2, 066, 927
1,909,443
1,941,392
2,045,418
2, 203, 874
1, 600, 677
1, 562, 527
1,638,130
1 , 286, 643
1, 406, 580

M feet.
999, 572

1,073,419

1,064,816
940, 147
818, 474
882, 672
941, 636
793, 171
739, 767
812, 655
865, 949

1,060,017
719,254
632, 069
773, 983

\ 772, 584
868, 279

1, 103, 841
885, 091
744, 191
762, 809
647, 153
615,132
557, 201
389,195
228, 589

153, 764
189, 282
147, 206
106, 603
574,743 I 198,781

91, 331
64, 777
55, 411
34, 615
51. 057
51, 060
40, 517
62, 213
76, 364
126,880
75, 306
114,880
85,811
136, 093
205, 107
158, 602
176, 718

M.
863,915
933, 056
1,159,252
919, 706
795, 248
813, 869
687, 670
677, 345
633, 565
515, 575
303, 895
395, 206
239, 575
325, 375
352, 313
265, 205
372, 499

Table II.
Milwaukee receipts and shipments of lumber and sltingles by lake and rail."

1864.
1865.

1871....
1872....
1873....
1874....
1875....
1876....

1878.
1879.

Shingles.

Receipts-

By lake. By rail. Total.

M.feet.
30, 124
56, 554

38, 858
29, 195
34, 236
33, 372
48, 612
64, 804

1884.
1885.

1894.
1895.

M.feet. I M.feet.

i 31,897

56, 554
38, 858
30, 158
35, 548
42, 056
58, 899
87, 399
94, 023
72, 383
79, 491
85, 892

963
1.312

8,684
10, 287
22, 595

7,649
17, 815
26, 309
31,188
23, 208
14, 894
24, 597
57, 824
81,450
86, 147
79, 661
94, 241
89,101
113, 768
147, 368
139, 169
161, 509
236, 957
184,942
206, 659
137, 976
41,726
51,773
44, 477
39,045

136, 017
141,460
132, 376
145, 010
141, 883
132, 990
180, 722
190,438
217, 040
257, 821
225, 468
230, 162
238, 257
245, 555
299, 119
312, 834
309, 710
377, 230
361, 126
399, 107
305, 336
186, 584
197, 582
163, 502
189, 377

Ship-

Receipts —

By lake. By rail.

M.feet.
19, 511
25, 439
11,527

21, 906
32, 890
30, 788
23, 913
19. 289
21,811
16, 245
29, 791
36, 455
35, 305
40, 916

48, 920
51. 049

"6.5,' 880'
65, 363
68,313
57, 275
43, 631
82, 099
117, 258
126, 289
144,846
194,642
174, 388
48, 839
52, 752
16, 597
21, 505
20, 704
19, 186

12, 871
19, 601

13, 385
7,971
3.327
2,589

26, 296
35, 524
17,125
14, 092
5,827
13, 5.50
10, 061

81, 600
7,250
3,574
1,303
1,455
1,400
1,400

23, 259

69, 974

31,318

149, 656

11,030

193, 348

23, 006

159,410

32, 543

142,361

46, 020

115, 530

42, 039

118,372

31,447

101, 249

35, 853

151,272

32, 204

114, 124

39, 317

132,336

36, 511

81,730

42,128

48, 090

; 24, 240

52. 080

1 10, 920

58, 700

i 9, 858

68, 400

: 23, 093

93, 200

M.
12,315

19, 601
13,385

7,971
3,327
2,589
19.585
23,319

20, 980
25, 928
15,143
31,318
28, 524
93, 233

180, 974
204, 378
182,416
174, 904
161,. 550
160,411
132, 696
187, 125
146,328
171,6.53
118,241
90, 218
76, 320
69, 620
78, 258
116, 293
134. 726
107. 896
42, 774
20, 699
15, 395
7,282
14, 950
11,461

* Thi.s table was compiled by "W. J. Langson, secretary of the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce-
Receipts by lake are based upon the cnstom-house records, and receipts and shipments by rail were
obtained from the railroad companies.

102

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table III.— Part 1.

Eece'ipta of linnher and shingles at Buffalo hii Jake and rail.*

[rurnisbed by Knowlton Mixer, secretary of the Buffalo Lumber Exchange.]

Tear.

Lumber. j Shingles.

By lake. By rail. Total.

By lake.

By rail.

Total.

1876

Mfeet.
119, 146
141. 572
176,312
902 443

21 feet. : Mfeet.

1878 .

i 1

1879

214, 16il
240, 802
248, 196

1881

44.908

37, 302
37.616

1884

248. 196

:;::;::::;:::::::::;

I .'i2.716

279, 493
264, 612
279, 493
242, 525
287, 334
262, 729
298, 980
28'J, 751
239, 525

58, 582
36, 705
58, 582
36, 331
73, 500
44, 905
42, 165
50. 807

1887

;:;;;;;;; r ;;;;;;;

1889 - -

1890

1892

636, 344 935, 324
587,482 I 874.233

::;:::::::|:::::;::::

1894

410, 000 ! 649, 525 105, 112

.... 1

231,257

398,448 629,705 92,588 L. !

201.277
221, 302

409. 095 , 610, 372 , 103, 988
426,870 648.172 110.401

1897 (estimated)

12 800 1 123 901

* Lake receipts are based upon the cnstom-house records. The rail receipts are taken from the
monthly reports of cars made to the freijiht bureau of the Merchants' Exchange bj; the various
railroads. The imports and exports by rail are estimated from the number of cars obtained from the
railroads, and therefore include aiiingles and laths.

Table III.— Part 2.

Beceipta of railway ties at Buffalo, hy lake and rail.*
[Data furnished by Knowlton Mixer, secretary of the Buffalo Lumber Exchange.]

Tear.

By lake.

By rail. !

Tear.

By lake.

By rail.

1882

No.
840,200
275, 920
too. 000
87, 500
54, 780
93, 080
196, 600
442, 570

No.
150,000
550. 000
180, 000
200, 000
100, 000
50, 000
75, 000
155,000

1890 .

No.
197, 110
238, 570
312, 500
253, 000
196, 117
133. 928
199, 044
328, 052

No.-
150, 000

1883 ....

1891...
1892 . . .
1893

139,000

1884

411,520

1885

175, 000

1894...

1896;;'.

275, 000

1887

263, 500

1888....

190, 800

* Lake receipts are based upon the custom-house records. The rail receipts are taken from the
monthly reports of cars made to the freight bureau of the Merchants' Exchange by the various rail-
roads.

Table IV.
Receipts of lumher, laths, and shingles at Tonaumnda by lake.*

Lumber.a

Laths.

Shingles.

Lumber. &

Laths.

Shingles.

1887

Mfeet.
501, 536
569.522
676,017
717,650
505,512
1

10, 096
14, 617
11, 506
13, 039

8,209

21.

63, 435

64, 903

52! 232
52, 561

1892

Mfeet.

498,000

430,248

6,243
13, 232
8,495
8,547
7,195

If.
42, 809

1888

25, 257

1889

1894

1895

406, 907

421 372

31, 468

1890

41,310

1831

35, 823

* Report of the Buffalo Merchants' Exchange, 1896, p. 119.
a Timber not included.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

103

Table V.
Receipts of lumber, shinf/Ies, l<(ths, a7id miscellaneous lumber at Cleveland by rail and lake.*"

Lumber.

Shin

?le8.

Laths.

By lake.

By rail.

Total.

By lake.

Total.

By lake.

Total.

M feet.

Mfeet.

M feet.
83, 038
120,911
142, 445
158, 220
180, 000
173, 866

39, 294
60, 842
69. 816
74, 921
91, 888
131, 102

iur.

14, 381

26, 650

37, 850

1868

42, 021

1869

36, 438

1870

158,866
220, 584

191, 079

192, 448
167, 768
140, 980
102, 609
154, 144
119,817
208, 393
231,263
321, 130
317, 810
350, 696
329, 791

108, 002
115, 819
70, 597
81, 919
78, 691
78, 945
73, 565
112, 280

101, 205
125,112

96, 797
112, 142
112,369

102, 430
86, 072

63, 173
47,711
41,562
26, 745
41. 538
3,510
34, 318
140, 488
31, 796
21, 081
19, 461
29, 287
34, 457
36, 807
31,273

63, 173

1871

1876

1878

1880

1881

1883

::::::::::

1S«8

18SQ

495, 984
564, 222
714,476
210, 636
247, 078
351, 883
244, 765
229, 971

60, 998
32, 882
152, 733
187, 483
56, 826
45, 599
54, 709
44, 158

18, 537
24, 598
35, 795
36, 324
22, 762
12, 199
6,913
16, 413

18Q3

1895

130, 545
153, 750
187,275
174. 225

377, 623
505, 633
432, 040
404, 196

1897

'^ The receipts of lumber by rail also include the receipts of shingles and laths. Lake receipts o
lumber 1890-1897 include all kinds of forest products other than shingles and laths, as logs, posts, and
telephone poles. Keceipts by lake are based upon the custom-house reports.

Table VI.

Receipts of lumber and sliiiif/les at Toledo by lake.*

Tear.

Lumber.

Shingles. 1

Tear.

Lumber.

Shingles.

Mfeet.
197, Oil
225, 350
218, 000
224, 000
216, 000
230, 000
160, 000
182,000
335, 000

15, 505
8,597
3,838

12, 600
9,400

10,100
2,500
6,100
4,200

M feet.
168, 000
192, 000
178, 000
173, 000
156, 000
144, 000
159, 000
127, 000
122, 000

3,620

1881

1890

1891

1892

1893

1894

1895

1896

4,929

1882

685

1883

400

2,420

1885

2,075

2, 200

1887

400

1888

1897

2,300

This table was furnished by Denisou B. J^mitli, secretary of the Toledo Produce Exc

104 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

Table VII.
Beeeipts and shipments of liimier and shingles at Detroit by lake and rail.*

Lumber.

Shingles.

Year.

Receipts
by lake.

Receipts
by rail.

Total
receipts.

Total
ship-
ments.

Receipts
by lake.

Receipts
by rail.

Total
receipts.

Total
ship-
ments.

M.feet.
97, 665
78, 191
95, 752
102, 073
113,277
78, 085

48, 459
54, 789
54, 429

49, 935

M.feet.

69, 102
161, 694
206, 895
197, 774
185, 404
184, 538
156, 662
194, 180
139, 270

83, 860

M.feet.
166, 867
239, 885
302, 647
299,847
298, 681
262, 623
205, 211
248, 969
193, 699
133, 795

M.feet.
U,n5

58, . -sg

36, SCi
41, 750
63, 753
34, 202

20, 946
26, 641

21. 066
16, 970

None.

3,339

560

- 1,750

None.

908

752

2,420

400

30, 712
106, 338
37, 670
66, 6U0
117, 530
116, 270
105, 980
96, 950
95, 760
63, 070

30, 712
109, 677
38, 2:!0
68, 350
120, 365
116, 270
106, 888
97, 702
98, 180
63, 470

M.
20, 999

1886

41, 960

44,100

1888 .. . ...

58, 300

1889

82, 390

36, 120

1891

10, 640

1892

8,330

10, 430

1894

7,350

' This table was compiled by the secretary of the Detroit Board of Trade.

Bates for unloading lumier from vessels at Chicago during the season of 1S97A

Pine lumber, per 1,000 feet:

1-inch and li-inch $0.20

li-inch and 2-inch 22

3-inch 24

Pickets and shingles to rate with inch lumber.

Piece stuff, per 1,000 feet 22

Laths to rate with piece stuff.

Timbers, per 1,000 feet 28

Lumber and timber, 20 feet and over in length, 3 cents extra per 1,000 feet.

Hemlock and basswood, per 1,000 feet :

1-inch 22

2-inch 21

3-iuch 28

Hemlock timber 30

Hard- wood lumber, per 1,000 feet :

1, li, U,and2inch 28

3-iuch '. 32

4-inch 36

Lnml)er half regular rate for all grades for keeping dock.

All vessels carrying over 500,000 feet of lumber, per 1,000 feet extra for entire
cargo 05

Ties:

Oak, per tie 02

Hemlock, on vessels 10 feet deep and under in depth, each Olf

Hemlock, on vessels over 10 feet in depth, each 02

Cedar, per tie 01^

On Santa Fe dock 01^

Peeled posts, per 1 ,000 6. 00

Bark posts, per 1,000 7.00

$2 extra per 1,000 for keeping dock.

Telegraph poles, each :

25-foot 03

30-foot 05

35-foot 08

40-fbot : 12

Rates charged by the Unloaders' Union.

STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

105

Bates for unloading lumher from vessels at Tonawanda during the season of 1897.^

The rate for uiiloadiug wliite aud Norway pine from barges and steamers of 12^
feet in deptli of hold, or less, Government register, was 22 cents jier M until October 1,
and 24 cents per M from October 1 until the end of the season. Other rates were :

Cents.

Birch per M.. 35

ISlaple do.... 35

Ash do 35

Oak do.... 40

Basswood do 24

Elm do 26

Hemlock do 25

I 30
Bill timber do.. I „^ A

Round cedar posts each . . ^

Split posts do ^

Cedar railroad ties do 1^

Table VIII.

Freight rates on lumber {per 1,000 feet) from Alpena, Manistee, Menominee, Ashland, and
Duluth, to Chicago by lake. *

1877

$1.31
1.14

1878

1880

2.22

1881

2 01

1885

1 64

1886

1887

2.53

Alpena.

Manis- Menom- Ash-
tee, inee. land.

.$1. 27
1.34
1.77
2.12
2.18
1.78
1.85
1.70
1.4b
1.58
1.94

$].46
1.87
2.27
2.17
1.80
1.85
1.59
1.54
1.66
2.11

Alpena. ^,^"*«- ;Menom
^ tee. mee.

$2. 12
3.15

1889
1890
1891
1892
1893
1894
1895
1896
1897

$1.90
1.59
1.74
1.69
1.81
1.61
1.41
1.36
1.16

$1.49
1.42
1.58
1.59
1.62
1.46
1.32
1.22
1.14
1.13

$1.57
1.40
1.66
1.59
1.67
1.48

l!27
1.20
1.10

Ash-
land.

$2.73
2.42
2.51
2.44
2.91
2.36
2.00
2.18
1.85
1.67

*The rates from Duluth, Superior, aud the other pi rt.s at the head of Late Superior are almost
always the same as those from Ashlaud. This table is based on the weekly rates publfshed by the
Northwestern Lumberman, which takes great pains to have its quotations correct.

Table IX.

Production of lumber in the Northwest, *

Tear.

M.feet.

Year.

M.feet.

Tear.

M.feet.

Tear.

M. feet.

1873

3, 393, 780

1880

5, 651, 295

1887.

7, 757, 916

1894

6, 763, 110

1874

3, 751, 306

1881

6, 768, 8.56

188S

8, 388, 716

1895

7, 093, 398

1875

3, 968, 553

1882

7, 552, 150

1889

8, 305, 833

1896

5, 538, 112

1876

3, 879, 046

1883

7, 624, 789

1890

8, 664, 504

1897

6, 233, 454

1877

3, 595, 333

1884

7, 935, 033

1891

7, 943, 137

1878

3,629,472

1885

7, 053, 094

1892

8, 902, 748

1879

4,806,943

1886

7,425,368

1893

7, 599, 748

*This table includes the Ivimbei produced from the logs cut in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota,
and from logs imported from Ontario and sawed in Michigan or at Lake Erie ports. Logs from Minne-
sota and Wisconsin are floated down the Mississippi in large numbers to various cities and there
sawed. The lumber produced is included.

This table was compiled by the Northwestern Lumberman. The details may be found in the issues
of this paper of January 23, 1897, and January 22, 1898.

The Marine Record, May 13, 1897, p. 9.

H. Doc. 277 8

106 STATISTICS OF LAKE COMMERCE.

ACKNOWLEDaMENT.

Ill the preparation of the foregoing- report the following persons have
rendered material assistance: Frank E. VVyuiaii, secretary of the Dnluth
Board of Trade; William Thnrstone, secretary of the Bnffalo Mer-
chants' Exchange; W, J. Langson, secretary of the Milwaukee Cham-
ber of Commerce; George F. Stone, secretary of the Chicago Board of
Trade; G. D, Kogers, secretary of the Minneapolis Chamber of Com-
merce; J. C. Brown, statistician of the Xew Y'ork Produce Exchange;
F. A. Scott, assistant secretary of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce;
J. M. Mulrooney, editor of the Marine Keview; Capt. John Swainsou,
editor of the Marine Kecord; A. I. Mndley, editor of The Iron Trade
Review; James Peabody, editor of the Railway and Engineering
Review; John B. Lucas, editor of the Black Diamond; II. A. Bischolf,
of the Chicago Bureau of Coal Statistics; The Brown Hoisting and
Conveying Company; John McMyler, of the McMyler Manufacturing
Company; A. B. Wolvin, president of The Zenith Transit Company;
B. L. Pennington, of Cleveland; Melion Pattison, Capt. J. S. Dun-
ham, Frankhu H. Head, George Merry weather, VV. S. Bogle, E. C.
Chandler, George W, Hotchkiss, O. S. Whitmore, of Chicago; W. I.
Babcock, manager of the Chicago Shipbuilding Company; W. J.
Olcott, vice president of Diiluth, Mesaba and Northern Railroad Com-
pany; J. L. Greatsinger, i^resident of the Dulnth and Iron Range Rail-
road Company, and E. D. Cowles, of Saginaw.

lamalso indebted to the following gentlemen for valuable aid: Thomas
Owens, superintendent of the Dulnth and Iron Range Railroad Com-
pany; H. H. Campbell of the Pennsylvania Steel Comi)any; J. H.
Morford, William Richardson, F. S. Peabody, A. I, Valentine, of
Chicago; P. G. Cook, secretary of Western Elevating Association;
L. M. Bowers, general manager of the Bessemer Steamship Company;
W. G. Mather, president of the Lake Superior and Ishpeming Railway
Company; James Pickands, president of the Minnesota Steamship Com-
pany; L. C. Hanna, j)resident of the Menominee Transit Company;
W. D. Rees, treasurer of the Lake Superior Iron Comi^any ; Alexander
Backus, president Vulcan Iron Works, and R. L. Ireland, assistant
secretary of the Globe Iron Works.

%.i

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