, 1866-03-06
TIE LAKE SUPERIOR TRADE,
Movements or ChIcsge for the Trade OF
the PrcsclAt Year.

Tie FfcAcAI 1cafs
[From the Houghton Gazette, Feb. III
The trndc last season between the city OF
Chicago and the towns Of Lake Superior, as
near ns We can learn, was ncarly treble that OF
previous years, and near the close OF the sea-
sou Of navigation would have been much
greater could steamers or vessels have been
obtained to carry the desired frelghts. Our
merchants and mining companies appeared to
be well satisfied. They can purchase pro-
dltce, graip ant provisions at Chicago or Vi
cinity at much less cost than at Detroit and
Lake Erie ports, aud Of course Will trade
where tho rates rule lowest. And making
freight contracts, they will eugase with the
boats offering the most reasonable induce
n,ents, and are the most likely to tnldl them,
In the iall OF the year 1t has been the COM
mon custom for all bouts, especially those
tariff from one to five hundred per
cent, and even more than that, al
1cging the increased dangers OF navigation,
etc. It Is but Just that extra compensation
should be alleged, but every season these
chnrycs lave been 80 ontragcously above all
reason, that they have amounted to nothing
else than extoftion. 50 exasperatcd have
many Of our necced merchants and companies
been With these procedures, they have threat
enel to employ vessels of their own. and last
season many OF them did so, especially Mt the
close oftho season. Tic only propeller acsu-
ally employed wns the Ontonagon,
9T5sa u ihs Aess5s: leopold s, $ Co; e.;
them, and tie two delivered large quantities
Of freight here Ut $40 and z1s per ton, when
other boats. were extorting $225 md so. This
fact should be borne In mind In the making Of
contracts this season. We were called on
Austrian, who informed us that their line Will
be increased this year BY the purchase Of
another stannch propeller to run In connec-
tion with the Ontonagon and form weekly
line between Lake Superior md Chicago.
Tie Outonagon Is now IN dry dock and nn-
ts5 tase1oing SUI sgsh com. thorough sa'ap repairing
built. New timbers, planls, arches have
been put In, and new upright engine OF in-
creased dimensions, 40 that her speed will be
increased about one-fourth. The cost Of her
repairs will be about IL, ,000. Her mate will
be velLknoWn propeller, not more than
three years old, for which negotiations are
perfor Peoples' Line, Is therefore growing,
and in two or three years, Mt most, we shall
expect there will be at least q sem1-weekly,
and probably tri-weekly line running on the
Austrian will remain a week or two uu tho
lake before returning: to Chicago, and We
hcartily alrsos merchants and others, who
purchase In the young emporium Of the West,
TO benr IN mind the liberal, unselfsh actions,
last season, Of the firms Of Leopold & Co.,
Hancock, and Leopold & Co., Chicago, aud
entrust their orders, either for purchase or
shipment with him before bis departure. To
those who hare done well By us we should do
well by but this Is not all 1l,-when VIC have
incontcstiblo evidence tf1at those who have
p1{ronizcd for years only care for us as long
rs they can skin ns, and onr own townsme1
step forward with their capital md save US
from unscfupulous extortf0u, We should GER
tninly reward them to the extent OF our abil.
ity; the Messrs, Leopold & Austrian did this
as we'll o. they could Inst season, and otIer to
do still mere this season, and II Is now time
for our people to show their appreciation Of
these efforts.