, 1872-12-31
OUR LAKE MARINE.
A Review Of the Year l872---What
Lake Commerce Has Done for
Chicago.
The Fast Season Of Navigation q Pros.
,'crcus One for Vessel Owners.
Suggestions for Shippers and Others Inter-
esied in the Development OF Inc
Northwest

th
To Us, here in Chicago, our lake marine has p1
Interesting suggestions and "reminiscences. It h;
turns our thoughts back many years, to the le
timo when Chicago was hamlet, when our now Ii
harbor was . small stream, and at n
its mouth could be spsnned almost with step u u
or two. to cross it. Lake commerce first turned a.
the emlgrant towards it, and lako commerce, y
coupled with our great network Of railroads, Il
has been the chief aid to bring our city forward G
to making it primarily the greatest produce mar
ket Of tho world. And 30 every one living here i
is interested in the prosperity Of tho commerce '
of Chicago and the Great Lakes, and, for that 6
reason may nsk, What is the present status? J
Has it paid the present year? and What are its ,
prospects for the future and in answering these
inquiries. let us take retrospective view of the
past and present history Of the commerce Of the
Great Lakes.
Before the advent OF the great grain trade Of
the West to the East, steamers and vessels we're
scarce and few, employed principally In moving
emigrants with their effccts, and the transport
of food and merchandise from the East to feed
and supply their wants. About 1910 the whole
thing was changed, by small beginning first, to
tho present great proportions Of enormous
trade. Vessels hare changed IN size and build,
from the small craft of 100, up to 1000 or more
have SO revolutionized things that the beautiful
eide wheel steamers (that years ago made thetrip
across tue lakes so enjoyable and pleasantly ,haye
been driven by the railroads betting both sides |
| of the lakes away, and out Of trade. Some OF |
the engines OF these have been taken out and are
driving steamers now navigating the rivers
in China, some are now In steamers on the At
lantic and wo have in lieu Of the sde-wheelors
the largo fine propel1ors used mostly for the
carrying Of produce and goods and with the
march of time, new traffic was opened for the
employment OF lake commerce, that was once
only used for direct produce and merchandise
trade. The great iron and copper trade OF Lake
Superior made available for commerce By the
st. Mary's Canal, tho building Of large cities
making the great lumber trade q matter Of 80
much Importance to commerce and the oil and
stono trade, all help to change tho very nature
Of the original commerce Of the lakes. And
again, the immense facilities offered by incrcas-
: ed railroad lines, stretching now from ocean to
! ocean, has made the commerce Of the lakeh quite
! D different thing from what it was years hGo in
= its early and continued Development.
q And ret it has lost none OF it's influence or In
terest, as it has, to-day, more to do with the ma
r terial prosperity Of all tho dwelcrs around the
: shores of the great lakes than ever. It has
had it's ups and downs, many supposing,at at times
! of depression, that it had reached its c':lminat-
o ing point, and then with O bound, and taking
+ many by surprise, it has sprung back with IN
$ creased vigor and action. The year just closed
is one of those cases. For few previous years,
on an average, no money had been made by ves-
ses for various reasons and from various causes.
T. Combinations Of produce dealers, locking up
- largo amounts Of grain for speculative purposes
e in elevators and warehouses, when it should
y have been moved forward to market as it came
p into thu lake port for shipment tho opening OF
y, new routco ind limos OF railroads; building OF
10 too much tonnage, and various combinations OF
90 kindred character, have tended to produce pros
2" perity and ad1ersiy, alternating With our lake
- - commercial marine.
Fe it's various fortunes, as oWnors OF Vessels
through all these changes, have, on tho average
- made money from the trade, and probably more
ne wealth has been made and retained in the hand
pE of vessel-owners than from any other branch
raj the business, if we except elevators. steam
&c &C. propelers for carrying, and elevators for hand
H. ling grain for commercial purposes both, ha!
Il their origin upon the great lakes, created as
No yero here to meet *he wants Of our great an
on growing commerce. The year 1872, now closing
has been Of great prosperity for veseel-owh
r5o =; era. Grain and produce, as it came INTO IN
~ as it came in from tho interior country, and
leu has impaired healthy, vigorous tone to all cor
r. pected with it and it is to be hoped this Byste1
pc vii DO allowed to continue, for it is the grea
Intermediate int ports OF shipment along o roqt
sn Of trado grain and produce. 1t NSs6 lnyarlae
Iii makes g1eat losses to +h 81 han9ox eTncerpg %I
en- en- advances tho money to buy and move it, and
'1tn the carrier or yoasel-owner, because 1T 10
ro- based On On unnatural and fcti tious Value, Al
ono It is better to sell and move the PRODUCES "Ae
rino and ready for market, for market value
AS lenyes moro money in hand on the Average, n
ng it is healthier and better for all concerned II
'eo. w. year 1874 WILL on investigation, 1u1y aemo 10
ap strate this fact The vessel trade has taken NJ
impulse and profit from it, and the merchant
cciying and handling tho produce is better
this year than for sono time past. Many 4,
VESSELS are in process of constr1ct,on,-nI N = \
nco more than are needed, for VIC predict that
-, wants OF inland trade and commerce, II a!0M
~, to flow naturally. will require all the 1acilit
We furnish Of rail and water
IN o Tho wear Just closed has beon quite rematE
pliar be ono, not only hore upon the lakes, put
,ator over the world. While portion Of the time
49, weather has been mild and pleasant, at ott
fa times il has been very c,t tenpe'~' anS sudd
1asg gnesrag q1ss Savo ppssvaod s' tho
lid fo aud property have beon large; tho od ro wG
it to out vessels fitted out as bargen nave 9eG M o
open slout. staunch vessels have not been e2em
with many fine craft having founderod, drown
the Whole crews from the sudden and violent ga
light, th.t have prevailed All these things have tn
q his teachings. to avoid in many cases repetition
Drs. them. Wo should study aud PROFIT p the ne, ;"
in aud deductions Of the past AZ elals, up4n ~
their stability OF which human A4o ocpea40o so
como be OF the best in construction anu e4ulplnen
been every respect; all others Beouo bo o1eca1
q i'm and driven out of the trade By pnonc opia
who and the want OF employment IL ls LII tno "
with of the community to at once correct a. tne .
9 on resulting in loss OF life and properly 11onl u
en- Causes, and it il their duty 10 uo sof oAu
, the public press Of the country, By consa' nast
and calling attention to the orroEs OF tnc past,
d not correct theu1 and in tho interests OF nu1na
i'm. they should do 60. The water u
lakes and rivers has been for some tlmo no a
low stage, causing, this year, great losse
property. Vessels are built too deep m
draw d1a too much water; this should bo ayoide
the future for the greater OF hand
nend vessels in all things connected WIN e, tne !.
tho greater the prom of o III losses that cal
police lol ~ [ron, lnown raueee and forethnu