Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-01-17
STEAMBOATS,.
The Number and Tonnage of Those on
the Upper Lakes-Increase Last
Year Report of the INSPECTOR

Year Report of the Inspector
Joseph Cook, supervising inspector of
steam vessels for the eighth district
comprising all the great lakes above
Lake Erie, has prepared his report for
the year 1879. 1t shows the following:
Number of steamers inspected 5S3,
classed as follows: Passenger steamers
lO6, ferry steamers 13, towing 241, freight
101, canal 26, yachts 96; total tonnage
90,06S.77.
Number of officers licensed during the
year 1895, graded as follows: Masters
430, mates 3, first pilots 247, second pilots
213, chief engineers 463, second engineers
497.
These inspections were made and Ii
censes granted by the different local
boards as follows: a a
DetrOit-97 steamers aggregate tom
mage 2S,OOS.lS; $50 officers licensed, ia
boilers inspected, 120 excursion permits
granted, 1876 samples boiler iron tested.
ChlcagO-119 steamers, aggregate tom
mage, 17,63S.7S; 427 officers licensed; 14O
boilers inspected.
Milwaukee-115 steamers, aggregate
tonnage, 19, ,493.02; officers licensed. $50;
boilers inspected, 1856; excursion permits
granted. 72.
Port HurOn-S9 steamers. aggregate
tonnage, 14,963.3S; officers licensed, 32S:
boilers inspected, 92; excursion permits
granted, 13.
Grand Haven steamers, aggregate
tonnage, 7,799.10; 2S6 officers licensed;
Ill boilers inspected. sL q
Marquette-53 steamers, aggregate
tonnage, 2,166.3l; 154 officers licensed; ;53
boilers inspected; IL eXcurfiOn permits
granted.
Whole number of boilers inspected 645,
Of which 90 were found defective, 8 gave
way under hydrOstatic pressure and two
| were condemned from further use.
Twelve Investigations were held and
IL cases were reported by the local boards
| for violation of law.
Of the 1895 officers licensed, 26 mas
tiers, mates, 1873 pilots and 1873 engineers
have received original licenses, and 404
masters. mate, 1928 pilots and 7S4 engi-
neerS have received renewals of
licenses. Two pilots and seven engineers
have been refused license for incOmpe-
tency and other causes. The license of
two masters, two pilots and four engi-
neers have been suspended or revoked.
There have been two accidents caused
by explosion or escape of steam, result
ing i'm the loss of seven lives and dam
age to property of $500. Six accidents
have occurred by fire, causing damage
of $4,70O to property, but losing no lives.
Eight steamers have been wrecked OF
fOundered, causing the loss of one life
and damage to property of $4,000.
Two towing boats, the Antelope and
SiskOwitt, are reported as having been
wrecked on Lake Superior in December
1879, but owing to the scarcity of means
of communication in that almost isolated
district during the winter there is no Of
fetal report of their loss.
Fourteen steamers with an aggre.
gate tonnage of 3,381.71, have gone out
of the service, and 81 steamers, with an
aggregate tonnage of 3,74233, have been
added to the service.
| One steamer has been condemned from
further use.
There have been 1,91S,252 passengers
carried on steamers i'm this district, and
of this large number not a single life
has been lost, which speaks volumes in
praise of the care and efficiency of the
officers i'm charge of the lake marine.
The report contains detailed account
of accidents i'm the district during the
year, with lists of steamers and boil
ers inspected and officers licensed, OF
which the above is summary.