The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-03-14
THE CHICAGO RIVER.
Lively Scene Witnessed at the Breaking
Up of the Ice.


CHICAGO, Ill, March l3.-The recent
| thaw has produced an effect in the har.
Dor which is rather astonishing in view OF
the inactivity of the season up to thi,
time. Nearly dozen tug.boats steamed
about the river, transferring craft from
one point to another, towing them to the
different shipyards for spring repairs, or to
points further down the river where access
to the lake will be more easywhen nayiga,
ton is opened for the season. Along the
docks from Clark street TO Twelfth street
everything was hustle and activity The
sound Of the calker's mallet and the car
penter's hammer came from the deck Of
every vessel. Steam was raised on a num-
Der of lumber-bargeS, and their fires will
not be put out again this season, as they
will be kept in constant readiness to de-
part for east-shOre ports when the word
is received that Lake Michigan is clear Of
ice.
"If this kind OF weather lasts" said a
ycsscl-owner yesterday, ~ believe we
will have comparatively early Spring
| anyhow, despite the long and severe win
| ter we have Just experienced"
Others are not as hopeful Of an early
opening. The lake unquestionably con-
tains more ice at the present time than it
has for many years past This is demon
stratcd by the fact that the prOpellcrs ply
ing between Milwaukee and Grand Haven
and Milwaukee and Ludington have been
unable to force a passage for nearly two
weeks. The prOpellers Michigan and Wis
| conSin, in all probability the best ice
| breakers ever constructed for winter
navigation on the upper lakes, are at
| present imprisoned in the ice off Grand
| Haven, and are unable to move. Re
| ports from all points, as far down as
Point st. l@nace and up to Michigan City,
! show that there is ice everywhere, rang
| ing from six inches to two feet in thick.
ness. Only few days ago the tug Arctic
Of this port, left here for Grand Haven,
to break passage for the imprisoned pro-
pellOrs off that port, but she did not get
farther than Racine. Her master said
that it would be impossible for his boat
to proceed farther. The Arctic has been
in service on the lake for three years, and
this is the first time the weather has
been too severe for her to perform the
service for which she was built
"Taking all these facts into conSidcra-
ton" said marine man, 81 do not an
ticipate very early opening; in fact,
believe there will not be general move.
/ mcnt before the LIST of May.n
"What are the prospects for the season.
| Judging from the present signs?n
comfy fair; but there is no telling
what may turn up. 1t is safe to pre-
dict, however, that the season will be q
busy one. The lumber crop, if | am in
formed correctly, will be unusually large
while we all know that there is more
! grain in store here and throughout The
West and Southwest than we can shiI
this season. The iron ore trade promise
good returns. BY the way, large nun
Der of season charters have been made il
the latter trade during the past winter
The rates paid are only fair. Lumbe
freights will not exceed those paid t,
vessels at the opening of last season, anC
grain freights will, most likely, fall beloy
the opening rates of last Spring.