Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-20

the aggregate tidewater tonnage lover l,5oO
| tons( was "A 1886 tons in excess oflake tonnage
| OF like class.
The Lake Fleet of Freight Steamers
| is magnificent one and commands the ad-
miration of every competent observer the
| world over. The Marine ReuieaO deserves the
thanks of the commercial world for its ex-
cellent illustrations of the principal vessels
| of this fleet. 1t will, however, get no thanks
from the shipowners of the lakes for putting
them in the attitude of unconscionable brag-
CARTS.
The foregoing statement shows the mis-
leading quality of the assertions of the Re-
gfe,U in this particular matter AS to its as
sertion that the biggest and fastest steamers
OF the lakes are the ore and coal carriers of
the lakes to the exclusion of vessels of other
classes, we have to repeat, what the report
of the Canal Commission fully sets forth,
that more than 25 per cent of the ore deliv-
cred at Lake Erie ports for supply of the Allie
gheny- y-Mahoning- -Shenango district comes in
sailing vessels; and that Of the entire fleet of
ore and coal carriers on the lakes in 1889 (the
year with which the report of the commits
sion deals; and the latest year for which we
have at this time authenticated returns of
the shipping of the lakes), more than so per
cent were applicable to service in a canal
such as that recommended by the commits
sion.
n
sion particularly analysed the business of the
i. S. & NJ. S. Companyss docks, at Ashta-
bula Harbor, for the reason that the receipts
of ore at those docks are materially greater
than those of anv other one system of docks
on the lakes. OF the 1,0S9,920 gross tons Of
ore received at said docks, in 1889, 25.1 per
cent came in sailing vessels; and of the sail
ing vessels bringing it 94.2 per cent were of
less than 1000 tons, gross measurement.
Fifty-three and seven-tenths $50 per cent
were between 600 and 800 IT. and 80 per cent
four and one-half (245) per cent of all sailing
vessels delivering ore at said docks, In lsS9,
have been built since January l. 1SSO, ana
12.26 per cent since January l, 1885.
OF the steam vessels bringing ore to said
docks in 1859, 55.5 per cent were under l5O0
tons gross measurement; and 73L per cent
were under l,s00 tons. OF the steam fleet de-
livering ore, as aforesaid, over 92 per cent
have been built since 1872; and of those built
since 1872, 80 per cent are of less than 800
tons, gross Of those of less than :, 800 tons,
II have been built within three years ending
June so, 1889; and % have been built since
June S0 1856 OF these %, II are of less than
COO tons each.
The Average Ore-Cargo Delivered
at said docks at Ashtabula in 1889, by steam
and sail together, was under 1,500 gross tons.
Total number of cargoes, 696. The average
total delivery Of ore at said docks in 1889,
per vessel, steam and sail taken together,
was 8, 924 226 gross tons. Average total de-
livery of ore by the steamers (total number
of steamers into total number of tons de-
livered), was 1880 tons. Of the schooners
delivering ore as aforesaid, one group of 25
delivered average total of 529S.A tons;
and one group of 10 delivered average total
OF 6,9l0l tons OF two schocners, built in
1874, of S63 and s45 gross tonnage, respectively,
one delivered 1888 and the other g. ,90l gross
tons OF the coal shipped lin 1880 from L. S.
& NJ. S. Railway docks at Ashtabula, 35.1 per
cent went in sailing vessels. The average of
all cargoes of coal, so shipped, was l,6771
gross tons. OF l04 cargoes, shipped in 104
several vessels, IS per cent were of less than
$50 gross tons Of 139 vessels taking coal
cargOes, 62H per cent were of less than ], ,430
gross tons coal capacity. These facts refute
the assertion that "the big, fast steamers do
the ore and coal carrying of the lakes to the
exclusion of vessels that are neither very
big nor very fast,
The statement of the Rerie,o that the |
schooners are fast disappearing from the |
lakes is astonishingly audacious.. The |
schooners are so far from disappearing that |
those of 400 tons and upward have increased |
in number at a rate exceeding that of the |
increase of the lake marine as q whole. |
There has been a decrease since 1872 in total |
number of sailing vessels on the North |
western lakes; but this decrease has been |
entirely in vessels below 400 tons measure
ment.
Total vessels (all classes) on lakes Tex
elusive of Champlain) in 1872 was 1000: in |
1889 it was 2,6S2. Ratio of increase: 1882.
Ratio of increase of sailing vessels between |
400 and 500 tons: 2.026. Ratio Of increase of |
steam vessels (all classes): 2.14S. |