The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-08

Reduced to Scfence--OVer
100000 More Tons Carried
Through the $500" Yearly Than
Through the suez CanaI-One of
Lake transportation of Iron Ore
Lake Traffic I'm Lumber is
Waning.
Correspondence The st. Paul Globe.
WASHINGTON, May 5.-The COM
merce of the Great Lakes is to such an
extent the commerce of the Northwest
that the growth Of the one implies that
of the other. In order, therefore, to
arrive at satisfactory conclusions re-
garding the material development Of
the resources of the Northwest, cur
sorry view of the conditions of lake
traffic is essential To this, then, may
he added a more particular investiga
ton into the state of the four great
commodities, grain, lumber, coal and
iron, which make up the bulk of the
freight passing through the canal at
st. Mary's Falls, and a consideration of
the benefits which each enjoys and the
detriments from which each suffers, to-
gether with suggestions for promoting
the former and mitigating or avoiding
the latter.
The subject of lake commerce, while
necessarily statistical for the most part,
is not without that fascination which
always pertains to great joint
achievement of nature and man. The
waterway of the lakes is one of the
wonders of the modern world, with it's
area of 1886 square miles, and Its
voyage from west to east of 1000 miles.
Through its natural gifts and their
artificial development the Lancashire
cotton spinner consumes the wheat
which was raised more than 5000 miles
away; while the cost of iron and steel
in this country has been cheapened
below that in any other part of the
world. There IS a fascination in the
contemplation of enormous quantities,
which are in active demand and intel
Esently handled; ard in the deductions
which must arise from the mere men
ton of vast volumes Of trade; the real
1Zauon of the countless thousands of
producers and consumers whose veal
and woe are involved in the mighty
freight movement, and of the mil
lions of acres of virgin territory which
through its magic may become both
productive and populous.
Facility in Transportation.
Facility in transportation almost
necessarily implies increased cheap
ness. AS material for construction is
more readily gained, as motive power
is expanded and improved, as ways
are lighted and Strengthened and deep
ened, and all modes of loading, unload
ing and taking fuel are systematized
by time-saving devices, the more effec-
tive work can be done within a given
period, and hence the former charge
can be lessened. This has been found
true with railways; and so it will be
shown to be true on the Great Lakes.
Ard here 1t may be said that mo at
tempt will be made to compare railway
and lake rates. The task Is always
difficult and almost as often unsatis-
factory. 1t is hard to find condition
common to both. The lakes have but
little local traffic; the railways handle
an enormous quantity The lakes car
sy but a few commodities, the railways,
every article in the catalogue of COM
merce. The lakes serve at their own
stated times; the railways, all the time.
The lakes are nurtured by the COM
munity at large. AS, for instance, the
maintains channels and harbors free
OF cost, and staten like Minnesota
practically exempt shipping from tax
alton. While in many ways the laws
discriminate against railways. There
is room and to spare for both methods
of transportation to share in the de-
Velopment Of that section of the Union,
whose resources ale limitless and whose
possibilities are beyond comprehension
The growth Of the lake fleet Is the
most satisfactory evidence we can have
of the growth of traffic upon the
Great Lakes; for, if business falls
away, old ships are abandoned, and no
new vessels take their place. While,
when traffic increases, not only does
the fleet grow in number, but it i'm
proves in every way that can aid trade
and transportation. Prior to 1886 there
was decade Of scant growth in the
lake fleet. In 1875 the total tonnage
was 5S7,942 tons. There was a decline
from this of 10000 tons in 1879 Then
came a slow increase to total tonnage
of 690,S59 tons in 1886. Since then there
has been a rapid renaissance as is
shown by a total tonnage of 1852 ,35i
tons in 1891; of 1,27S,95S tons in 1896, and
of 1872, 122 tons in 1897.
The improvement has been as great
In kind as in quantity. In 1882, fifteen
or sixteen round trips We're considered
Lake
Superior and Lake Erie ports; now
twenty-five round trips are only reck-
oned as fair.
Steamers and Sail Vessels.
AS a steamer is supposed to be able
to do two and one-fourth times the
work of a sail-vessel Of like tonnage,
the question of the motive power of the
present fleet becomes significant. II
may be said at once that steam Is al
most the universal power, being used
far in excess Of the proportion indicat.
ed by official figures. The reason fol-
a discrepancy is this: The statutes class
all vessels according to rig. Thus those
that are towed, if they show any sails
as almost all barges do, though to 8
Slight extent, are counted as sailing
vessels. Even without bearing this ir
mind the figures are striking In 1884
sailing tonnage was 307,773 gross tons
and has remained about constant; while
steam tonnage is now nearly three
times as great.
Yes, steam is the motive power OF
the Great Lakes. Sailing vessels il
the true sense have practically disap.
peared from Lake Superior, so much 81
that the large number Of tugs former.
~ stationed at st. Mary's, ST. Clail
and Detroit rivers have lost the once
profitable business they once enioyed
The growth of barge tonnage, which Is
steam tonnage, also shows this: In 8
single year there was a gross tonnage
OF steel pargeS constructed of 34,63(
tons.
Circumstances favor steam. Goa
along the lakes Is good and chean
Then, too, in severe storms a steame,
can run against the wind. During 1895