The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-04-16
TRAFFIC ON GREAT LAKES.
GROWTH OF TRANSPORTATION
DURING QUARTER CENTURY.
Chief Articles of Commerce Trans
ported Consist of Brendstu6s,
Metals, Minerals and Lumber
lake VIII Soon Re Open Again.

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
WASHINGTON, April 15.-No feature of
the commerce of the United States,
whether domestic or foreign, shows
more wonderful development than that
carried upon the Great Lakes, where nav
igation is about to resume for the season
of 1900, A growth in our foreign COM
meree from 81 coo 600 600 in 1872 TO 5000
600 600 In 1900 is remarkable, and an In
crease of our exports from s444 100000 in
1872 to ST. POI, coo coo in 1899 is even more
striking, but this growth is insignificant
when compared with the growth of COM
merce on the Great Lakes, as measured
by the few available measuring rods
which the present rather unsatisfactory
statistical system furnishes, Yet the fact
that navigation on the lakes is about to
open, and that the greatest season" ever
known Is confidently predicted by those
familiar with the traffic there, makes
some facts, which the treasury bureau OF
statistics has just presented in one of Its
monthly publications, especially interest
Ing.
The single point at which accurate sta
tistical statements have been kept during
a considerable term Of years is at St
Marys Falls canal, which connects Lake
Superior with Michigan, Huron, Erie and
Ontario; and by study of these figures
~ Is prhcllcdDle TO compare III eDiic uc-
gree the growth of internal commerce on
the Great Lakes with that OF our foreign
commerce. AS already indicated, the for
eign commerce of the United States has
doubled since 1872 and the exports have
trebled during that period. During the
same time the tonnage of vessels engaged
in commerce passing through the St.
Marys Falls canal increased from e14135
registered tons in 1872 to 81 ,s5s.sE tons In
1899. the increase having been over 1000
per cent, as against an increase of 100 per
cent. in total foreign commerce and 200
per cent. in exports.
Increase of wheat Tonnage.
The great articles entering into the COM
merce on the lakes are wheat. -four and
other grains: coal, iron and lumber The
statements of the quantities of these arti-
oles passing through the 500 canal Illus
trate the growing utilization of this great
water route for transportation OF these
articles so readily transported In bulk. In
1871 the number of bushels .of wheat pass
ing through the canal was 376.705, while
in 1899 the number of bushels was IS, 397,-
1875. or more than forty times as much as
In 1871.
Meantime the receipts of wheat at Buff
falo increased from 100000 bushels In
1879 to 100000 In 1895, while the total
receipts of grain of all kinds uncluding
wheat in the form of iour) received at
bu1dlO DS Idkt iltItSlStu lEoui oA,vu,Vo
bushels in 1879 to 281 100000 bushels In 1898.
Meanwhile the expectation OF wheat and
wheat -four increased from ss,o00,00o BUSH
els in 1872 TO 222. 900 bushels in 1899 the
increase In transportation by lake thus
being much greater. proportionately, than
the increase in exports from the sea-
board. Transportation of -four through
the 500 canal has increased with even
greater rapidity, growing from 13s4ll bar
rels in 1879 to 7,li4,l4E barrels in 1899; while
I grain other than wheat increased from
ii5,774 bushels In 1872 to 100000 bushels
In 1898.
Metals and Mineral Tramc.
In metals and minerals the growth OF
transportation on the lakes Is quite as
striking in breadstuffs. the quantity of
coal carried on the 500 canal having in
creased from S0,sl5 tons In 1872 to 3.s40,Ss7
tons In 1899. Coal from the Pennsylvania
and Ohio fields Is supplied at low freight
rates 20 the Lake Superior region where
coal production is light and fuel greatly
I'm demand, as the vessels which carry the
iron ore. grain and -four from the Lake
Superior region carry coal on their return
trips at nominal freight rates. and as
consequence the coal passing through the
500 canal has. already indicated in
creased from so. SIS tons In 1879 10 3,s40 Ss7
tons In 1899. The product of the Lake
Superior region which Is poured through
cry year Is, after grain and -four which
have been already mentioned, chiefly iron
ore. copper and lumber. The iron ore
shipments through the canal Increased
from $50. los tons In 1872 to 15.32S 240 tons
in 1898; copper. from 1851 tons in 1872 To
10000 tons In 1899, and lumber, from
i.7420o0 feet In lS72 to / 03S, 057 900 feet in
1888 The report from which these figures
were obtained indicates that they also
include the traffic through the Canadian
canal lying Just alongside St Mays Falls
canal. which was opened to commerce
September g. 1s95
Some additional and equally interesting
facts are shown for the period 1887 20 1885
These relate TO the proportion of freight
carried by American and Canadian ves-
sells value Of American and Canadian
craft. ana cost of transportation per mile
ton OF freighs passing through che canal.
| IL shows that the percentage Of freight
| carried by Canadian vessels. which in 1857
was Z per cent. OF the total, was in 1895
| only 3 per cent. The value OF Canadian
craft passing this point was IN 1885, s20sg. %
| ioo ana In iSN 81 so while that of
American craft which N 1881 was si7 esd e
/ hS0 was Ia ls@ S&5tsa so0 the value OF
Canadian craft having Increased less than
| . per cent, while that Of American craft
4 tad nearly irebled. and the total Fests-
/ tered tonnage, as already indicated hav-
! ing Increased from 9is, 49, tons In is72 TO
I q ,&SaG tons IN lssa VITA this Increase
! tn tonnage and bus neas comes an equal
/ IS striking decrease In freight rates. the
/ cost 90 transportation per ton psr mile
hayins fallen from - mills IN 1851 10 - too