The evening times., 1900-09-07
GREAT LAKES COMMERCE.
Larger During the Present Season
Thnn Eyer Before.

hih Ever BSIoESs
The commerce of the Great Lakes is
making its highest and most elaborate
record in the year 1900 Not only is ths
business carried on the lakes greater drr-
ing the present season than on any other
occasion. but for the first time its details
are being accurately measured and the
facts presented from month to month to
those interested in such details
The very rapid growth in the commerce
OF the Great Lakes which has been meas
ured only at one or two points, and that
IN fTagmentary way has for many years
suggested the Importance of some method
by which the details of this enormous
commerce could be measured and the ship
ments 10 and from each of the great ports
OF these lakes recorded. For several years
the War Department official at the Sault
Ste. Marie Canal has made an accurate
record of the shipments through that pa
SaSe#ay which connects Lake Superior
with the lower lakes. and statements have
been made from time to time OF the tom
mage of vessels passing that point. But
aside from this no definite informa tion oas
been had regarding tho commerce OF the
lakes as whole, or of the business Of the
various ports in the various articles en-
tering into the business OF that great
highway Of commerce which connects the
producing with the manufacturing and con-
suming sections of our country.
In 1899 the matter was seriously taken
up blythe Bureau of Statistics OF the Treas
ury Department and a system devised by
which this information could be obtained
showing the receipts and shipments OF eY-
cry port in all of the important articles
entering into the commerce of the lakes,
and at the beginning OF the present season
this system was put into operation and is
proving effective aud satisfactory TO all in
teresjS.
The statistics Just compiled, and which
form part of the July Summary OF Com
merce and Finance - show that during the
month of July 5.3S5 vessels arrived al the
thirty-seyen principal ports on the Great
Lakes. and from the opening of navigation
up to August /, the total number OF arri-
walls was 1871. The proportion of the wa
ter transportation interests of some Of the
cities on the Great Lakes is also strikingly
illustrated For instance there entered
the port Of Chicago during the month OF
July /, ,l6S vessels, or an average of 30 per
day. From the opening of navigation in
April up to August ! the vessel arrivals al
Chicago ggregated 3.51S. In the July rec
ord Cleveland ranked next to Chicago
there having been 533 arrivals during the
INTERIM Dut Tor the season to date both
Milwaukee and Buffalo outciass Cleveland
the total arrivals at Milwaukee beng J. J9s
and at Buffalo l,355 as compared with
1886 arrivals at Cleveland. The port OF
Detroit was entered by 275 vessels during
July, and there We're 944 arrivals al Du-
luth, Wis, and 439 at West Superior
Mich. her sister city at the head of the
Lakes.
There has been considerable discussion
OF late of the report that the railroads
were taking from the Lake carriers 8
greater proportion OF Northwestern grain
shipments than ever before Il would APP
pear. however, from the latest statistic.
that the inroads are less serious than sup
posed. The receipts of breadstuffs a the
principal ports on the Lakes are as fol.
lows: