The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-14
OUR LAKE
COMMERCE

The commerce Of the Great Lakes Is making
its highest and most elaborate record in the
year 1900. Not only is the business carried
on the lakes greater during 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 those details
The very rapid growth in the commerce Of the
Great Lakes which has been measured only at
| one or two points, and that in a irlgmcntary
way, has for many years suggested the i'm.
portance of some method by which the details
| OF this enormous commerce could be measured
| and the shipments TO and from each Of the
! great ports Of these lakes recorded. For sew
eral years the war department official at the
sault Sante Marie canal has made an accurate
record OF the shipments through that passage
way which connects Lake superior with the
| lower lakes, and statements have been made
| from time TO time Of the tonnage Of vessels
passing that point. But aside from this no
definite information has been had regarding the
| commerce Of the lakes as a whole or Of the
business OF the various ports in the various ar
| tclcS entering into the business Of that great
| highway Of commerce which connects the pro-
| duclng with the manufacturing ami consuming
sections of our country. In 1899 the matter
was seriously taken up by the bureau Of stats.
| tics Of the treasury department ami a system
devised by which this information could he Oh.
tanned, showing the receipts and shipments Of
| every port in all Of the important articles enter
| ing into the commerce Of the lakes and at the
| beginning Of the present season this system was
| put into operation and is proving effective ard
satisfactory to all interests.
The statistics just compiled and which form
| a part of the July Summary OF Commerce and
| Finance, show that during the month of July
5,3sj vessels arrived at the thirty.Scvcn princi.
| pal ports on tho Great Lakes and from the
opening Of navigation IN 10 Aug. / the total
number Of arrivals was 1901. The proportion
Of the water transportation interests Of some Of
| the cities on the Great Lakes is also srildngly
| illustrated. For instance, there entered the
port Of Chicago during the month of July l les
vessels, or an average Of thrty.sx vessels per
day, From the opening of navigation in April
| to Aug. the vessel arrivals at Chicago aGgre-
gated 3,5ls. In the July record Cleveland ranked
next TO Chicago, there having been i33 arrivals
during the interim, but for the season 10 date
both Milwaukee and Buffalo outcass Cleveland,
the total arrivals at Milwaukee being 1.5)o AMI
at Buffalo 1855, as compared with 1886 arrivals
at Cleveland. The port Of Detroit entered
ly 27j vessels during July and there were 9Il
| arrivals at Duluth, MINI, and 430 at West SUI
pcior, Wis, 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 a greater proportion OF
northwestern grain shipments than ever before.
It would appear, however, from the latest sta
| tistiCs, that the inroadS are less serious than
| supposed. The receipts Of breadStuiFs at the
principal ports on the lakes arc as follows: