The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-08-17

building TO-, tNmdeni y. j., contracts
for four steamers for Transatlantic ser
vice 10 cost 81. 250.0O0 eaeh. and til,
Maryland Steel c,,. spafrows Point
Md, contracts for two others 10 cost j
similar sum. The Boston stenmshir
Co., new organization. also exhibits =
like bravery aud hns two vessels under
construction Tor the foreign trade Thes,
vessels are built IN the distinct hop,
that congress may grant some assist
anee 10 foreign-trade shipping. Tn,
shipping bill was defeated in the last
congress by filibustering ia the United
States senate. There were votes sui
fici'nt IN both houses 10 pass it II il
could have been put to vote But il
was talked 10 death. a new bill will b,
introduced when congress convenes in
December and is likely 10 pass Govern.
ment support iudiciously applied, would
restore the American merchant marine
TO the high seas much sooner thnn il
viii come Of it's own accord
/ venture Of FAR reaching influence at.
tempted on The creat lakes is worthy Of
record II is the opening 81 the All.
water route from the great lakes TO
Europe, via the Canadian canals along
the ST. Lawrence river. A. matter Of
historical record it mas be noted that
although a few small craft made the
passage from the lakes TO Euro can
ports years ago, the first vessel %
utilize these enlarged Canadian canals as
a commercial highway between the great
lakes and Europe was the British steam
er Monkshayeu, when in October last it
carried a cargo of steel from Conneaut
on Lake Erie 10 Avonmouth, England.
This vessel had been employed by the
Clergue water power interests at Sault
ste. Marie and was returning to Great
Britain for tie winter when Mr. Car
negie seized the opportunity 10 send
some steel abroad by that route The
vessel would have returned to England
anyhow. but her trip constituted, never
theless, the first use 81 the eanuls ii il
commercial sense Since tten the North
western steamship GO 81 Chicago has
opened regular service Oh this route
aud rs four steamships, bpiltat Chicago
Inst winter have each made Il trip
abroad The dimensions Of the locks
81 the Canadian canals are 30 n
length by - f. Width They permita
draueht q - fl The vessels 81 the
Northwestern steamship coare 256h
long over an Az It beam and 2Gl I'll
depth 81 bold which regarded rs the
regulation Canadian caua .ize Tie
eompnny expresses itself a. satisfied
Will tie results 81 its enterprise. Tie
importance 81 thi, waterway, however,
must not De cithar nagoided normin.
imizet L occupies definite held,
though q limited one, owing to the re-
striction in size. The completion 81 tile
canals, however, has permitted the lake
ship builders to complete with the coast
ship builders for the construction 81
some types oi vessels ior coastwise
trade. Twelve vessels suited to trans.
atlantic and seaboarcl trade. 81 well as
lake service, were built ON the lakes dur
ing the year ended with July, 1901, aud
the experiment ofbuilding each IN two
parts, two steamers much larger than
the canal locks Is now being tried in
Cleveland These vessels will each be Of
about 1000 ton. capacity when put to-
gether At the seahoard alter being
towed down the Canadian canals 10 see.
tion=.
The year has been one II uuexampled
uctiyity with the ship builders d the
great lakes and they already have III
hand enough orders to insure confined
work ZOE nearly AN the plants for au.
other year. The vessels built during the
year ended with July, and those now
under order, have an aggregate value Of
S1G,32i,ooo. The combined capacity
Of the freight carriers in the list, some
sixty.three Of them, IS 2GG, $50 gross
tons on ! s It. draught
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Their Secret is out.