The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-03-28
As TO PROBABLE FREIGHT RATES.

The shipping season is now close at
hand, hence the following excerpt as to
the seasons prospects will make yalu
able reading:
AT this time year ago men were ut
work in all parts Of the great lakes get
ting ships in readiness tomove upon an
nouncement that the Straits Of Macki-
nav We're free Of ice as all arrange
ments have been made for very active
season at freights highly profitable for
the vessels. Thus far nothing has been
done towards preparing vessels for the
coming season as conditions are the
opposite Of what they We're Il year ago,
and even if the question Of freights was
settled it seems almost impossible to
avoid labor troubles in some lines
Everything still points to delay, and Il
light movement of freight i'll the early
part of the season Some progress has
been made, however, during the past
few days With the scope of the United
States Steel corporation settled, move
has been made towards fixing prices of
ore for the interests that are not pro-
ducers of their own raw material, and
it is expected that the Bessemer Ore
association will make an announcement
on this score within the coming week.
1t is fortunate for the ore interests that
the steel combination caused delay, as
the advance in pig iron, and other con
ditionS that have arisen Of late have
all tended to strengthen the ore situa-
ton.
Representatives Of lougshoremen en-
ployed on the ore and coal docks Of Lake
Erie have been in conference with the
dock managers, and it is expected that
they will conclude an agreement with
the close Of the present week. The
workmens' representatives. started IN
with a demand for Il ten instead of II |
twelve hour day, and with schedule Of |
wages even higher than last year.
They asked, for instance, for l5s cents
A. = ,hovpling charge for unloading iron
ore, rs against II cents last season. IT.
is understood that the demand for Il
shorter day has been abandoned, and II
Is the general opinion that in the final
compromise the shOveing charge for
ore will be l3 cents, as compared with
the l4-ceut charge of last season, with
the coal shoyeliug schedule and day
labor charges cut down in proportion
] to the Slight reduction for ore shoveIing
/ The railroads hauling coal from the
| West Virginia and Pittsburg districts to
Lake Erie ports have nadea small reduc-
/ ton in rates and it i expected that prices
! of coal which will soon be announced
will he somewhat lower than they were
! Il wear ago. but the reduction in steam
/ boat fuel will not be sufficient To cut
much Of figure in operating expenses
! therefore that the ships are TO be con
/ frouted with costs very little below
! those of last year and the additional
disadvantage of about 6O0O0uO tons
more capacity than last year.
Furthermore, it is quite probable
that a strike in the Anthracite coal
region will cut ont this branch Of the
lake trade for long period and there
are no signs Of grain movement from
the head o. Lake Superior while the
/ shipments from Chicago are not eXpec-
ted to equal IN average season. For all
these reasons the owners of ships, aside
from those that have business on account
of ore or railroad connections, are idle
and have made no move towards meet
ing the engineers strike or any other
condition that they may encounter
when the time has finally arrived for
starting their vessels.