The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-19
THIRTY DAYS AHEAD
Lake Season Will Be of Unprece-
denied Length.
A SURPLUS OF SHIPPING LIKELY
Boats VIII BE Running to Erie Ports
by April Labor In Il Sat
fsfied Mood.

Special to The Journal.
Duluth, Mimi, March 19.-The opening
or navigation on the upper Great Lakes
Will be earlier than has ever been known.
ships Will be plying between Duluth and
Lake Erie ports by April l. The usual
date is month later and last year there
was a very little lake business done be-
fore June. the extra delay then being the
result Of a strike among marine en-
gineers. u.
An opening of navigation on the lakes
thirty days ahead Of the usual time means
an addition TO the capacity Of the lake
fleet amounting to at least IL per cent.
1t will be % per cent above the capacity
OF last year, providing there are no more
ships and as great delay at eastern I'M
loading ports. But there will be ships
in addition to the fleet Of a year ago ca
pable Of moving from the head of Lake
Superior to the foot Of Lake Erie about
5000, 900 tons. These are the product of
lake shipyards during the winter The in
crease by the length of season over a
year ago will take care of every ton OF
additional Iron ore expected to be car
ried down lakes this season, leaving all
the new ships to go into some other line
of trade. There are few other lines of
trade that can absorb much extra ton
mage this year. The shipment of corn
from Lake Michigan this year will be In
finitesinlal compared to last year, and the
ten to fifteen million bushels additional
grain to go forward out of Lake Superior
will not make UP the deficiency. But
there will be few hundred thousand tons
more coal and more package freight than
ever There may be a surplus of ship
ping.
Smash in Rates Coming.
The eastern trunk line railways are
now holding their proportion OF the grain
rate from Duluth to New York, lake and
rail, at 5.4 cents a bushel This is o
of a cent higher than the corresponding
rate a year ago and is lis cents higher
than the rate last June. It is safe to
predict a smash in these rates when the
season opens, especially as there will not
be the controlling influence Of pool and
commissioner as last year.
The vessel owners have demanded ~
cents a gross ton freight on iron ore
from Duluth and common points TO Lake
Erie for the season and have succeeded in
charterirg 1900. 900 tons at that rate and
are gradually getting more. But the
United States Steel Corporation, which
alone needs 1900, 900 tons Of outside Ves-
sci room, has steadily refused to charter
at that price and demands rate Genus
less It announces that 1t will stay out
OF the season contract market II it can
not get what it wants. The rate last
year was 80 cents and the indications are
that the steel corporation Will make
few cents on every ton it refuses to con-
tract at 80 cents for this year.
AS to Coal Freights.
Coal rates up lake are not fixed, though
a figure Of from so to 60 cents is expected
from Lake Erie to Chicago and MllWau-
kee This will make the rate from Lake
Erie to Duluth about 35 cents. 1t IS
probable, however, they will get down 10
80 cents during the summer.
Last year there was moved into and out
of Lake Superior a total Of %, 400 900 tons
of freight valued at 29O,00OO0O. Tx
pectations are that the volume TINS year
will be at least 10000 tons greater and
the value will mount above three hundred
million dollars On the other hand the
volume Of traffic out of Lake Michigan
will decline.
No Labor Troubles.
This year there will be no labor dis
turbances along the lakes either now or
later Not only are the engineers ana
CAPTAINS signed for the season, but at
most all large ports arrangements lot TIE
full season have been completed between
the freight moving companies and the
lonsshoremen, the lumber showers, tne
dock wallcaers and all other marine Ia
bor These arrangements include the
hours of work and the price to be palo,
and are with the controlling unions OF
every organization. That they will be ad-
tbnr lie n