The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-06-26

twice that figure. This will give an idea
OF the growth that has attended the lake
traffic. The season of navigation runs
from some time In April or May. when
the channels connecting the lakes are un-
locked by the northern advance OF the
summer sun to early December. when
the winter storms make navigation 80
hazardous that insurance ceases and own
ers must send their vessels out at their
own risk or not at all. little later the
canals and rivers and harbors are Ice
locked, and the season Is over.
The growth Of the lake traffic has been
made possible by the wisdom OF the gov
eminent In appropriating funds sufficient
to dredge out a waterway, from Duluth
to Lake Erie. more than 20 feet deep.
This has involved the expenditure OF i'm
mense sums, but In cheapened freight Ii
has all been returned to the people many
fold.
From Lake Superior the loaded steam
er. perhaps. conducting a tow.barge. pro-
ceeds over well-defned and chartered
courses direct to the ore-receivtng ports
on Lake Erie, such as Cleveland, Con-
neaut. Lorain and Ashtabula. o. Through
the canal ut Sault Ste. Marie, where
locking Is necessary for the only time on
the voyage. into st. Narys River. and
then out upon the broad expanse of Lake
Huron goes the cargo Of yellow dirt
that Is wanted In Pittsburg to be made
into implements Of use. Next comes beau
tiful Detroit River. Lake St Clair and
the st. Clair Flats. and then Lake Erie.
the last stage in the journey. Occasional
cargoes are diverted at the Sault through
the Straits Of Mackinac into Lake Michi-
gan and thence to Chicago.
Though In the summer seasons the lake
voyage Is commonly mild and uneventful.
In the spring and fall violent storms
often occur, and navigation Is attended
by perils as great rs those or the salty
deep. Last November a terrific snow.
storm. accompanied by heavy gales. arose
on Lake Superior, and before 1t was
ended a dozen wrecks strewed the shore.
and one vessel had foundered In midlake.
carrying 10 souls into eternity. One large
ore-carrying vessel missed the ship canal
Mt Duluth and was driven on the beach
within 500 feet Of the houses on shore.
There 1t broke In two, and nine men who
were caught aft. where the heaviest
seas broke, persisted miserably. while
| thousands of anxious watchers on shore,
| almost within reach. looked on In impo-
| tent horror.
At the Lake Erie receiving port again
| the marvellous mechanism that man has
| invented to save himself work comes into
| play. The vessel 10 placed under a tre-
mendous unloading machine, perfected to
| such an extent that the entire cargo ID
taken out without human aid. Two such
| machines will take 5000 tons of ore from
| a vessel In Eve or six hours. loading IL
upon cars waiting to take 1t away to
| the smelters. Other unloading machines.
not so up to date. simply send large
buckets into the hold of the vessel. which
men must load by hand.
Lake navigation, like water navigation
| everywhere. Is Infinitely cheaper than
rail traffic. The entire charge against
iron ore from the time 1t leaves the most
inaccessible mines on the most distant
Lake Superior range until 1t Is In cars
or on stock pile at some Lake Erie port
is less than $3.50 per gross ton, and this
includes three landings, more than 100
miles OF rail haul and 1000 miles of
water transportation. The charges for
| the winter haul are not much more than
half the cost of carrying 1t 100 miles By
rail, from mine to dock.