New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-06

Navigation Opens Under MOst
PROMISING Conditions.

Buffalo. May 5.-The opening OF the navigation OF
the great lakes restores OF the greatest chan
nels OF internal traffic In the United States II not
In the entire world. extending from the Atlantic
seaboard to the remotest points of the Northwest.
by way of the Erie Canal from New York 10 Buff
falo through tho chain of great lakes from Buffalo
TO Superior. Duluth and many intermediate points.
and thence westward over numerous railway routes.
Thus each year. from the breaking the ice in the
spring 10 the freezing days OF November. this link
In Il vast system OF exchange-farthest East TO the
farthest West and then back again with Western
grain and other products-is re-established. with
Cleveland. Detroit Chicago. Milwaukee and
merous other points contributing feeders
Tho openng OF navigation this year has been
later than usual. The first two vessels to attempt
the flight through the heavy ice foes on Lake Erie
were caught in the zee jams and were unable TO
proceed up the lake return to port 1t was well
toward the middle of April before the fleet got
into clear water The ice is stin coming down the
lake In huge foes. but there is sufficient clear
water 10 permit vessels to make the trip up the lake
without serious delay
The grain fleets are already on their way from
ore carriers of the United Steel Corporation
carriers were able on April Is to break through The
He IN on ne 81 the and
head OF Lake Superior show unprecedented activ-
Eastern freight and load Western products. the
be record S%s reaa o IS g rio Wis.,
Eastern freight bound for the West. The same re-
entire channel OF the traffic from east to west b
way of the great lakes is again In fun operatioT
Detroit. May 5.--Presdent livingstone. Of the
Lake Carriers Association. when asked to-day as
10 the shipping prospects for the coming year.
said:
think the outlook never better than II is on
the opening of the season of 1907. The magnitude
of the business the lakes during the last five
years IN the distribution OF products between the
East and the West is difficult to realize -Four
ago the first 10000 ton freighter brought
out. II was then experiment But II WAS so
successful that it has revoutonized lake carrying
and practically all of the contracts which are now
crowding the shipyards are for boats of this size
/ am confident of a great Increase in east and
west bound freight this year in all the great
merchandise Last year the total traffic by way OF
the Sault fifty million tons. an increase
OF over million tons from the previous wear
and an increase, twenty million tons in tive
years The opening OF this year indicates a sim
liar ratio of increase In this traffic In addition 10
that through the Sault there vas approximateiv
is 900 900 tons of freight moved 10 and from Chi
cago and other Lake Michigan ports by way of the
OF Mackinaw. and there will be a corre-
makes the total traffic from the upper lakes about
seventy million tons last year, with prospects of
further increase this year.
With new ships coming from the yards as fast
as they can be turned out. and freight abundant
for all of them l foresee for the Great Lakes az
an artery of traffic between the East and West tb
most successful year In their history.
Chicago May with more traffic In sight than
for any previous the opening of navigation,
on the Great Lakes this year was the latest On
record Even ice blocks the way TO some i'm
portant harbors Lake Superior. and seriously
nterferes with the locking OF vessels at SauIt Ste
Marie The great blockade of ships at the head of
Lake Superior. due to the long delay in the open-
ng OF the 500 passage. overcame all the adj :
vantage from the early opening OF the Straits of
Nackinac These delays. by shortening the AAason