The Detroit times., 1910-12-17
BAKER WHACKs THE
GREAT LAKES
TOWING CO.
Detroit Wrecker Says Concern Takes
Only the Snaps, Leaving the NO
Cure, No Pay" Jobs To the
Independents.
Tells of Undertaking the Alleged
Trust and Then Being Euchered
Out of Work.

Some highly interesting sidelights
ON the wrecking business of the Great
Lakes, as conducted by the Great
Lakes Towing Co., otherwise known
as the towing trust, and their com
petitors, the independents, were re-
vealed by the testimony OF Capt. Har-
ris w. Baker. OF the Harris w. Baker
Wrecking Co., Of Detroit, when the
taking OF testimony in the govern
ment's suit to put the alleged trust out
OF business was resumed, Saturday
morning
Capt Baker and Capt. James Reid,
also Of Detroit, are the best known
wreckers on the lakes, outside OF the
Great Lakes concern. Both have had
experiences with the trust that have
made them feel exceedingly bitter to-
ward 1t, and, when his ire had been
aroused by Attorney Harvey ID. Goul.
der, on cross-examination, Capt. Baker
told the corporation lawyer in plain
terms just what he thought of trust
methods. Capt. Reid occupied a seat
close to the stand and occasionally
coached his fellow wrecker. The
ly In the governments favor.
THE Great Lakes Co. gets all the
cream; all we get is the skim-milk,"
declared Baker IF IL wasn't for the
no cure, no pay plan | wouldn't get
anything to do. The Great Lakes
fellows take the easy jobs. the snaps,
and get paid for their work by the day
whether they succeed in raising the
boats or not. With us smaller fry, it's
different. We have to take the chances
and so we get all the tough nuts We
get our jobs from the underwriters
after the Great Lakes company has
given the boats up. With our facil-
tiles and our brains, we can trim any
body that comes to town when Il
4 comes to wrecking boats. The only
thing We can't do is to rule the
weather, but we usually get the boats
when We get a chance TO go after
them"
Capt. Baker explained that, under
the mo cure, no pay" plan the wreck
ers are paid for their work only on
condition that they raise the boats
and deliver them to the owners. Thus
the wreckers nave to take all the
chances, while, under the other plan
referred to, the wreckers are literally
paid and take no chances at ALL Ref
erence was made in the testimony TO
the wreck OF the steamer Richardson
year ago, just outside the Buffalo
breakwater. Baker now has this job
on the mo cure, no pay" plan. He
has spent $4,000 on the job already
and has not succeeded In raising her.
| He will renew work on the vessel as
soon as the ice gets little thicker
and declares he will get her this time.
Have you ever bid in competition
with the Great Lakes Towing Coz"
Capt Baker was asked by United
| States Attorney Day, on direct exam
| nation.
Yes" replied the witness In
manner that gave promise OF a storm.
He then told of the sinking OF the
barge Martha In Lake st. Clair. eight
or 10 years ago. Harry Coulby came
on from Cleveland, as representative
OF the owners, and asked for bids on
raising OF the vessel Several were
put in and Bakers was found to be
the lowest by good margin.
Then Coulby tried to back up on
the proposition" the captain went on.
He says to me, Now, there is a good
deal of money involved here. Can
you give a bond to guarantee the de-
| livery of this boat to her owners at
Loraine?' told him ! was not in the
bonding business; that | was a wreck
er, but | did tell him that ] would
give him bond 10 put the Gartha
at one OF the docks here in Detroit
within six days. That's all right. Get
ready TO 20 TO work, Coulby says.
made an appointment TO meet him the
next morning. J was down at 1880 and