The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-19
BAKER WHACks THE
GREAT LAKES
TOWNS co.
Detroit Wrecker Says Concern Takes
Only the Snaps, Leaving the mo
Cure, No Pay" Jobs To the
Independents.
ellis OF Undertaking the Alleged
Trust and Then Being Euchered
Out Of Work.

Some highly interesting sidelight'
the wrecking business of the Great
lakes, as conducted by the Grea'
kakes Towing Co, otherwise known
b the towing trust. and their com
btitors, the Independents, were re
ealed by the testimony OF Capt, Har
Is w. Baker, of the Harris w Baker
frecking Co, of Detroit, when the
king of testimony in the govern
tents suit TO put the aiiegeu trust out
/ business was resumed, Saturday
Forming.
Capt. Baker and Capt James Reid
SO of Detroit, are the best known
reckers on the lakes. outside of the
beat Lakes concern. Both have had
periences with the trust that have
Jade them feel exceedingly bitter to
lard il, and. when his ire had been
roused by Attorney Harvey u. Goul
pr. on cross-eXamination. Capt. Baker
Id the corporation lawyer in plain
rms just what he thought Of trust
ethods Capt. Reid occupied a seal
pse To the stand and occasionally
iached his fellow wrecker. The
bnors Of the morning We're decided
in the governments favor
THE Great Lakes Co. gets all the
cam; all we get is the skim-milk,
clared Baker. III il wasn't for the
% cure. no pay plan wouldn't get
Kything TO DO. The Great Lakes
lows take the easy jobs, the snaps
d get paid for their work by the day
neither they succeed in raising the
bats or not. With us smaller fry, it's
pferent. We have to take the chances
d so We get all the tough nuts. We
I our jobs from the underwriters
ter the Great Lakes company has
Men the boats up. With our facil.
les and our brains, we can trim any.
dy that comes TO town when IL
mes to wrecking boats. The only
ing We can't do is To rule the
eather, but We usually get the boats
ten We get a chance to so after
EN-
Capt. Baker explained that. under
no cure, no pay plan the wreck
) are paid for their work only on
ndition that they raise the boats
ID deliver them to the owners. Thus
wreckers nave to take all the
ances, while, under the other plan
Ferred to. the wreckers are literally
Id and take no chances at all. Ref
ence was made in the testimony 10
b wreck Of the steamer Richardson
year ago, just outside the Buffalo
eakwater. Baker now has this job
the mo cure, no pay plan He
S spent $4,000 on the job already
ii has not succeeded in raising hor.
will renew work on the vessel as
Z/pn as the ice gets a little thicker
HI declares he will get her this time.
Have you ever bid in competition
th the Great Lakes Towing Coz
Ipt. Baker was asked by United
ates Attorney Day, on direct exam
htion.
Yes" replied the witness in Il
inner that gave promise Of storm.
lie then told of the sinking of the
rye Martha in Lake St. Clair, elght
10 years ago. Harry Coulby came
from Cleveland, IA representative
the owners, and asked for bids on
Using of the vessel. Several were
In and Bakers Was found to be
lowest by good margin.
fThen Coulby tried to back up on
proposition" the captain went on
e says to me, Now. there is a good
bl of money involved here. Can
give bond to guarantee the de
cry of this boat to Der owners at
raine?' | told him | was not in the
hiding business. that | was a wreck
but | did tell him that | would
Re him a bond to put the Martha
one of the docks here in Detroit
hin six days. That's all right. Get
Ady to go TO work Coulby says.
de an appointment to meet him the
KIT morning. was down at 80 aud
Found that they already had The
bat Lake tugs working on the job
n the Great Lakes Co. After that
kept away from EN- as far rs
hid. would have had one of the
Et wreckng outfits TO be found any
ere If il hadn't been for those fel
VS."
Don't you know that the Martha
cost the owners less than your
?" asked Attorney Gouider on
discrimination
I'm bet my neck il cost four times
price retorted Baker tlaring up
nd II took EN- six weeks to get hel
the docks. The Great Lakes Co. is
In business for its health. Don't
get that
Nr. Day. for the government. tried
show by the witness that Mr.. Coul
was prominently connected Will
towing trust at that time. Capt
xer could not swear that he was
his own knowledge but added:
I understood he was the whole
ng IN the Great Lakes
Mr.. Goulder insisted that Mr.. Coul
came here on that occasion as rep
entative of the owners, and as
n received the bids.
N an effort To show thar independ
tug men have successfully com
ed against the Great axes TOWN.
In this part. Mr. Goulder cited the