The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-29
CANADIAN PORTS
WITHOUT MASTER
Fort William and Port Ar
thur Neglected by the
Dominion Government.

Fort William, Ont. Nov. a.
Wanted. a harhor MASTER" 1t will
be a surprise to many people to learn
that two such important harbors as
Fort William and Port Arthur are to-
gay without that most essential OFF,
ciaI. a harhor master. Such a ccndt-
tion is hardly conceivable. and yet ii
Is true. and this state of things has
prevailed for over three months. in
n race OF all the proteStations of
certain dominion government officials
as to assisting the grain trade by ii
period Of navigation facilities.
etc.
These harbors had d harbor mas
ter. ana no better a man than Captain
McAllister ever commanded a boat.
For some years before hc accepted
the position of harhor master under
the ate liberal government. he was
captain Of the c. =. Il. steamer Alber-
ia. and vas probably one of the most
popular captains the company has
ever had in its service.
When he took up the work Of har-
Dor master at the head of the lakes.
the sense of responsibility that Ia al
ways SO marked Il characteristic of
men who have had the charge Of
many lives on their hands. He was
thoroughly familiar with every nook
and corner OF the two harbors. knew
Just what was necessary to do in order
that the best possible time he made
in connection with the loading and
unloading Of boats. and under his
ulationS as to moving and docking and
moving out again in proper order had
to he observed. With the very first
indication Of hard weather and the
formation Of ice. he personally super
Nised the tug service. and no tug own
err ever attempted a second time to
merely break the middle of the river
and leave the inshorc ice untoched.
If Captain McAllister caught a tug at
Tered at the moment. and more than
once A tug e gaily up the middle
Of the river. breaking ice that the big
boats could have broken for them
selves. only. on the return trip. to have
the harhor master step aboard and say
genially: Now. boys. YOU have hrok-
on the ice to suit yourselves; We will
hack and you will break 1t to suit
me-" And back again TO the docks
they would have to go and break
everything clean and clear inshore.
Remuneration insufficient.
Five months ago Capt. McAllister.
finding the work Of the harbor in
creasing and feeling the renumera-
ton insufficient for the responsibility.
in his resignation to h minister
marine. at Ottawa. stating why he
did go. He received a request from
the minister to continue the work un-
iii a successor was appointed. He
the work for two months,
could learn nothing Of a successor so
seer that everything was in
the hest condition and repair he made
a report to that effect sent it to OF
and quit he job.
II was not possible to interview
McAllister, but from other
sources it is learned that from that
day to this nothing has been heard
from that report. Certainly no har-
Dor master has been appointed.
Though over three months have pass
since the report was filed with the
Very considerable delay
and inconvience has already occurred.
while the weather has been fine
and conditions If navigation normal.
and some minor matters have gone
Light Buoy Went Out.
The danger Of having no harbor-
master came home the other day. With
Il shock to the shipping trade when
the light buoy went II at the mouth
of Kaministiquia river and the cir
cumstances extremely dangerous as it
a appeared to be nobody's special
business to see after. With ice be-
ginning to form in the river and the
bay the danger will increase every day
as with no proper supervision Of the
ice breaking tugs the harbors may be
days before there is n need
for It..
With the ice not properly broken
along the dock fronts there is more
danger also to both boats and crews.
The slackness Of the department IN
this matter seems objectionable. A
harbormaster appointed now unless he
is a capable local man. and 1t will be
extremely difficult to find a man Of
that calibre willing to act. will be at
a most desperate disadvantage as he
will not know the harbor OF what Is
required in the matter of ice break
ing. One thing he could do. however.
and hat is to see that the lights are
in order and that boats move accord
ing to their order.
Had the appointment been made at
the time hat Capt. McAllister first
asked to he relieved. the new man
would have had time to learn the
harbor. The resignation went in just
oN ~ Sbs vi NV - lOSbt
OF grain. and when things would have
been the easiest for a new officer to
master and get under way for the rush
Of the fall.
Fail u Realize Importance.
Apparently the powers that he at
Ottawa have vet to grasp hat these
are the two greatest inland harbors Of
the British empire. and have tribu-
tary to them one Of the greatest
grain producing areas in the world.
1t might not he a bad idea for
parliament to send the minister Of
marine and the minister Of the in
terror both to the head Of the lakes
for the balance Of open water. Per-
haps n day on the water front here
might open their eyes to the need Of
n harbor master and that right speedi-
~.
Winter Storage.
A number of steel steamers which
do not carry insurance are arranging
to load with coat at Cleveland Decem-
her I and 2, come to Fort William,
discharge. and load with wheat. Four
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