The Detroit times., 1914-01-22
LAKE CARRIERS
HAD PROSPEROUS
SEASON IN 1913
(ConlInuea LOU rase -onel.

chinery everywhere worked with
clock-like precision fak' interests
In general are 10 be con sraWlated on
the very efficient way in which the
problems ur -bu1K freight handling
have been solved
Up 20 November, II was the conf.
dent belief that the underwriters. not
withstanding the reduction In premi-
Nm, would enjoy the most profitable
year IN their experience ON the lakes
Up tc that time. casualties had been
lew aud unlmpOrtant However. fate
ordained that the second week OF 30.
Vcm0cr should mark the greatest dis.
aster IN lake history. The storm was
cyclonlc IN character che waves run
ming one way and the wind blowing
another The beaches on both tnt
east aud west shores OF Lake Huron
wete destroyed for hundreds OF feet
pack OF the normal shore line. and
when the storm subsidized it was found
that eight staunch ships. representing
The best OF American. Canadian
British shlpyard practice. had totally
'uisappeared on this lake, and thai
two of them had disappeared on Lake
superior with a total loss OF 235 lives
Six vessels became constructive losses
by either being thrown on the beach
or being pounded by heavy seas.
Twenty modern carriers stranded
lhe binding gale entailing heavy re.
pair bills. Practically every vessel
that was out In the storm found a
visit to the shlpyard necessary for
repairs to deck houses"
Further in his report. President
I itrif
vessels totally lost at S2,332 600 CON
structiye total losses. cargoes. $1,000
GOO aggregate loss. S4.7S2 geA---
THE lesson Of the storm will not
be lost continued Mr. Livingstone.
10 had not been thought possible
hitherto that bulk freighter, with
It's great fiat bottom. could be forced
10 turn turtle, bat some unknown
combination Of circumstances certain
ly caused the Charles S. Price TO do
SO. How this could possible Ae-ac--
ccmplished may be fathomed by those
competent to investigate the subject.
The whole subject viii undoubtedly
be Investigated 10 determine whether
modification Of structure or increase
OF power in our larger vessels is nee
essary.
Some disposition has been shown
TO blame the weather bureau. but
the Weather huEp.44-E4e,4.atA4I+- could
not have given more adequate warn
ing than IL did. There is no reason
10 believe that the weather bureau
could have fOresecn the incredible ma
ture OF the storm on Lake Huron, with
the. unexpected shift in the direction
Of the wind However, II might be
well to- consider some more specific
designation of degrees In storms. POS
sibly II the numerical system were
adopted, whereby the p44+e4ty- an
approaching storm is expressed by
mineral, it might Indicate more clear
~ what might be expected than does
the present system"
Mr. Livingstone pointed out that
While only four bulk freighteVs were
added TO the lakes fleet during 1913
there were rs removed. by loss and
sales. Nevertheless, the tonnage han,
died was greater than ever before.
Regarding the seamans blu, Mr.
Livingstone said:
Vessel interests In general are now
confronted by another measure OF an
extremely pernicious character. This
measure, which has already passed
the senate, is known as the Wilson.
LaFollette seaman's bill, and was IN
spired by Andrew Furuseth. Of the
International Seamans union. II pro-
yides that life boats 70 accommodate
all passengers and crew should be
carried on all steamers, Irrespective
OF the waters on which they ply, and
that every lifeboat shall have two
able seamen assigned to IT, To be an
able seaman, one must have served
three years IN the deck department
or deep sea vessel, or a vessel ply
ing the great lakes Men who have
served on Chesapeake bay, Delaware
bay Long Island sound and similar
waters would not be regarded as able
seamen and would not be eligible un.
der THIS bill Everyone who Is al all
familiar with the sea knows that the
ALE seaman as formerly understood
no longer exists. His place Is taken
by deck hands and rust cleaners.
Every department of the ship mans
the life boat nowadays and the men
handiest with pair OF oars are as
likely to come from the stokehold as
from the deck. THIS measure Is TO be
considered by the committee on mer-
chant marine OF the house, during
the present month
If passed 1t will work great in
Justice TO both passenger and freight
steamers in the United States, and
in addition Will also work great hard
ship on foreign vessels trading with
the United STATES, as 1t legallzes de-
sertion OF crews"
Mr. LIVINGSTONE outlined the efforts
made by members OF the association
TO convince congress that the bill Is
iniQuitOus
A large part OF the report was tax
en- mp with a description OF changes
that have been made in the channels,
harbOrs and lights OF the lakes
About $50 vesselmen. representing
every important steamship line on
the great lakes, were present when
President Livingstone called the
Lake Carriers association TO order at
IL o'clock.
There was great difficulty In as
sembling the meeting, for the cap
tains gathered IN the lobby and ex-
changed "reminiscences, and ~ was
hard TO make them get down to bus
mess
A feature OF especial interest 10
the vesselmen was the exhibit OF
model OF an S-foot boat IN which
Capt ole Brede sailed across the At 1
lantic It Is proposed to use this
ship as life-boat. 1t is especially
recommended for the use OF freight