Evening star., 1928-11-13
LAKE SHIPMENTS
INCREASE SHOWN
Freight Movement Thus Far
This Season Has Broken
All Records.

Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, November IS. With
about months traffic still possible be-
fore ice closes the waterways, the freight
movement on the Great Lakes has ex-
ceeded all previous records for the sea-
son so far. A new record seems GER
tain to be established by close of actual
navigation. 1t is sure at least that the
iron ore and wheat tonnages will sur
pass those Of any previous years
The entire Lake Erie ore feet still
remains on the lakes. In the season
up to November l shipments of the raw
red ore have exceeded 48,500,000 tons
and total of 56000,000 or more for
the season is forecast. The wheat
movement for November / totals 267,-
O82,5O0 bushels, gain of nearly Co.
5000 bushels as compared with 1927,
and the total movement through the
Sault Ste Marie promises to be AGO.
100000.
Depend on Weather.
Shipping men watch the weather
with an eagle eye. There are cargoes
awaiting them which would tax their
capacity for three months and they
hesitate to send vessels into Winter
quarters until the last possible dollar
has been earned. In the past taking
of such risks has sometimes been fatal.
It is not only on the ocean that marine
risks are taken and vessels lost like
the Vestris Fifty-five vessels have
been lost in the late season since 1905
on Lake Superior alone. Six steamers
sank in 1927 and 25 vessels were ice
bound in the st. Marys River
The last "tripperS" gamble their
1;vNr raef o0ly
Frost and BoreaS, since for the late
trips insurance companies will not ac-
cept the risks. In order to minimize
the risks the Canadian government has
recommended that all vessels carrying
grain from the Canadian head of the
lakes leave by December 5. The Sault
locks close December IA and the nearer
that time approaches, the higher cargS
rates rise.
Production of iron ore was very
low in the Spring, but is now being
rushed fast, totaling 6,543,952 tons in
october. Early this year there were
heavy stocks on the Lake Erie docks.
These have melted away under activity
of the steel mills, and mining operations
on the Minnesota ranges have had to
be expanded.
This was accomplished this year
without the addition of many men to
the pay rolls. Electric shovels were
installed in many properties. Eff
cheney in the industry has reached the
point where consumer in Pennsyl-
vania may order 10000 tons by wire
and have the ore mined and delivered
at Lake Erie ports in 10 days. This
has been development necessary to
keep pace with the trend toward hand
to-mouth buying by customers.
Investments in Plants.
About four -sevenths of all the iron
ore mined in the United States comes
from the Minnesota ranges. About a
third of this output is treated before
shipment by crushing, washing, sinter-
ing or screening to eliminate payment
of freight charges on waste material.
This is due to the fact that mining
operations are gradually getting into
the lower grade ores which cannot be
shipped as mined. Large investments
have gone into crushing and washing
plants in recent years. More than 49,
100000 tons this year went through
some "benefication" process before it
was dumped into the holds of the ore
carriers.
The value of the iron ore shipped
out Of Minnesota in 1927 was put
roughly at $90,000,000. Much Of the
production now comes from open pit
mines where steam or electric shovels
are used Few of the open pit mines
can be operated through the Winter,
since thawing is necessary and this is
expensive. Many of the shaft mines
will work throughout the Winter, how
ever. The profits of the various ore
companies are hard to estimate since
many of them are subsidiaries of steel
concerns, but it is believed they will
be higher than for some years because
Of the heavy production.