During the past year the amount of total losses has been light, not greater, probably, than the number of vessels built, so that although the classification is slightly changed, there is no material change so far as concerns the aggregate tonnage. Detroit owns, therefore, nearly one-sixth of the entire tonnage of the lakes.
As a matter of some interest we present a comparative statement showing the tonnage, steam, and total, of a number of the more important maritime places in the country, taken from the report of the Register of the Treasury on Commerce and Navigation:
| Steam tonnage. | Total tonnage. | |
| New York | 118,638 | 1,432,705 |
| New Orleans | 70,072 | 210,411 |
| Philadelphia | 22,892 | 219,851 |
| Baltimore | 18,821 | 194,488 |
| Pittsburg | 42,474 | 56,824 |
| Cincinnati | 23,136 | 26,541 |
| Chicago | 8,151 | 67,001 |
| St. Louis | 55,515 | 61,266 |
| Boston | 9,452 | 448,896 |
| Buffalo | 42,640 | 73,478 |
| Detroit | 35,266 | 62,485 |
| Charleston, S. C. | 8,230 | 60,196 |
The following exhibits the number and tonnage of vessels owned in this district—nearly all of them in this city—on the 31st of December, 1859:
| Number | Tons. | 95ths | |
| Steamers | 73 | 29,175 | 02 |
| Propellers | 32 | 6,090 | 81 |
| Barks | 4 | 1,337 | 08 |
| Brigs | 7 | 1,877 | 75 |
| Schooners | 131 | 19,671 | 56 |
| Scows and all others | 136 | 4,322 | 68 |
| —— | ——— | — | |
| Total | 383 | 62,485 | 05 |
| In 1857 | 301 | 52,991 | 50 |
| —— | ——— | — | |
| Increase in two years | 82 | 9,493 | 50 |
The following was the aggregate tonnage of the lakes in December 1858:
| American. | ||||
| 69 | Side-wheel steamers register | tons | 44,562 | |
| 110 | Propellers | do. | 45,562 | |
| 70 | Tugs (propellers) | do. | 6,880 | |
| 46 | Barks | do. | 18,788 | |
| 79 | Brigs | do. | 22,558 | |
| 711 | Schooners | do. | 166,725 | |
| 109 | Scows | do. | 11,848 | |
| —— | do. | ———— | ||
| 1194 | Total | 316,923 | ||
| Canadian. | ||||
| 67 | Side-wheel steamers register | tons | 25,966 | |
| 16 | Propellers | do. | 4,631 | |
| 4 | Tugs (propellers) | do. | 388 | |
| 19 | Barks | do. | 5,697 | |
| 16 | Brigs | do. | 2,988 | |
| 186 | Schooners | do. | 19,311 | |
| 13 | Scows | do. | 609 | |
| —— | do. | ———— | ||
| 321 | Total | 59,580 | ||
The Michigan Central was the first railroad built in the State, and since its completion has been known as one of the best managed in the West. Its beneficial effects to the region of country through which it passes, is incalculable. On its line, have sprung up a number of beautiful towns and villages as if by magic, while many of those that had an existence prior to its construction have grown into flourishing cities. Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Marshall, Battle Creek, Albion, Kalamazoo, Niles, and others that might properly be included, all located upon this road, are beautiful places, noted for their thrift and enterprise as well as for their rapid advances in all that pertains to well-regulated cities. Their commerce is rapidly increasing and the country along the entire route will vie with that traversed by the great thoroughfares of any of the older States along the seaboard.
The Central was commenced and partially built by the State, but in 1844, passed into the possession of the company now owning it, who completed it to Chicago. A telegraph line has been in use for some years past along the entire line of the road, with an office at each station, by which means the exact position of each train may be at all times known at each and every point. To this admirable system may be attributed in a very great degree the extraordinary exemption of the road from serious accidents, while its advantages are very great in every point of view respecting the general management. The eastern terminus of the road being at Detroit, it has the full advantages of the numerous connections at this point, the Great Western and Grand Trunk Railways, the important steamboat route from Cleveland, the lines of Detroit and Buffalo propellers with their immense freight traffic, as well as the numerous other steamboat routes of which our city is the nucleus. At Chicago it has the advantages of connection with all the roads radiating from that flourishing city. Freight is now taken from Chicago to Portland without breaking bulk but once. An important "feeder" is the Joliet Cut-off, by means of which it has a direct connection with St. Louis, via the Chicago, Alton, and St. Louis Railroad. An important arrangement was consummated last summer with the latter road, for the direct transmission of freight between this city and St. Louis. Fifty cars have been diverted to this route, under the name of the "Detroit and St. Louis Through Freight Line." The time between the two cities is thirty-eight hours. The advantages of this line to shippers are very considerable, and the arrangement is adding, and will continue to add, materially to the commerce of our city.
A commendable progressive spirit has latterly been evinced by the managers generally, of our railroads, in the transmission of freight, especially live stock and grain. The improvement is a most grateful one to shippers, who have ordinarily quite enough anxiety and vexation to suffer in the fluctuations of the market and subjection to unlooked for and onerous charges, without having superadded unreasonable exposure and deterioration of their property while en route to market. In this movement the management of the Central has fully sympathized. Their stock and grain cars have received high commendations from those for whose benefit they were intended. The entire equipment of the road is such as to comport with them; the safety, comfort and convenience of the public, being constantly kept in view, regardless of the cost incurred.