The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-06-29
Openinu the Warrior.

The signing of the rivers and har-
bors bill which carries an appropria-
ton for three locks in the Warrior, to-
gether with the following dispatch,
should recall the Warrior improve
mont and the need of It:
New York, June 21.-Italy may be the
next European country to try American
coal as substitute for the English prod
net Signor lingo Pizzotti, United States
consul at Turin, Italy, who is now in
this country, is said to be negotiating for
the delivery of 4000 900 tons of bitumin-
Gus coal for export to italy 1t probably
VIII como from Alabama, though the
Cape Breton coal has also been cons'd-
cred by him.
The whole world almost needs coal,
and when Alabama coal can be laid
down at he sea at prices that forbid
competition, then indeed the posi-
bilities of this district and the value
of the Warrior improvement will be-
come manifest.
In the April number of the Proceed
ings of the American Society of Civil
Engineers. R. C. McCalla presents in
an excellent paper, carefully illustrat-
ed, the work done and to be done in
the Tombigbee and Warrior. He
shows that the distance from Mobile
to the junction of Mulberry and Lo-
Gust Forks abreast of Birmingham is
4OS miles and the total fall at low wa
ter to be overcome by locks il 214.5
feet.
In order to give an year-round
depth of six feet there are to be built
twenty locks and dams, with total
lift of 230 feet, the upper lock and the
dam raising the low water surface
about 15.5 feet at the junction of Null
berry and Locust Forks. These locks
are to have So feet clear width with
MINIMUM depths of 61a feet on the
inter sells and feet in the lock cham
bers. Three of these locks are in the
Tombigbee, six in the Warrior, and
eleven in the Black Warrior, as the
river is called above the wagon bridge
at Tuscaloosa.
Lock No. /, in the Tombigbee, Is
located Ill miles above Mobile, and
is partly completed. In the Warrior
work is progressing on Locks Nos. A,
and 6. and they will be completed
this year. In the Black Warrior three
locks have been completed, and
fourth lock will be completed this
year. In all eight locks have or soon
will be built, and the appropriation
that Messrs Underwood and Bankhead
have just secured will add three more
eleven in all-leaving nine more to
be provided for in order to give six
foot navigation all the year from Mo-
bile to the railroad bridges and the
center of this district.
Mr.. McCalla's paper fills 81 pages of
the magazine, and 1t is full of interest
ing facts concerning the great i'm
provement which will cost about $5,-
100000. Great as the cost is it will
be repaid in cheapened transporta-
ton of coal and iron to the sea from
this district When the lock system
is completed Mr.. McCalla says the &C.
tual cost of transportation of such
heavy materials as coal and iron
should not exceed 20 cents per short
ton. This tells the whole story, and
Messrs Underwood and Bankhead are
patiently year by year doing their best
to carry this story into actual accom-
plishment An appropriation of less
than two million by the next Con-
gress would open the Warrior and
complete this great national under
taking. 1t may be voted, but If the
next Congress will not do all this, 1t
will do half of it, and it's successor will
add the remainder. An open Warrior
is assured. 1t is almost within sight.