The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-01-29
Dry Docks and Railroad Or
ders in Conflict
Illinois Central Fears That Pressure
on TrestIe ON River Will En-
danger Property.
HIGH WATER CAUSES TROUBLE

lduu biCSoiS d"l atc Mhti9 W Noilt y
a test of suprefwcy from the friction
that has arisel between the Illinoi
Central railroad and the Paducal
Dry Docks company over the tyinl
of the latter company's floating prop
erty to the formers ttestie on Firs
street.
The rise in the river naturally hai
brought all river craft which remair
permanently along the river front
much nearer to the top Of the wharf
The dry docks and several small Graf
belonging to the company have beer
raised by the rising river uptil they
are against and in some instances
over the trestDe 81 the Illinois Cen
trail.
Yesterday the taflroad. company as
a precautionary measure, notified the
dry docks company to remove It's
floating property back from the tres
tie. The same order has been given
to all other barse and boat owners
along the trestle, as 1t was feared
their humping against 1t and resting
on it might damage the trestle.
Capt. Young Taylor, of the dry
docks, asserts that In the present
stage of the river 1t is impossible for
him to move the dry docks back from
the trestge. and that it is the only
thing to which he can tie up without
running a line across the trestle to
some fixed object beyond the Western
District warehouse. A line above
the water across the trestle probably
would be as troublesome to the rail-
road as tying to the trestle.
Apparently there is no way to pull
the docks back from the trestle until
the river falls sufficiently TO place
them lower than the trestle, which
at this point makes a decline TO JEFF
ferson street and then up to First
street. Captain Taylor thinks the
trest.e is too low at this point.
On the other hand, with water all
around the trestle, the heavy strain
from the docks and other craft bump
ing against it and being tied to IL,
is thought by the railroad to be dam
gerous to the safety of the trestle for
traffic. If the dry docks are pushed
out farther into the river, access to
them would be difficult.
Some coal cars were let down the
trest.e toward Jefferson street this
morning alongside of the dry docks
until the water was above the trucks.
With the exception of some RATS
used to make AN avenue of access and
egress to the dry docks. these cars
would not strike any part of the
docks or other boats near the trestle,
If they were pushed on into First
street. But the heavy swells sent in
30 the shore by passing steamboats,,
the railroad thinks easily could carry
a boat up to the trestie or across it,
and in that event, the cars would
strike the obstruction with probably
damage to life and property.
Traffic over the trestle will not be
resumed until the river falls more,
and probably not until 1t falls enough
to permit an inspection of the trestle
where 1t has been submerged. Speak
ing of the difference of opinions over
the situation, Capt Young Taylor, SUI
perintendent of the Paducah Dry
Docks company. said this morning:
Statement of Position.
1--WE have a 90 year lease on the
river front we occupy. We are not
responsible for the rise in the river
which raised our property up to their
trestle and we are going to stay here
until the falling river takes us down.
/ have marine law on my side and
believe my position will be sustained
in any court. At any rate we will be
on hand every day to keep up our
side Of the question. The trestle at
this point is too low, anyhow. The
railroad company can be made to
raise It's trestle like 1t ought to be
and then boats would not get over
the trestle when the river gets as high
as 1t is now"
J. T. Donovan, agent OF the IBli-
nols Central. In giving the railroad
side of the controversy said:
"Mr. Taylor was notified yesterday
to move his property back from the
trestle purely as a precautionary
measure. The trestle may be greatly
damaged by the heavy barges bump
Ing into It AN other rifst property
Owners along the treaife shave COM
piled with the order and we did not