New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-31

, The almost evenly balanced distribution OF
land and water around and about the city
and the contours of the shores OF the bay
(more especially it's western shore, where,
for twenty-five miles. to Alabama Port-a
bold promontory extending 10 within tilne
over four miles Of the lower feet anchor
, age with its forty feet or more OF water
the land under water is OF hard sand. reach
ing we'll out into the harborl offer oppor-
tnrites unequalled except perhaps by those
of New York, for the establishment of
terminals almost without number. The
deep. bold creeks and rivers. with depths
ranging from eighteen feet to forty fee'
and mere. that divide the mainland above
and below the city. such as Chicahasaw,
Three Mile and One Mile creeks at Its
northern limits, and the Dog. Fowl and
Deer rivers, on the south, and the many
| similar waterways above and opposite the
| city that separate the numerous well wood
I'd islands with the same thoroughness az
do it's streets a well laid out town would
a ford convenient access To those terminals
| by the water highways. while it would be
no difficult or expensive engineering feat
TO connect them with those of the land
! thus rendering them as available for the
service OF land as Of river and ocean high
was
AprOpOs OF the foregoing remarks con-
corning the estern shore of Mobile Bay MI.
Charles q. Ollnger. who, from the nature
Of ms employment and because of his vast
! experience in dock construction and termi-
nal work generally and in the dredging OF
and ,banrelS m he considered
/ an authority. and to whom the writer Is
| indebted for much Of the information con-
tanned in the preceding paragraph, believes
| that if the 100000 already expended on
/ the twenty-three-foO channel hereinafter
| described had had t30C0,V0 more added 10
| ii the sum would have suffced &c have dug
a thirty-foOt channel along this west shore
| in hard bottom: and that the cost or It's
maintenance would have been almost moth
| ing because If the sand taken from this
channel were deposited on the eastern SIDE
of Il. II would have made breakwatel
that would have kept out the mud from
the bay and made the channel practically
an inland canal
lie thinks too. that IL such a channel
is ever built the only limit to Mobiles ex-
pansion will be the Gulf of Mexico, because,
in that case. there would he succession
of slips between the present city and Ala
bama Port. Those slips would practically
| end" he explains, at the channel, where
as, from the projected twcnty-seven-foot
channel they would he some five miles
away. and each dock owner would have 10
dredGe out to It," The channel he suggests
on this western shore would go off TO the
bar at a tangent from Alabama Port"
1t is the writer's opinion that this chan
mel will be built for world trade will re-
quire these docks and slips in time.
Mr.. Charles c. Olinger is at present
secretary. treasurer and general manager
of the Home Dredging Company. one OF
the most prominent dredging, contracting
and land reclamation companies in the
South Mr. Ollinger can well he num-
bered among the Gulf City's most solid
and progressive business men. While as
yet comparatively young man, he has
several notable achievements in the con-
tracing line 10 look back upon with pride
He was born in Bagdad. Fla and came TO
Mobile in 1891, where ne has since made
his home.
At the time of his coming to Mobile
he. in connection with his father. brought
TO this city several sections Of small 1Oat-
ing drydocks. these being the first OF
their kind ever installed in this city. Mr.
Ollnger. ever progressive and on the out
look for modern improvements. saw the
possibilities Of large floating drydock
for Mobile and he conceived, designed and
built. at cost Of over $4,000, the
present large and powerful box dock now
known as Pinto Docks. This is one Of the
largest floating docks south of Newport
News. Va, and is marvel Of con-
structional skill.
All of the actual work Of construction
was done under Mr. Ollngers personal
! supervision.
II was while engaged on the construc-
| ton of this dock that the possibilities OF
dredging and general construction COM
pany dawned upon Mr.. Ollinger: with his
usual progressiveness. the plan was nc
sooner thought Of than it was put intC
| effect 1t is true the company made
| very modest beginning, commencing life
! with only small clam shell dredge; this
| was in 1903. Now, just eight years later
| this company has one of the latest bes
| equipped modern plants in Southern wa
| tiers. consisting of three up-to-dat'
| dredges. all large and powerful-one Of
! them, in fact. having the largest hull 81
any dredge in Southern waters. Besides
| the dredges, it has a complete equipment
| Of tugs. scOws, barges and pile driving
plants for use both on land and water
| in fact, it controls a plant capable oil
| handling the largest jobs that are let il
| this territory. This plant is the result Of
| eight years successful operation Of tn,
| Home Dredging Company under Mr.. Ollin
gers direction.
This company during its career has
| completed some very noteworthy con
tracts both in dredging and dock building
| having recently finished the new and ex.
| tensive Mobile & Ohio docks at Mobile
| also reconstructed nearly a half mile OF
docks for the City of Mobile, put in the
docks for the Texas Company terminals
| and successfully carried out several large
government contracts. 1t is now engaged
upon two government contracts-one. the
| Improvement Of the harbOr at Savannah
| Ga, the other the dredging of . turning
! basin and deepening of The channel al
| Mobile After the completion OF this
! present work II will go on the under.
water work Of the Improvements at Ala
! bsma Port. where the large new docks
| and terminals are TO be built, and OF TN.
reclamation OF the lake shore front al
| West End, New Orleans
Nh Ollinger, in addition to his other in
| terests. is director in the Mobile West
Shore Traction Company, and was one OF
| the foremost movers in the organization
Of this company lie is also the organ
| izer and heaviest owner in the Fowl River
Land Development Company, which
| owns large tracts of farm land along the
western shore Of Mobile Bay and along
| the banks OF Fowl River. In the southern