The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-09-23
PENNSYLVANIA IS
AFTER LAKE TRADE
anstalls Gigantic Ore Hand
ling Plant at Cleveland
Reclaim 43 Acres.

The latest step in that remarhabl,
development of transportation ON the
Great Lakes which has made then
the largest freight route in the world
carrying nearly half the worlds out
put OF iron. has just been announced
by the Pennsylvania railroad. Con
tracts nave been let and work started
on a gigantic ore handling plant at
Cleveland. Ohio.
Between the three largest ore ports
IN the world Cleveland, Ashtabula,
and Conneaut-there has been a keen
rivalry for some time, with one city
ahead one year and another the next.
sAshtabula received push to the front
when the Pennsylvania and Lake
Shore roads spent $7,00O,OOO in improv-
ing It's harbor, thereby doubling its
capacity and making ii accessible to
vessels OF the largest draft which had
aitherto been unable to enter.
BY the opening of navigation in
I9l2. the time called for in the con-
tract for the completion Of the new un.
loader. Cleveland will have facilities
Tor handling ore on a larger scale than
has been attained up to the present
time. The plant will be located on the
lake front a short distance from the
onouth OF the Cuyahoga River.
1t Is expected that this will handle
Two large carriers a day, or from 25.-
600 to 10000 tons. Its four unloaders
are to be equipped with 17-ton bus
Xets. The largest in use at the pres
ent time hold Is tons. The capacity
OF the weighing carry will be so tons,
which Is 10 tons greater than that of
any previously built. and that of the
receiving hopper will be IS tons. The
motor equipment will be heavier and
the speed Of operation higher than on
anything yet attempted.
Provisions have been made not only
Tor unloading the largest carriers now
In existence. but also for those of
greater width and draft that may be
built In the future.
In connection with this improve
ment an arear of 43 acres is being re-
claimed by filling in between the Gov.
eminent harbor line and the shore.
Ihis Will provide a frontage on the
lake Of about 1000 feet. The work
includes the construction of a rein.
forced concrete dock 1000 feet In
length; foundations for ore handling
machinery; 15-ton ore bridge: a
power house OF 1900 kilo-watts capa.
city; hauling system for handling
cars under the machines; a yard de-
v4lopment for loaded and empty cars.
and an under grade crossing OF the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern
The great strides recently made by
me IRON industry In the lake country 1
almost beyond comprehension, and &
he Pennsylvania has been constant. {
y making improvements to keep pace {
With them. In one year 100000 900 tons
u ore were taken through the De. Il
roit river. From the ore fields, where
team shovels that scoop up from four
o eight tons at time are constant
lifting their giant arms, each one Z
ltgging from 1000 to 5000 tons q day.
'ver 800 vessels are engaged in this ,
raffic. They can transport more than '
100000 tons in a single trip, and t
all of 1t goes to Erie ports r
o make rail connections. In year G
hese boats burn In the neighborhood G
4 100000 tons of coal, or enought to a
leat every home in greater New York n
or the same length of time. n
Stupendous as are the operations on n
he scene where the ugly wealth" v
being taken from the ground, the liz
aechanism for handling cargoes at the a
eceiving end Is even more astonish- n
az. The vessel is run under a huge v
machine that thrusts steel 8
rms down into 20 or more matches. u
nd the cargo is emptied with a rap O
1ity that seems little short of mir. n
culous. The record for one boat that Il
ischarged 1914 tons at the Pennsyl. Il
ania's docks in three hours and for n
minutes. gives an idea OF the speed II
lat has already been developed But Ii
18th the completion of the Pennsyl- IL
Ania's new plant at Cleveland, rec n
rds like this will cease to be cause t.
Or wonder in this country where el
len think In millions of tons. N,