The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-09-05
SOUTHERN AWARDS CONTRACT
WORK ON COAL PIER TO HE(;IN
AT CHARLESTON WITHIN
NEXT TWO WEEKS
10 Build Cp-tO-datc Plant Which
Will Have Capacity to Deliver Coal
to Vessels ut Rate of 1000 Tons Per
Hour,

washington. Sept. BY the mid
die or this month work will begin on
the new Southern Railway docks at
Charleston. Quickly following Pres
ident HarrisOn's recent announcement
the Southern has awarded contract
Tor the construction of modern coal
dock facilities, which will enable the
virginia and Southwestern Railway
company and the Southern Railway
Company to handle coal at the port of
Charleston.
A large amount of material for the
dock has been purchased and the
actual construction of the work will
be commenced in about two weeks. 1t
Is expected that it will take the ma
chinery manufacturers about six
months to complete their work, and,
therefore. the plant should be in op-
Grafton in the early part of next
spring.
The dock will he constructed on
property which has been acquired on
the Cooper River, north of Belvi-
dere Creek, containing about 12O
acres with more than 1000 feet of
river front, having depth of water
adequate for all requirements. The
physical plans adopted are the re-
suit of careful investigation and ex-
pertinent on this property by compe-
tent engineers who have specialized in
such problems and the management
Ia going ahead with the physical con-
struction on the basis of their reports.
The contract has been awarded to
the Wellman-Seaver-Mo Morgan company
OF Cleveland. Ohio, for the construc-
ton of the coal handling machinery.
The terminal will be equipped with
the latest appliances, so vessels can
he loaded with maximum speed.
With a view of determining the best
equipment Of reliability, for careful
handling to reduce breakage, and 70,
rapidity of loading, the Southern Rail-
way company has had made exhaust.
we studies of methods of handling
coal, and has finally adopted n design
for the plant which it is believed will
he more than adequate in every way.
N nj tr Incfu
to deliver coal to the vessels ut the
rate Of not less than two thousand
tons per hour in the best possible con-
dition. The facilities will he of suHi-
ciont capacity to load vessels Of the
largest type. a single unit will now
be constructed: but the plans have
been so arranged that as the business
develops. the facilities can be enlarg-
ed so as to meet the needs Of the ad =
ditional traffic.
There will he movable loading
tower, which will travel the full
length Of the dock and q movable car
bumper which will travel three hun
dred feet. This bumper will he de-
signed for dumping coal from all
types of open top railway cars into n
receiving hopper on the coal loading
tower. The car bumper will be
mounted on wheels designed to travel
along the runway, this runway being
elevated obOvo tho f1ooI, nm . .no.;o ,
trestle system. intermediate between
the runways Of the car bumper will
be standard gauge railroad track
over five thousand feet in length for
bringing cars to the plant and ample
yard tracks are also provided. which
will facilitate the rapid handling of
the loaded and empty cars. The car
bumper proper travels over this stan