The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-24

iron coal machinery, brick. cheaper than the highway, both on account or Us low
 CT grades and smoother road, but the
 highway for lighter exports, and Tor lm-
 ports would show up better. provided the same attention is paid to grades anu compensation for curvature in the puilo- ing of the highway as was used when eie railway was built. Grades offer as great resistance in the one case as the othet'
 but the cost of hsulage on short line rali- ways is very largely effected by the load
 Ing and unloading expense. For the high- way the loading expense would be the same as the railroad, the unloading ana load into the boat should be done pN
 the most modern appliances, as the un- loading charge at destination would most
 probably be the same, probably greater by boat than by rail (except to ships Tn harbor), and this again Is a debatapie fe ctor You see the short line railroad haul in connection with water transpor- tation necessitates an additional handlns to that of the all rail shipment. A high- way built strong enough to alloy or use of 40 or 5o-ton trucks might compete on heavy freights with the railway. but there is no question that highway, either ce- ment or brick on the shortest line and with light curves, would successfully com pete with the railway line on all llghter freights and all incoming freights, such as groceries and merchandise, as ar engagements can economically be made to
 load direct to the truck and unload from
 truck to warehouse, and vice versa, thus
 eliminating one handling. Such road built with practically descending grades,
 and this should be attempted.
 Big Ridge to Cross
 The ridge west of the city is 500 feet above the sea and the water in Lake
 Bankhead Is 24 feet elevation. the drop
 heing over 300 feet. This difference
 oh h L ad va n taq of
 great expense in crossing of ravines
 or ridges provided by so doing you
 shorten the distance hauled. On rail-
 roads shortening distance is a contin-
 rous study and one of our railroads in
 the north now allows an expenditure
 of about 2,500, ,00a if by so doing their
 main line is shortened one mile. The
 same principle applies to such road as now Is contemplated. The distance
 of the various lines proposed run from
 l 2 to 33 miles, the two most prominent
 being 12 and 22 miles respectively. Given the same resting grades and
 curvature and same material as a road he'd, the increase in cost of haul on the longer line would be in direct propor- ton to the increased length of line. This is peculiarly the case in the couh- try through which the highway Is pro posed as the longer lines would oc- cupy ridges until forced to descend to
  l river are all at about 300 feet eleNa- l ton a descent of 250 feet will have to l be made and even in first cost the l longer line is more expensive as the top
 covering or wearing surface tusuaiiY l the most expensive part1 would De the l same per mile. Allowing for consider 1 able addition per mile for graduation
 and bridges. in other words, on Ire
 proposition given above, the short lz- 1 mile road at $20,000 per mile would ] cost less than the 22-mile line at $l5,- l 600 per mile and would save forever the
 Il dditional cost of haul on account or
 increased distance.
 1 The maintenance cost on road using heavy motor trucks is factor of great | importance In view of these facts-and | there are still other arguments that could be used-the location of this road
 should be examined carefully and all l factors carefully considered; but II
 seems that the highway properly con-
 structed would be best for the mer-
 chant and small manufactures who has
 only one line of railroad, while the
 railroad would be best for the large.
 heavy shipper provided economical i loading and unloading docks and | wharves are made on the river. How
 ever. we have water transportation and a superb lock within a few miles, and no road to it. except railroad that uOeS not even puDllSn q Scneuule ol llS trains and l am told runs a mixed train out in the afternoon, returning next
 morning. No hotel. livery stable and ioad in one direction only. Lock IT. since the HardaWay railroad has stopped running can only be reached by water. The Taylor ferry road is not direct and parts of 1t too rough for agreeable mo-
 tor driving. The Short Creek road is in
 bad condition and does not reach the q 1 the river; but with the Taylor ferry 1 oad or the Short Creek road could. l with small expense, be made passable, l and this should be done at once to relieve l the present situation. The Porter road l is a fine route, and this could be ex- l tended down the river. giving fine views for miles The building of a first class
 road, as said before, should be care 1 fully considered as to ultimate cost
 as well first cost. but the improve ment of present roads would be of great
 benefit and would answer immediat c
 wants and in no case would be thrown
 away. We all want to go to Lake Bank head and we want to go now, not six
 months or year off7-but now; and the quickest and easiest way this can be done should be done; leaving the more permanent road for after thought, as there is bound to be opposition to any route decided upon from conflicting in- terests and this, to my knowledge causes delay. Give us temporary road quickly. It has been suggested that the Ensley branch be purchased, and from 2 point on 1t near Elbow the grading be widened so as to accommodate a high | way alongside. this might be look ed into but just here I want to gently | break to our board of revenue that the, l would encounter some rock excavation by so doing, and some high embank | l h nf,t f,,lr l cavation is objectionable if the line car
 be shortened and it is often tn.
 cheapest bond issue will be neces
 sary The people will vote for this issu. if properly brought before them an<
 shown that the amount asked for vii : accomplish its object. Respectfully
 yours, J. A. MONTGOMERY