The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-13
NORWOOD FINDS
An INSPIRATION.
~ @. ow,.d Docks. Furnishes :
SHINING example for Other
cities.
u.rFR OUTLET NEEDED D p
I q. wl.hout such ! Gateway Has
~ !, Uncertain Future, Expert
on Terminals
Declares.
rRv Irving G. Norwood

rpv irving G. Norwood
r oRLEANS, Sept. live
~ had Nav orleans in the middle OF
no no night and when, early n sne 1 ,nr :
y, ~ rs stepped out on the dock ioI :
,n ast ,aronnd, the Steel City Wfs lyinE
l.0 Ssr dock, her fiat bow nosed unner
a. :. no Nth oyerhanging stern OF IT,
lns 80. a,e italian tramp while her stern
t,y q, lay close to the sharp stern q
VIZ. aa,,ally high scandinavian freight.
y y The little Steel City. looked lost
e e, tor,orn in such company
", Tvs an At this early hour there was
,.l,,o and stir all over the, harbor.
r sasr heats we're churning the trugid
a.,.s If the wide and. deep channel;
fnssy and important tugs were scurfy-
mo hack and forth, some with lows
and some without: big black Greek
fre,ghter with her name and nag
Wanted wide on her rusty flank. as
rrrotsction against casual submarine
asssnlt was coaling noisily at q near
hv tfopls and halt a dozen ocean go
Inc nerSrals. all Haunting their names
and flags on their sides, were creep
ing slowly up md down channel.
Alongside a warehouses quarter OF a
mils away lay one Of the United Fruit
c,mpany's fleet slim. white and yacht
ljke-the huge dark GYms OF the
banana conveyors that were emptying
her rapidly and efficiently, sharply
r,arfed against the morning Sky. Out
N m'd-stream. their stacks smokelesc.
With double anchors down at bow and
stern. Law half dozen big Germans.
informed and idle, awaiting the end OF
the war.
New Orleans Is Inspiration.
After week on the idle Missis.
sippi. viewing the unused. rIbblsh-lit-
tered waterfronts of mole-blind cities
ard towns. It was inspirational to
rlim7sc this splendid early mornin 2
view Of the modern. progressive, EN-
cient port of New Orleans.
Favorable first Impressions were
confirmed and amplif'ed by close In
spertion Of mort facilities.
At ten In the morning boarded the
fuo SAMPSON. Official craft OF the Dock
Peard.-f tonr Of the hartor. Pres'-
fent Loeb OF the board was my host
End his intimate knowledge OF every
feature Of the terminal activities at
New Orleans enabled him to answer
rT rapid-fre questions quickly and
accurately. !.
Perhaps I'd better explain to start
with ne remarked as the Sampson
lacked out into the channel, that
New Orleans is not only the second
rort OF the United States In the value
q import and export commodities, but
IS probably the best example In this
country OF governmental ownership
ana operation. applying not only to
Nnarves. but to extensive warehouse
plants, terminal yards and belt rail.
.cads It Is also twosway, port. the
import and export tonna ee being prac.
,'rally equal: the import movement
being As percent and the export move.
manI o. percent OF the total"
How much river frontage does the
uock board control?" ! injured.
Under Control Of Dock Board.
The deveIoped river Ing OF the
naroor,' Mr. Loeb replied. 4"extends
fnproxlmatelv fifteen miles, but there
q. "a miles OF river frontage under
me- NE control Of the port authorities.
ane fivef, In this distance. Is from
u .u,s.. to three-duarters of a mile In
y. S'u IN ana varies in depth from 40 feet
- IVo' Feet at the wharf lines to a
a'imum depth OF 1873 feet In mid
sream The developed harbor has a
, ma.sr area In excess Of seven square
n ,a,,ss The deep water area OF that
u uo.uon OF the river coming within tY1e
MN MIS- OF the port is eleven SQUARE
LIS. na.s Wharves and steel sheds. TO-
.a s.nsr With railroads and warehouse
~ snlnais, may, when the business of
p ,,a nor' warrants It, be extended from
d, s,..sa ia -Hache to Baton Rouge. a
w ,s.ance Of IFS miles. giving a deep
SC ~a.er harbor area OF Approximately
cas- square miles which will be in ex-
the world" o.nr naipor IN
ns this time the Sampson was
cio ea.hlns steadily down stream as
y. Sc as possible to the wharf and
ME- a.ehouse line, which stretched for
--nes anead and which, for the great.