The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-13
Clark and Kendrck Submit Report On
 Best Highway Routes to Warrior River
(COntinued from Page Five)

industrially) on the macadamized DOT lion to some considerable extent and being unquestionably the route on
 which future maintenance cost will
 be a minimum over all others. should it be found advisable to eX- tend the incorporation of Greater Bir- mingham to navigable water on the , Los Angeles plan by means of a con- tinuous strip of land of adequate width | extending from Birmingham to the Warrior river, as is now being strong 1 ly and reasonably urged upon the city and county, while the distance would be greater than by route No. 4, 1t is probable that the country would build up rapidly all along and adjacent to this strip, provided unpopular and linn fting municipal restrictions were not | placed upon developments bordering on this extended municipality. ?. The construction cost of this route per mile will be less than by route No. 4.
 3. The terminal facilitates offered by ! it on the Warrior river are by far the very best available at any point on either river both in respect to the eco homie and adequate construction Of necessary wharfage for all present and future requirements, from the fact that three distinct points on the river may be reached if desired so as to
 
 three loading points. Two of these terminals would be located on the main river, which is here both wide and deep under ideal conditions and all barge or transportation lines operat ing to points above on both rivers
 must of necessity pass these wharfs without added mileage with conse- quent probable benefits as to possible
 rates and facilities for loading which is absolutely material to the success of such water shipments as are here contemplated.
 4. The 12 miles of macadam road in- cluded in this route is of such char acter that it can be temporarily used | for truck haul without rebuilding, re- quiring only the immediate building Of 12.5 miles of new road if it is consid- cred best to try out the question of rate adjustments and the proven cost Of truck haul practically, together with the actual amounts of freights offer ing and found available for trans shipment to and from this district by by this means, before the further and added expense of a paved roadway IS authorized or considered justified.
 WILL BE BUILT UP B. As an addition to the present system of county roads demanded by present conditions irrespective of future expec- ancy from water shipments, this line IS important and valuable, and Will De pullt up with resultant benefits to the county in increased land values and tax returns. Against the adoption of this line there is the fact that the topography or the country traversed forces it to enter the district at a point south of the indus l trial and tonnage centers, thereby neces- sitating (except from Bessemer, to which | it is very favorable) an average added haul on all tonnage originating north of the Ensley point of departure above de fined
 Ill this factor must be considered, first, the additional cost of this added ton-mile haul with it's bearing on the number or trips per day possible of d truck; ana second, the question of whether the dis tance from Birmingham to the river more or less by this amount Will nave any bearing on the naming Of all water rates, on which point there seems to be as yet no authentic or reliable informa- ton incorporation to the river bank probably removing this last-named factor from consideration.
 WILLIAM ROUTE The "Wylam line' or route A.: Distance from Avenue and Nineteenth street Ensley, to the mouth of Fish | Trap branch on the Locust Fork, 1S.5 miles,
 Length of frst-class chert macadam | road completed and temporarily avail able a part of this road, AIS miles. 1 Length of new road to be graded, 1875 miles.
 1 Total, 1S.5 miles.
 | Surveys of the macadam portion of this line which may be temporarily used show that the present road may be widened and rebuilt and grades reduced to the required per cent maximum at reason able figure of cost. Two roads are avail ITxrl@ of rl,i nh hox a been surveyed and are feasible), from the end of the macadam where the new road starts, which is at a point in the Wylam- Mulga road at its crossing with the Ensley Southern railroad at or near Mulga.
 In favor of this route are the follow ing considerations: l. The distance from the Ensley ter
 minus to, the river via this route is six
 miles shorter than by route No. ?, or 1S.5 1 miles, which is the minimum distance that the river may be reached by any feasible line from Birmingham. with con- sequent advantages as to haul. ?. The saving in distance may be of pos sible effect on the naming of river rates, which is not, however, as yet determined,
 and which would be probably done away with by extended incorporation as above suggested.
 3. It reaches the district at point more nearly central to industrial and tonnage centers with consequent benefits by reas- on of shorter lateral haul from points of lorigin of a large part of such tonnage. | 4. Being, generally speaking, very near Fly in a direct line from Birmingham to Cordova and Jasper, its construction may form part of desirable future road be- tween these points by means of diverg- ing line near the river crossing the same on a bridge at some feasible point. ITS DISADVANTAGES Against this line are the following facts:
 1. The only available river terminus is unfavorable. being located on nar- row branch of the main river almost at the present head of navigation, thereby requiring all transportation lines. except such as may originate from this partic- ular point, to make additional mileage to reach it with consequent and probable unfavorable rate adjustments. Wharfage at the necessary terminal will be diff