The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-07-14
On Terminals
Report by Committee of Engineers Appointed Dy
Mississippi Valley Terminal League
No. a

. rail traffic exclusively, and twice as
: much track space should be prov1deo
per foot OF length OF dock ior the
through freight terminal as Tor Inc
local freight terminal.
4 THE warehouse should be OF ohe
same construction and general pro-
vision for security and protection as
i the warehouse for local freight; built
substantially, proof against ordinary
/ theft and of fireproof or fre-resisting
| materials; fire walls may be provid-
! ed at regular intervals. Protection
should be given against weather. per-
hitting handling of freight during
ordinary rain or snow from ware
] house TO car and also from warehouse
or car to vessel, possibly only by re-
| movable canvass coverings. The IN
| terror OF the warehouse should be
free from posts. il possible. and clear
. height should be such as to allow OF
high piling of freight. possibly even
on second floor of warehouse. Ware
house should be well lighted and
should have connection for fire hose.
Doors should be numerous, ample IN
size and lift vertically. Loading and
unloading platforms should be pro-
vided for inbound and 7 outbound
freight.
Storage capacity need be provtd-
ed for only SO per cent OF the capac-
ity Of the largest vessels handled at
the dock, or half the capacity OF the
warehouse of local freight terminal,
as all freight Is handled from car TO
vessel, or vessel to car. and ware
house room need be provided for only
25 per cent Of such inbound and %
per cent Of such outbound freight as
is held in storage as an accOmmOda-
ton to either boat line or shipper.
"The terminal should be so located
as to facilitate deliveries. The dis
lance OF this terminal from the busi-
ness center OF the town is unimport-
ant. 1t would be advantageous to To-
cate a through terminal outside the
switching radius OF a large city In or
der to avoid high switching absorb
ton, unless the city insures lowest
terminal charges by public belt rail
way service.
There should be ample depths OF
water at all stages OF the river to ac-
commodate craft OF the greatest prob
able draft. The terminal might be To-
Gated at steep bank with good rock
foundations. insuring a low cost OF
construction Ample provision should
be made for moortng vessels.
THE terminals can be located
where real estate values are low and
where railroads can provide cheaply
for switching and storage tracks.
Railroad tracks should be placed as
close to the face of the dock as pos
sible
Terminals for handling coal, lum-
Der, ore or grain, should be built as
! separate terminals, with q view to
the lowest possible handling cost and
lowest possible wharfage charges.
"TermlnaI for Industrial or Local
and Commercial or Through FREIGHT
This terminal should be provided
with rail and wagon connection. ar
ranged so as to consider equally
wagon and rail delivery. Warehouse
storage capacity ought to be provided
for at least 70 per cent OF the ca
pacity OF the largest vessel handled
at the terminal. or q capacity of five
to six tons. or 400 to 48O cubic feet, or
40 to 4S square feet per Eneal foot OF
dock; permitting the storing OF l,4OO
to 1900 tons of freight of 25 pounds
per cubic foot at q terminal having
a warehouse ESQ feet long.
There may be an advantage IN
segregating local and through freight,
but as a general rule, no provision
need be made for any segregation,
and all freight should be handled with
view to quick handling from vessel
to car or warehouse and from ware
house or car to vessel
"a wagon approach separate from
rail connection should be provided.
but il the railroad track is running a!
the water side of the warehouse. as
well as at the shore side, the wagon
delivery can be made at this back
platform and the rail service can De
| Interrupted to accommodate tine
wagon service.
THE location of this warehouse IS
determined by the local freight con.
stderation, but not to the extent as II
/ 1t were a terminal for local freight ex'
| clusively. This combination termin-
al can be located a mile further
away from the business center OF the
town. IL easy level grades and easy
approaches connect 1t with the city
| canfaro