The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-07

receive the traffic that is to be hauled over the elevated transfer system. It is proposed that two-story terminal having a frontage of 100 feet, be built north of the 124O-foot municipal shed.
 At this terminal the freight may be re- ceived, checked and assorted.
 This Teller system is an elevated troll ley system. The plans call for double track system, possible of simultaneously moving goods in opposite directions, start ing at the terminal, going back to Front street up to Pier 5, and connecting with Piers 2 g. 4 and D. going west on Lips comb street above and across Commerce and Water streets to Magnolia street, connecting with the present sprinkled warehouses of the Magnolia Compress company. on either side of Lipscomb street; and connecting with the railroad sidetracks on Beauregard and Magnolia streets.
 ENDLESS CHAIN SYSTEM
 The first step of the Teller system con- sists of three connecting sections of end- less chains. The chains are driven by electricity and transmit the moving power to the trolleys. travelling on steel rails, carrying the suspended loads. To these trolleys are automatically attached Va rious styles of containers, suitable to the
 tonnage to be moved, such as grab buck
 cts for bulk materials; slings or racks
 for barrels and bale goods portable plat
 forms for package goods hooks for cot
 ton etc. Provision has been made for all kinds of tonnage.
 The runway is to be covered, thereDN
 giving protection from the clements, and it will be high enough above the ground to meet the requirements of both iallroau
 and street traffic passing beneath me trolley system has the advantages or
 affording protection from bad weather
 conditions; from breakage by loading on trucks and unloading; and, i'll adltlon' it is cheaper and quicker
 The plan has three phases. me hrsC step has been outlined. The secoIia provides for the equipage of the pres ent city she'd which is a large, steel shed without post in it, with hand ling machinery to connect with thls system and to handle tonnage rom
 or to the floor of the city shed ana
 vessels berthing on this front Thls IS
 to be accomplished by the lnstalia- tion of a Gantry crane, which by car rying a section of the trolley system
 in addition to moving goods to yes sells berthing on this front, automat- ically delivers these goods in the city
 shed to any other point on the trolley system.
 The Gantry crane has the ability in connection with the trolley system to take from or place on any part Of the city shed tonnage coming from or destined to any point touched by the trolley system.
 EXTENSION OF SYSTEM The third step is to extend the ele- vated transfer system to the northern limit of the improved water front to the wholesale and distributing plants west of Commerce street; to the local freight stations and yards of the Mobile and Ohio and Southern railroad north of Beauregard street and from the south end of the city shed to the terminals and berthing spaces south of the city shed and to the local depot of the Louisville and Nashville railroad and to its delivery and receiving tracks.
 The financial plan of the system is of a cooperative nature. but has 2 guarantee feature. The city of Mobile l is to grant to the Port of Mobile Ele- vated Transfer System-as the oper- ating company is to be termed-30- year leases for the use of the 100 ! foot terminal and the rights to cross and run over the city streets The ! city, the railroads and che property owners connecting with and using the l system are to contribute to the oper- ating company such amounts as are | necessary to construct the terminal and the main trunk runway, and in proportions for each that the struc- 1 ture rests upon the properties of each | In the company.
 AS PUBLIC UTILITY
 | The operating plans as outlined by l Mir Nesbitt call for the operation o1 the system as a public utility under the management of the Warran Warehouse company. The tariff sched ule and rules are to be approved bA 1 the city commission of Mobile. TC
 cover interest on the investment ant l maintenance of the structures an6 equipment one-third of the gross oper ating revenues is to be paid to the system by the Warrant Warehous, l company. It further guarantees tha T such one-third of the gross revenue: will, after one year of operation, b.
 an amount sufficient to pay per cen
 on the amount invested. It promises t,
 make up any deficiency.
 This plan, having the indorsement 0
 the harbor board made on December 8 with all members present, is beins
 considered seriously. Competent en
 gineers have completed all plans an'
 it is believed that the system will b put into effect during 1917.
 1naSmuch as B1rm1n gham forward thousands of tons of traffic to tn port of Mobile that must be trans
 ferred to ships, the step to make thi
 transfer safe and cheaper has a pc
 culiar local interest. The promoter
 of the venture feel that when tn
 Teller system is operative Mobile vii
 be in position to compete with an.
 southern port and that it will mea much in the development of Alabama The promoters of the new transfe system declare it will be the muc discussed missing link that is needle between coastwise and foreign trad and that destined for interior point of Alabama. The docks are at tn mouth of the Mobile river All traffi that travels on coastwise or foreign yes sells is delivered by steamers at tn piers along the Mobile water iron which is the only improved water iron I in Ala bama The state line steamer l all land at the municipal wharf Th { tonnage of the coastwise or foreig I vessels that is to be transferred to in | terior points in Alabama on the com municating rivers must be remove | from these piers to the city she'd Tn asmuch as this new system afford | q transfer that is safe and economi | cal, it is said that the effect will | highly appreciable.
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