Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-06-26
BALDWIN DOCK OPENING
BIG ADVANCE FOR PORT
First Ship Laden to Carry Loco
motives Direct From
Eddystone

The opening today or the immense dock
Of the Baldwin Locomotive Works at Ed.
dystone marks the first step in contem-
plated lower river-front improvements full
Of promise for the future OF Philadelphia as
a shipping cente". These huge plants are
now on a direct Atlantic all-water route
and are served by three railroads Within
a short time connection will be had with
a fourth.
Previously all shipments from Eddy
stone to Europe have been sent TO New
York or Philadelphia by freight and then
placed on board ship. Now all goods will
be loaded at Eddystone directly on to the
ship carrying them across the Atlantic.
owing TO the urgent need of the Allies and
the congested condition Of shipping facll-
ties. the saving Of time and handling thus
effected will be an important one
This new dock is situated at the mouth
Of Crum creek, small stream flowing
through the property Of the Baldwin Loco
motive Works, It's site, formerly marsh
land, has been reclaimed at great cost.
Hundreds of thousands Of cubic feet were
required to hll IL in to its present level.
II has been walled up with heavy concrete
walls In front of which thlrty-foot channel
has been dredged
on this dock Is the most modern of cleo
trio cranes, capable of carrying a load of
fIfty tons This is under absolute control
motives as readily as 1t does cases of
shrapnel
At 2 p. m today the first ship was loaded
from this dock. II will carry a cargo of
coal and locomotives to foreign port -Four
of these locomotives were placed aboard
the ship while In ballast The coal was then
loaded on top Of the locomotives, and the
remainder OF the shipment then placed on
the coal. The locomotives are shipped COM
pletely assembled with the exception of tho
wheels.
JUST THE BEGINNING
This dock is but the beginning Of the
development contemplated by the Baldwin
Locomotive Works. according to General
Superintendent Sykes, who has taken for his
slogan, 1.-THE Delware will be the Clyde of
America" II is planned TO divert Crum
creek from its course to one that will bring
II into the Delaware several thousand yards
above its present mouth. To do so 1t will
be necessary to move tho Eddystone Light
house inland and some distance further
north. II is believed that the Government
will readily consent to this
Another huge dock will then be built Just
above the present one. This will more than
double the loading facilities.
Six of the largest ships can now be loaded
at once BY the time the new emergency
merchant marine fleet is in commission II
is planned to have accommodations for
the loading Of fifteen ships. Following the
completion of the second dock, large tract
Of land further upstream will be developed
This is now marsh land.
Running from the dock to the factories
Is a private railway. This connects with
the Chester branch of the Reading Rail-
way the Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Washington Railway. the Baltimore and
Ohio cad the proposed new Industrial
waterfront road of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road, which will parallel the present Read
ing line. Right Of way has been obtained
for this new branch and work will be start
ed on It in the near future, When these
improvements have been completed no fac
tory in the world will have superior shin
ping facilities, and II will no longer he
necessary to divert the output OF these Iargo
factories TO other ports. Philadelphia is
we'll on the way toward being the port II
should be-