Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-12-29
SEVENTY THREE TON LOCOMOTIVES, FULLY
 ASSEMBLED, SHIPPED
Lifting of Censorship Reveals That Four Hundred of These Were Sent Over, Ready for Work.

New York, Dec. 2S.-The shipment of American built steam locomotive weighing each 73 tons and assembled all but the smoke stack and the tender so that they could move away under their own steam within a few hours after their arrival in France was among the accomplishment of the Uni- ted States Army Transport Force un- der stress of war and has been contin- ued.
 More than four hundred of these To- comotives were so shipped from New York in a few months, it was learned here with the lifting fthe war cen sorship regulations, and these were in addition to 1,200 which were shipped in sections-nine to locomotive pack ed in cases. The ships used to trans port the locomotives, complete, were of a special type with three holds, each hold measuring 60 by 102 feet entered by matches 39 feet wide and 42 feet long,
 Into each of the three holds was placed twelve locomotives s-thirty-six to ship. For bed or flooring on (Which they rested for the voyage, was used more than 5000 tons of steel rails. The locomotives when in posi- tion were braced with heavy wooden beams and the space between the boil CTS to the level of the top of the steam pressed baled hay.
 On this hay another flooring was laid, and on this floor was placed the tenders-the smoke stack, with more baled hay or other light cargo, packed ill the space where coal is to be car ried. On top of the tenders was packed still more cargo to the deck level, and during the rush days" the above deck space filled with crated airplanes When completely loaded with the 36 locomotives and other cargo, each ves- sel was carrying a dead weight of 14,- 900 tons in addition to ship machinery, bunker coal and crew supplies.
 The loading of the locomotives is an interesting sight. Steel-railroad bar- ges, carrying fourteen of the steel monsters are made fast alongside a 100-ton capacity floating { derrick barge, in turn made fast to the ship. An ordinary sling of steel wire ,s placed around the forward end of the boilers, another under the supports to the cab, the signal given and the loco- motive lifted forty to fifty feet ill the air, swung owed and gently loaded into the ships hold. The whole operation required but twenty minutes, and 1t was accomplished with the same ease and with the same lack of excitement as prevailed on a steamer at an ad- 0iv,iy, wi tol board 500-pound bales of cotton.
 The idea of shipping locomotives complete was conceived when army transport officers were informed thai England was shipping them across the channel ready to move away on arri- val.
 of England can do it, so can Am erica" an officer said, and he straight way communicated d fleet of ore car rying vessels which were constructed with patches large eno~sh to permit the handling of such freight.
 When the movement was at its height the following time was record ed for the movement of Locomotive from it's builders to it's base of actio! behind the battle lines. Shops to New Jersey terminals "A hours; from raj to barges, six hours; from terminals to ship side, six hours; barge to ship 20 minutes; New York to France nin' days ship to army rail lines and hook ed to transport train pound for thu front, six hours; a total of less tha' twelve days.
 Handling of 73-ton locomotives a 7 if they were but one tenth of thei weight, is only a small part of tn tremendous work that has been unde way at army transport piers since tn United States Transport service at tained full swing.
 Major Dan 'Brien, Marine Director an officer who has wo- his rank b more than twenty years service i'll ev cry big port fthe United States, Cub Mexico, the Philippines where trans
 port facilities of the army were center
 ed is the man who handled the locomo
 tives.