The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-04-18
'BARGESYSTEM
OF ERIE CANAL
UNDER CONTROL.
Freight Tie-ups Alienation is
Plan of Railroad Adminis-
tratiOn g.. .~
..... .Fg -s
FLEET IS. ORDERED BUILT
&. A. Tomlinson, Of Duluth, Dir.
ectOr; First Inland Water
way Controlled.
FLEET IS. ORDERED BUILT

Washington, y. g., April l7.-Urec'
tor General McAdOo tonight ordered
that the Erie and New York state
barge canal system be taken over by
the railroad administration, and that
a feet OK barges be constructed i'm
mcdiatcly and operated Under the d.
rection OF G. A. Tomlinson OF Duluth
Minn., to relieve freight traffic.
This IL the first inland waterway
whose operation under the railroad ad
ministration has been definitely de-
cided upon as a result OF the extern
Slyc investigation maCo ny the com
mttee on inland waterways OF the
railroad administration. Within few
weeks, however. the director general
is expected TO order several other can
al systems and navigable rivers, in
Guiding the Chesapeake t. Ohio canal
The Black Warrior river in Alabama
and several Atlantic coast waterways
used actively by the railroad admins
tratlon 70 relieve traffic on the rail
lines.
Construction OF barges within two
or three months and their intensive
planned. investigation now is being
made OF the practicability Of the con
crete barges which, 1t Is said, can be
built quickly and cheaply.
EnIarges Facilities.
"'rke bargea," the announcement;
continued, "wiIl he OF modern con
struction OF tho most improved type
and win be operated In conjunction
with and as part OF the general
railroad and waterways transportation
system OF the country under the COZ
trol OF the director general Of rail
roads. This will insure the complete
coordination OF the Erie canal fzci;i-
ties with the railroad facilities and ii
3 hoped will greatly enlarge shs
available transportation facilities
throughout eastern territory
20. A. TomlingOn Of Duluth. MINI, Il
man OF large practical experience In
lake navigation, has been appointed
general manager OF the Erie canal
operations. including the construction
OF barges and equipment. Under gov,
srnment control OF the railroads and
the canal there can be diverted to the
canal all Of the traffic that can he
handled 10 TIC beet advantage by vat
or and the canal be made In The high
est dcgrecs gerviccable in the present
situation" ''.<
500 Steel Baroes Coming.
Several hundred steel barges OF
about 100 tons each will be ordered
INN ediatcly from construction comp
anies on the great lakes, and the
FIRST OF these probably can be complet-
ed in five or six weeks. Each will
cost about 100000, Most Of the old
equipment will not be used TO. any
great extent.
The canal system, running from
Buffalo to Waterford, near Troy, on
The Hudson river. Is capable u curry
Ing about lO,00o,G1D tons Of freight
n season. and probably half Of that
amount will be hauled this year. Grain
from Buffalo and coal from Ithaca and
Watkins, N. T., viii be the principal
commodities transported. Grain will
move through the canal and down the
HundsOn river 10 New York, where It
will be taken largely NY the food ad'
mlnlstraton'B grain corporation for
storage and trnns.shipmcnt TO Europe.
Coal viii be carried from Troy and
other upper Hudson terminals by rail
TO New England.