The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-28
MILLIONS
IN ULTIMATE PLANS
FOR WARRIOR RIVER
Wood Replies to Tuscaloosa
Proposition Outlining Flu
ture Development Plans
For Terminals

Reolying to he proposition Of the Tus-
caloosa Roard CT Trade. that the Port Of
Birmingham be located between Tusca-
loosa and Holt, Chief Engineer Charles f.
Wood of the Warrior river development
comnittee intimates that future develop
ments at the rort will involve an invest
ment of several million dollars.
The terminals that are to be built at
Short Creek, ne states are temporary, tho
permanent port to be further down the
river Where there is greater area of level
land end conditions generally are more
favorable.
MIR. Wood yesterday addressed letter
to tho secretary of the Board of Trads
of Tuscaloosa in reply to that organiza-
tons suggestion that the Birmingham
port be located between Tuscaloosa and
Holt In his letter Mr.. Wood says:
Birmingham, November "a, 1919.
MIR. Woolsey Sinnell, Secretary Tusca-
loosa Board OF Trade, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
MY Dear Mr. Finnell: l have read with
interest your letter of November "a, sug-
costing a location for the Port of Birming-
ham between Holt and Tuscaloosa.
ADVANTAGES IN LOCATION
Il can apprecis te that there are advan-
tages at the location named, but they are
not such as would lead us to change our
general plans, which are to locate and
build q temporary port at the Ensley
Southern crossing or the Lost Fork OF the
Warrior, and then to prepare plans for
an extensive terminal and when the ousi-
ness justifies 1t to extend the rails to the
river below the forks, where there is
ample level land and deep water for real
port.
1T IS the expectation that the eventual
development of the Port of birmingham
will involve an expenditure of from 5000
900 to 5000, 900. and will include double
track railroad between the city and the
port with the necessary classification
yards the large warehouses and the sheds
and yards and other storage facilities and
a complete arrangement of specialized
equipment for handling a heavy traffic.
The plan also contemplates the extern
sion OF the city to include within the cor
porate limits a strip of territory reaching
the river so that Birmingham itself viii
be located on deep water just as is Los
Angeles, since it absorbed the port of san
Pedro or the Pacific 20 miles away.
ARGUMENT NOT SOUND
THE argument as to the delivery or
freight from the location proposed by You
to birmingham before the boat could get
through Lock II is not sound. logical
deduction therefi ON would lead to the
conclusion that the further down the river
the port is located the quicker the delivery
and it's last analysis would make the
transfer to the rails at Mobile and eiiini-
nate entirely the Port of Birmingham.
This would De a reductio ad absurdum.
for the railroads are not now delivering
freight between Mobile and Birmingham
within the time taken by the barges In
making the trip, and both time and money
will be saved by the shipment on the
barge lire to point on the river opposite
Birmingham. Even now both economies
cannot be effected on shipments via T'ls-
caloosa.
1--WE appreciate your interest in the
proposition and also your efforts to coop
crate with us and I assure you that we
will DE glad to reciprocate in every posi-
BILE way to assist in the development OF
the Port of Tuscaloosa and to help secure
for 1t the joint rail and water rates and
any other aid which will enable you to
handle o large tonnage in the territory
| logically tributary to your city
| Il regret that did not take time to dis
| cuss some of these matters with you While
was in Tuscaloosa recently, However,
| the next time | come down | viii make II
| a point to call on you Yours very truly,
CHARLES F. WOOD,
Chief Engineer.