The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-03

loosa adopted them and put Mr.. Nico1
T.. charge of the construction, which was
-lshed with all speed consistent with
good work, and taking into consideration
delays incident to war time.
The main part of the equipment for this
Warrior river traffic is a derrick, for the
government engineers solved the problem
of speedy movement of the barges, and
also to a large extent eliminated the
naughty "rouster" who is prone to strike,
at inopportune times and tie the craft
up until additional and extortionate wages
are granted The rouster has gone into
the discord. The scheme now is to have
great steel Containers each one capable
of holding from three to six tons of
freight. Each one can be locked and
routed through. 1t is weather proof,
thief and ratproof. The merchant loads
his shipment in a container on flat
car at his warehouse in Mobile or New
Orleans. consigns it to dealer in Tus-
caloosa, and the freight car is moved to
the waterside. A derrick there lifts it
onto the deck of the barge in less than
| lifts it off in less than one minute onto
a flat car alongside the river. 1t is
/ switched to the merchants back door and
he unloads direct into his warehouse
THE DERRICK ORDERED
So, the first thing was to get a derrick
and good one, capable of lifting freight
car if need be, loaded. Tuscaloosa or
dered her derrick from the American
| Hoist and Derrick company of ST. Paul
| in February, 1918, and it cost $1o,500. The
third as much again. The set of en-
| gines to operate it cost s65O0-a t0x12 Led
gerwood hosting engine, and an indie
pendent swinging engine.
! The mast of the derrick is 115 feet high,
resting upon concrete pier 20 feet high
| and feet square at the top. The stiff
I Leg or brace is las feet in length. The
| boom itself is 100 feet Long. and swings
| in complete radius of 200 feet; and with
! the cables can reach an additional 100
! feet. The derrick is figured to handle an
ordinary capacity per load of not more
! than Is tons. but if necessary can handle
/ % tons at load.
| There is as additional equipment two
yard clam shell bucket for handling coal
and gravel which will handle two tons
of coal at a bite and load freight
car completely with coal in is minutes.
| The concrete pier upon which the great
derrick rests goes down about IL feet
and rests upon II big piles with 20 feet
| penetration, and the arrangement is such
that a, complete circle can be made with
| the boom.
THE WAREHOUSE OF STEEL
| The warehouse rests on tall concrete
piers, which can be seen in the derrick
picture with the hands working on them.
The piers are 70 feet high, thus putting
the warehouse above any known stage
the Warrior river has ever reached. The
structure will be completely freproof.
1t is of steel and bought from the Trus-
con Steel company of Detroit. The first
Iunit, now under construction, is so feet
wide and 100 feet long. The structure
can be contained indefinitely by the addi-
ton of other units, which need only to
be bolted on. There will be switch
tracks on both sides, and the derrick will
reach both sides and inside as well.
The warehouse has progressed greatly
since the pictures were taken, and is now
approaching readiness for occupancy. The
tracks are being graded and in readiness
to be laid on either side of the ware
house, and connection is being made with
the electric car track An electric loco
motive does the switching.
AT THE WATERSlDE
Below the derrick some 40 feet at the