Omaha daily bee., 1921-05-20
Charleston Soon
ToBeOne of Most
: ), Important Ports
Construction of Modern Coal
Handling Machinery and Oil
Refineries Develops Sea-
Going Commerce.
BY HOLLAND.

Q Fairfax IldlIlSUii, plSsluCHl OF
the Southern Railway company, is TO
be given the credit for the construc-
ton OF the unsurpassed modern coal
handling facilities at Charleston, S. G.
President Harrison long ago had full
realization OF the advantages and
facilities which Charleston offered for
the development OF ocean going COM
nerce. These facilities had been
neglected. Now full advantage is
taken OF them by the erection of a
great refining plant by the Standard
Dill company OF New Jersey and by
he coal handling facilities which re-
1ect the foresight and energy OF
President Harrison.
When Norman B. Ream and his
associates built the Clinchheld rail-
road to make available the extensive
coal deposits in the Clinchheld dis
trict they contemplated building
large terminals at Charleston. In
TACT the Clinchiield company did buy
ground at Charleston, but that pur
chase was all that now represents
their plans for very large coal
handling facilities at Charleston.
The Clinchfeld railroad was not en-
tended beyond Spartanburg. Presi-
dent Harrison had established ade-
quate railway connections at Spartan
burg and this made it possible, even
expedient, for the Southern Railway
company to handle all the Clinchfeld
coal brought TO Charleston ior ex-
port.
Cost seeo,oeo.
The terminals which President Hsrri-
son caused 10 be erected at Charleston
eost approximately 5000, 900, To-day the
be somewhat in excess of s1,ooo,ooe.
What this undertaking means 10 Char
lesion q port and to the United States
latest figures that tell OF coal exports
from this port. For in the year 1920, near
ly $4,000 tous OF cargo ana bunker coal
the coloquial name for the apparatus by |
which the coal Is moved from the cars F..
10 the ships. To-day vessels controlled by /
The United States shipping board and |
large amounts. Almost all of this coal |
has been and Is stl exported TO con- |
tinental ports and even. TO ports on the |
Mediterranean and also 10 South America /
and the West Indies.
An army port terminal has been estab- I
lished by the government at Charleston !
900, oo0, The port terminal has now been /
Leased from the government by the Char |
lesion Port Terminal Inc., and 1t is to be
used for general commercial purposes.
What Government Did. |
The Governments was not parsimonious /
after having decided TO establish govern
nrent terminal facilities at Charleston,
They cost millions, but they are well I
worth Ihs moasy These reosns are new hy 70 he pc
Charleston Port Terminal, Inc. The ofti-
GERS and directors OF this corpora ton are
men OF high business standing in south
Carolina When The contract was made
with the United States war department |
il wsa stipulated that the Charleston
Port Terminals corporation should be per,
warehouse facilities which are situated
rpoa the shore OF ths Cooper river, eisht |
miles from Charleston harbof, with oo
oorn1loLatc five steamers at ohe time.
Charleston COW possesses steamship
8 ry.ce high is not surpassed py any
othos port upon the south Atlantic. Inc
export coal terminal at Charleston makes
certuin q very large traffic In coal for
xport. When tho Clinchfleld railroad was
= ssocietcs decided to spare no expense IN
building railroad with as easy grades
as long tangents and as PERFECT EQUIP
rueut as characterize any railroad in the
United states So too, President Harrison
has boen perfectiug the Southern railroad
system. so that NOW il is fully prepared
to haDQIe all inc. coal tiitiEu W ~ " |
The Ciinchfield at spartanburg and fur-
1 thermore by its we'll perfected terminals
at Charleston 1rata to illustrate the nou-
srn tendency of secrrir" the best sppara-
tus, equipment and facilities.
Electric Power Used.
The coal hardling machinery Is operated
entirely hy electric energy. y switch en-
gina pushes the cars into the bumpers.
Then when power is applied, the cars are
clamped and turned over,
II nj onl,; the car but the trucks and tne
section of the track on which the car
stands. -. A..
Already the capacity of this plant IS
a bout geo tons an hour. car can pe
in two minutes. This plant can
row handle as much coal in single day
as was the entire amount of coal eAporteo
from Charleston in the year 1919 II
This enterprise illustrates the energy ana
courage which are SO characteristic OF
many parts of the south at this time;
With the Standard Oil refineries in fuiI
operation. with tank steamers bringing
I housands OF barrels Of oil from Mexico to
the refineries there. to be converted INTO
commercial products which Will find
terminal facilities represented by the
Southern railroads inyestment in great
plant for banding coal designed TO rex
port and by the use of large part OF tNne
uort terminal constructed BY the govern
m ent for commercial purposes, the hither-
70 lurking possibilities which were in
Charleston harbor and the deep water
rivers whose outlet is in that harnor VIII
be so developed that speedily one or the
largest and most important commercial
ports on the south Atlantic coast VIII nave