The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-08
PORT DEVELOPMENT
aY j. 3. MORROW

One of the most important things to
be considered in the construction of
municipal or private piers is that OF
storage
Therefore it IS essential that ali
tracks on the pier be caught up into
a car classification and storage yard
Such storage yard should be owned by
a belt line or the trackage Of the yards
should be so arranged, when possible,
to serve all existing railroads of the
port.
The storage and classification yards
serve two purposes; first as a shifting
yard to classify export cars for deliv-
cry to the piers and to collect cars OF
imports into outbound trains Sec
ondly, the yard also serves as a storage
for export freight in cars or to hold
empties ready for loading import
cargo
As it is all important that the piers
be relieved as far as possible from long
time storage. Use of the pier in this
direction ruins it for transient use. II
it is necessary to provide long term
storage, this can be taken care of by
what are termed supporting ware
houses IN the area adjacent to the
piers. This automatically permits of
economical transfer of freight between
pier and adjacent warehouses.
Such supporting or adjacent ware
houses should permit of direct rail
connection with the pier trackage or
with the belt line serving the pier, so
as to obviate the necessity Of making
Interchange with the railroads and
thus creating additioanl switching
charges.
One of the reasons why it is costly
to move export and import cargo
through the port of New York, partic-
ularly as it applies to Manhattan
island proper, is the absolute lack of
ship-side delivery by railroads Of belt
line, and the absence in major degree
OF supporting warehouses within con-
venient reach, which automatically in
creases the cost of handling and team
ing.
At New Orleans, with its wonderful
port development, there is provided the
means of shipside delivery, all piers of
that port being served by the public
belt line. There is, however, this dis
advantage at New Orleans, that, be-
hind these wharves, there is no area
available for supporting warehouses;
or for industrial development. In the
matter of industrial development, this
need was emphasized at New Orleans
in the building of the industrial canal
at the cost of nearly $25,OO0O0 This
would have been obviated to a large
degree if there had been available suf-
fcient area adjacent to the already
established wharves, and thereby elm
mating the extra burden upon the tax
payers.
Where it is possible to secure, back
of the pier to be constructed, sufficient
area for classification and storage
yards, and permitting of reasonable
warehouse and industrial expansion,
such site for municipal or private piers
must have preference, for the reason
that it reduces thereby cost of handling
and attracts to the pier itself not only
steamship lines but the people who
are engaged in the warehousing biisi-
ness.
Reduce the storage space on the
piers, either open or covered storage;
eliminate the possibility of expansion |
or development back of the pier and
you automatically lessen the income
5alue OF the pier
Therefore, the obvious conclusion is |
that the matter of storage on piers
and in the adjacent area must be care
fully considered. First, from the
standpoint Of lessening demurrage
charges on cars; secondly, so that alb
normal storage charges may be elm |
mated as far as possible, and finally |
that the cost Of handling be reduced |
to minimum.
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