The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-07
PORT DEVELOPMENT-Box
(RY ]. 3. MQRROM.l


In previous articles the question of
government aid, the railroads attitude
toward port development, and the ad-
vantages to steamship lines in having
adequate pier facilities under their own
leased jurisdiction, was discussed.
Therefore, The character of 4 munich
pal pier is a matter OF vital eonsidera-
ton, if it is to prove of value in the
ports development and serve econimi-
calIy and with dispatch the needs of
steamship lines.
Ships require piers or wharves to tie
UP TO with ample dredged berth space
Of. sufficient depth so that the ship is
in no danger Of grounding.
The type Of pier construction is, of
course. an engineering matter, varying
with the cost OF material, dredged area
necessary and the nature OF the soil
around the proposed pier, and this
problem CT engineering should be left
for competent dock engineers TO decide.
By that, I mean submittal OF the entire
port development program to an en-
gineer or engineers who have special
ICED in dock construction.
As to pier arrangement and lay out,
character of traffic to be handled
In the handling of bulk cargo,
freight handling machinery is neces-
sary to effect transhipment. More often
bulk cargo can be more advantageously
handled over open piers. Bulk cargo
usually requires sufficient storage
space for the collection Of carloads into
shipioads, or vice versa.
General cargo or package freight Of
necessity requires storage. And there
must be provided adequate covered
sheds for the collection of such cargo
for short time storage, so as to reduce
to a minimum demurrage charges, and
to provide for the releasing of railroad
cars.
These covered sheds should be of
such size as to provide adequate stor-
age space, and. in addition, must have
sufficient floer space to permit of the
easy and economic handling OF the ac-
cumulated cargo into the ship.
This free space must be so designed
as to permit of the discharging of inn
port cargo and the loading of export
cargo simultaneously, if possible. BY
this means the releasing of storage
space Of export cargo, provides the
space for the placing Of import cargo.
II the pier is constructed to provide
berth on both sides of the pier, the
space allotted to each ship in the cargo
sheds is divided. II this is the case,
the covered cargo sheds should not be
less than zoo feet In width, and, If con-
siderably less, should be two stories in
height. so as to.perrnit of the discharg-
ing of import cargo to the upper level
and the loading OF export cargo from
the lower level.
AS it is genrally the rule that the
major portion of general cargo comes
from the interior, the oyered sheds on
pier should have one or two de-
pressed railroad tracks through the
center of the cargo sheds. This per
mits of trucking direct to shipside OF
to storage. 1t is advisable also TO have
railroad tracks on the pier edges, cut
side or the sheds. so that the ships
tackle can take cargo directly out OF
the car into the hold of the ship.
1t would be the heighth of folly to
build any pier without taking into con-
sideration the storage needs of the
steamship lines. and to provide ade-
quate interchange with the railroads.
The next article win deal with the
need OF classification and reservoir
yards behind the piers.