The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-11
BRENT IS SEEKING
TO FORCE ISSUE IN
WARRIOR RIVER FIGHT
Continued From Page one)

from faSe OncD
carriers and waterways officials to
make effort to adjust these rates,
suggesting that in case this failed,
Notice Received Here
Several conferences have been held
and the matter has gotten to the high
officials of the Southern at Washing
ton. 1t was at this stage of the game
that Manager Brent, under date OF
May z, issued the embargo, notice of
which was given in Thursdays Age
Herald. Birmingham offices have re-
ceived similar notice signed by the
general freight agent of the system.
General Agent N. w. Guice said he
was not authorized to speak officially
with regard to the new order, but
no denial was made in his office of
the reliability of the general impress
sion that Manager Brent is forcing
the divisional rate issue with the rail
carriers and emphasizing the impos-
slbility of making both ends meet
with unfair rates and obsolete equip
ment.
Speaking of obsolete equipment,
Mr.. Guice called attention to the
comparative speed Of two tow boats
of exactly the same kind as fol-
lows:
Obsolete Equipment
The towboat Demopolis with six
regulation barges in tow made the
420 miles between Birmingport and
Mobile in 81 days. This was made
possible by the ability to put four of
the barges through the locks at one
time. followed by the towboat with
two others dashed to it. This made
two lockages at each lock.
On the other hand, the towboat
Montgomery with five barges, has
been eight days going 1876 miles. Her
barges are the old A T S "misfits," as
they are called. At each lock, first.
two of these barges are put through,
then one barge and then the towboat
and two barges. This requires three
lockages instead of two at each lock
and from 80 to so per cent more of
time. These examples of the dis
patch enabled by up-to-date craft
and that suited to the locks and the
lack of dispatch entailed by "misfit'
craft Were given by Mr.. Guice as evil
dence of additional cause of the War
rior's failure to produce revenue.
Steel BarGes Coming
Fortunately for Birmingport, two
of the steel barges of the Tennessee
company now being built at Mobile
by the Alabama Dry Dock and Ship
building company, will be in service
by early June and seven more are to
follow. They will be leased to the
Warrior river line and will greatly
help the situation, because built espe-
cially for river traffic.
All freight now loading at Mobile
and New Orleans for Tuscaloosa, Cor
dova and Demopolis will be delivered,
the embargoes not applying to
freight already under way.
Movements of birmingham steel
and iron products down the river and
manganese ore, sulphur, etc, up the
river will continue through Birming-
port as usual and this also applies
to shipment of canned goods from the
Pacific coast and general merchan-
disc via the Mallory line from Mo-
bile. In other words, business via
Birmingport will not be interfered
with at all, but will probably take
on additional dispatch by reason of
the other ports being out of commits
siCn.
The official orders declare the en-
bargoes temporary" Those best
posted as to the Warrior expressed
themselves Thursday as rather in
clined to welcome what they term
the show down. They also said
they thought that Mr. Brents ae-
ton will stir up renewed interest in
the rivers welfare all along the line.