Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-31
Engineers Tell How

Engineers Tell How
CONTINUED from Page one)
moval of q portion of the Of Gait
wharf, in order to make way for the
construction of the new pier. which
was described In detail. f
Has Modern Doekss
The pier. Mr.. Fay said, has a con-
| crete dock at the north shed and
| timber dock at the outer end. and the
concrete construction 10 the only
thing of its kind on any pier in the
State of Maine. On the pier. there
are building at the present time q
north shed 80 feet wide and two
stories in height and q south shed,
one story high and 60 feet wide. The
north shed is intended primarily for
transatlantic business, bith pass
enger and freigth. and provision is
being made at the inner end for mo-
dern immigrant quarters. \
| A grain conveyor has been planned
and the directors of the port have
made a contract with the Grand
Trunk Railway for the use of its
elevators, this contract stipulating
that grain may be brought from the
elevators to the pier under the same
terms and conditions as at present.
| Tuesday. he said. the first boat of
the Nawsco Line berthed at the State
Pier and it was locked without the
use of tugs.
The outer end of the pier is in
tended for the use either Of trans
atlantic boats or those of the type
used by the Nawsco Line, and on
the west side there is a shed for the
use of the Eastern Steamship Lines,
which operates craft to both Boston
and New York. Within the last
three weeks they have been carrying
capacity cargoes.
| Convenient For Immigrants
behind him the single track running
down one side of the pier direct to
the steamships and the other trocks
down the middle of the pier, saying
that the latter enabled immigrants.
after examination, to board trains
bound direct for their destinations.
| In planning the pier in 1919. Mr..
Fay said, the commission originally
planned to use the $1,150,000 appro-
priated by the State for the construc-
ton Of one half of a modern pier,
ultimately to be 800 feet in width
and 1000 feet long.
| The construction OF the half of q
pier was intended solely for trans
Atlantic traffic and that to the Pacific
coast, but a little more than a year
ago the Eastern Steamship Lines an
nounced that they were ready to re-
| establish their pre-War service, and so
| the plans were modified to make pos
sible the west side shed now used by
them. TheXnwere helped by favorable
4 hlIi ivo fl,a ,trrno F~r
the creosote piles being made when the
market was fiat, and when it came to
the construction of the wharf portion
Of the pier the Aberthaw Construction
Co. was awarded the contract at such
a low figure that they have lost money
on it.
| All Of the work originally intended,
plus the west side shed, will be fin-
ished with the State appropriation of
$l,150,000.
! Coming to the old Franklin wharf
| portion of the pier. where it is desired
to rebuild the sheds for the use of the
| Eastern Steamship Lines. Mr.. Fay said
that this structure had rubble wall,
retaining fill-in
To Rebuild Wooden Portion
The $165.000 asked for in the bill
| now before the Legislature was to re-
build the wooden portion of the wharf
which was eaten with marine with a
cement pier and also to protect the
rubble portion and to build new modern
| beds. Mr.. Fay explained.
The rebuilding Of the wharf would
give opportunity for the berthing of
| New York boat and for boats to East
port and other points.
Il have followed port development
/ IN this country and Cana6a and ct,,J-
led conditions here and in 1918, and it
is my contention that nowhere in the
country is there port which has as
great possibilities for growth and ex-
| pansicn and for service to the State as
the port of Portland" Mr.. Fay con-
| cluded.
Representative Cherry Of Eastport
asked II the restoration Of the old boat
service between Portland and Eastport
was to be resumed and he was assured
that 1t WAS.
Finished by April I
Henry +. Merrill, chairman Of the
state Pier Commission, told the legis-
lators that any criticism that had been
aimed az the State Pier was through
| misunderstanding. lie referred to two
previous visits to the LEGISLATURE
when nc had explained the State Pier
and said that he was always glad 10
tell its story. lie assured the lcgsla-
tors that the pier would be completed
by the first OF April
In answer to the question of why
Portland had been selected by the
| state Pier he referred to the report OF
the committee appointed by Governor
Millikcn. which had designated Port
lalld as the only available site
The strongest point in favor of the
Portland site is its ncarneSs to lines
of marine traffic. being ZIG miles
nearer 10 Liverpool than Boston and
oo3 miles nearer than New York. One
round trip more could be made in a
year than from Boston and two round
Trips more than from New York. a
saving OF from 100000 to 100000.
The State Pier is the State Of Maine
going into business for the benefit of
the entire State" said MIR. Merrill.
You go to any user Of port facili-
ties and tell him that there is
chance to save 100000, and cvcrv-
thing else being equal, what is his
reply?" asked Mr.. Merrill.
Advantage Of Pier
ship owners coming to the mort
OF Portland" he declared, after they
nave come in two or three times. can
40 SO without the aid of pilot. That
is one reason why this pier will be
used and must be used. Mr.. Merrill
called attention to the fact that
cortland not only had the shortest
channel to the open sea, but that
1t also possessed the best buoyed
harbor. whole the depth of water in
the harbor would permit the Auui-
tania, the largest steamship afloat. to
ccme up to the State pier. load a