New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-02-16
PITTSBURGH'S PLAN
FOR new WATERWAY.
To Advocate Record Activity in
Great Rivers Of West

Pittsburgh, Feb, 10, 80 Record
breaking activity in transportation Of
heavy freight on the main rivers OF
the Ohio and Mississippi valleys Is
forecast for the coming season by the
number Of orders being placed Tor
steel harges, steamboats, and terminal
facilities, and by the contracts let by
steel mills for river and rail terminals,
As indicative Of the important place
river transportation is taking in the
handling OF heavy isN materials for
mills and furnaces, and the shipping
81 heavy steel products 10 the market,
there are now in the Pittsburgh dis
tFiet SA steamboats, and 1915 barges,
the harges representing carrying
capacity equal TO 1879 freight ears,
This, il is pointed out by steel com,
pany traffic men, relieves the rail,
roads Of almost 10000 ears which Or
linarily would he required 10 move
coal, cement, steel, sand, gravel, oil,
glass and other Pittsburgh products,
4 survey OF the district by lead
ing constructor shows that orders
have recently been placed for 500
steel harges requiring about $4,000
tons Of steel, These standard harscs
are :o0 feet long, 81 feet wide and
ten feet deep, and have a carrying
capacity Of LOCO tons,
Ten steamboats, with steel huls
have been contracted for or are under
construction, They are from i75 TO
.00 feet in length. with stern paddle
wheels and, while carrying no freight
themselves, can push downstream
10000 tons 10 $4,000 tons of freight
loaded on harges.
Terminal facilities, under cons,ruc-
ton or contract. extend all the way
from the stiff-lcgged der"'"k on the
river bank connecting with a railroad
siding, to the most elaborate and eX.
pensivc floating terminals.
One such terminal. being built by |
the Carnegie steel company or the |
Monongahcla river will cost in the |
neighborhood OF $500. 600. while two
others for the Jones & Laughlin Steel |
company at Pittsburgh and Wood |
lawn. Pa, arc TO cost 100000. The
terminal OF the Wheeling steel Cor
poration at Wheeling, w Va. is to |
COST s-hH,HNN, ana 11OallnE terminals, |
built Jointly by the federal govern
ment and municipalities at Memphis,
Cairo. Helena and Nicksburg are to
cost approximately s2.5oo.000. There
is also a project for rail and river
terminal at Louisville. KY. on which
about 100000 is to be expended.
A survey of river craft shows the
following additions within the pant
few months, and the number under
Wheeling Steel corporation, two
towboats, ten barges; Carnegie tSeel
two towboats, so steel bar
ges: Jones & Laughlin Steel company, !
30 barges with contracts pending for
two towboats, American Steel & Wire
20 barges; Rodgers Sand
10 barges; Patton ulley
Memphis. three steel log
cling barges: Pittsburgh Coal COM
pany, 20 barges; Louisville & Cincin-
natl Packet company. contract let for
two steamboats,; ,Barratt Lines, Gin
cinnati, one steamboat; Mississippi
Warrior Service; inquiry for 40 stand
ard barges for Warrior river, and 20
ton barges for Missis-
,ippi river service; Standard Oil COM
pany of Ohio. two gas boats and feet
Of oil carrying barges for the Upper
Ohio river.