The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-14
Vi Self-P Propelled Tuscaloosa To Be Converted Into
 Merchandise Carrier T. c. I. TO PUT FLEET OF BARGES ON RIVER Huge Shipment Of Man. ganese Booked For War
 rior In September ASHBURN'S TRIP
 BRINGS RESULTS Bids To Be Asked For Conyer-
 sion Work On Barge
 Tuscaloosa

MOBILE, Ala, Sept. 13.-(Special Leased Wire. )-Conversion of the self propelled barge Tuscaloosa into mer- chandise carrier at cost of $S5,OO0 and shortening elapsed time between Ne. Orleans and Mobile by 50 per cent is planned by the Warrior river barge line as a result of the visit of General T. c. Ashburn, executive officer of the inland waterways corporation to Mobile this week. Competitive bids will be asked from gulf shipyards on the conversion work to be done on the barge which is now laid up.
 Changes contemplated in the Tusca- loc-l will mean an enlargement of her available cargo space and conversion of coal pockets into space-for merchan- disc freight When the alterations are completed the Tuscaloosa will have a capacity of sixty car loads of freight. Her coal burning power plant will be removed and oil equipment substituted. This move, said Captain B. V. Pick ley, in charge of the Warrior line, will increase her speed considerably and will cut time between New Orleans and Mobile in half The captain, John w. Mckee, tug now operating on the New Orleans-Mobile run. will be laid up though kept ready for instant service.
 To Treat Storage Space
 If necessary, the Tuscaloosa will take a tow of barges on her trips but 1t Is planned to create sufficient storage space within the hull to care for sixty carloads of merchandise freight.
 The Tuscaloosa formerly was in the New Orleans Mobile e-Birmingport-C Cor sosaarun and was in service until the embargo was laid over these up river points. Since then she has been laid up.
 Present equipment used on the Mo bile Birmingport run. the self propelled barges Cordova and Demopolis will con tinue in service and should business warrant the Montgomery also will be placed on the route.
 Twelve steel barges under construc- tion at Ambridge, Pa, for the Tennes- see Coal, Iron and Railroad company will be delivered at Cairo about the middle of October, stages of the Ohio river permitting. Of eight barges of the same type building in the plant of the Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuild- ing plant here, also for the T. c. l. all but two have been turned over to the Warrior Barge line for service on the river These two other barges will be completed shortly and then will en- ter the Warrior line service.
 Manganese Coming
 Announcement was made yesterday that an additional movement of man. ganese to reach $500 long tons was planned for up the river from Mobile. This consignment is due September 30 from Cuba aboard steamer as yet unnamed and with the manganese al- ready booked for shipment by barge line to the steel mills, will make 15,- 300 tons of manganese to be shipped by barge. line this year. In addition, 700 tons of Texas sulphur has been booked for September IT and will be lowed here in barges from Texas. This is part of $500 tons bound to Mobile on two barges from Texas.
 Completion of locks and dams on the Ohio river, expected within five years, said Captain Pickley will permit the through shipment of fright from Pittsburg to New Orleans and Mo bile.
 Captain Pickley was to have returned this morning from Birmingham where he inspected the terminals and Bir- mingport in company with General Ash burn who went on to St. Louis.