The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-04-21
ON PUBLIC OWNERSHIP

preference to private monopoly, some
one will cry Socialism, Communism!"
This Is the burning question con-
fronting Jul people today. Shall 1t
tie private monopoly or shall certain
public utilities and all natural e
sources be operated and owned by the
governments? Mr.. Mason's article
gives the answer, as do the state own
ed enterprises In North Dakota. Truly
as President Hecht says, 1T Is all a
matter OF education"
The article follows: .
Great state owned enterprises
operating successfully In New
Orleans. Some facts concerning
LouiMana's activities closely
paralleling those Of North Dako-
ia.
BY NELSON A. MASON
Equal Opportunities to All; Special
Privileges to None" In a nutshell
summarizes the plans, purposes and
policies Of the Board Of Commission
ers Of the Port Of New Orleans,
charged with the responsibility Of ad-
ministering the affairs Of public
property valued at 500, 0o0, 000.O0.
Historical Background
1t was away back In 1896, in the
days Of "Gold Standard and Free Sill
yer" that the legislature Of the Com
monwealth Of Louisiana created a
commission OF five to handle the
business Of the Port. The law read:
They shall be empowered to and it
shall be their duty to take are Of and
administer the public wharves Of the
Port of New Orleans, to construct
new wharves where necessary and to
erect Sheds thereon, ETC." Numerous
acts. greatly increasing their powers,
were subsequently passed. In 1910 a
constitutional amendment was pro-
posed authorizing the Port 'ConHnis-
sion to erect and operate warehouses
and other structures necessary to the,
commerce Of the Port Of New Or
leans, and granting the authority as
continuing, so that the erecting of
the first warehouses did not exhaust
their power. The amendment became
Il part Of the State Constitution in
1913. Upon the expiration Of then
existing leases the board commenced
active administration Of the Public
Wharf System in May, 1914. Con-
Struction Of the Public Cotton Ware
house commenced in January, 1915,
and the plant started operations
August l Of the same year.
Public Grain Elevator
Construction Of the great Public
Grain Elevator was undertaken Aug
ust /, 1915, and the plant was form
ally opened February l, 1917, exactly
20 days after the launching Of the
Nonpartisan League administration
on a similar program in North Dako-
a.. It is this enterprise with which
we are particularly concerned. Stu
| ated at the apex Of the great bend Of
the nightly Mississippi forming the
contour Of the Crescent City" the
gigantic terminal occupies q COM
manding position In what local boost
ers call Americas Most Interesting
CITY" This elevator has Q storage
| capacity OF 2,622.O00 bushels, and is =
facility open to railroads and shippers
on equal terms to all. The plant IS
served by q wharf 200 feet long, Of
fertng five berths for shipping-one
for the discharge Of barges or ocean
vessels at the marine leg, one for
loading at the mechanical sacking
| plant and three for loading under the
spouts. Unloading capacity Of ele-
vator Is 100000 bushels 2 day from
| railroad cars, and 10000 q day from
barges or steamships. Loading into
ships or barges Is performed at the
tate OF 100000 bushels an hour. En-
tering the elevator, which Is Of re-
inforced concrete and absolutely fire.
proof and free from a~ccumulations OF
dust, one Is impressed with the neat
ness and order everywhere. The very
basement is high, light and airy.
Safety devices Of most modern type
prevail throughout the building. All
weighing is done by licensed weighers
and warehouse receipts, based on
these weights are issued. Grain Is
inspected both upon receipt and de-
livery.
A specific charge per bushel is
made for each operation on grain
handled, and q complete system Of &C.
counting checks up on these charges
in relation to wages and other oper-
ating costs, and should they fall to
reconcile investigation is at once
started to learn why.
superintendent Clarence Sears,
formerly Of Saint Louis, Is authority
for the statement that the elevator
has paid every year but n since It
started opcrating,-thAt interest
charges have been met and bonds ara
being retired. All such items as In
suranoe. depreciation, workmen's
compensation liability, general and
local supervisors, are charged UP
against the operating cost Of this and
each Of the other industries under
the Dock Boards supervision. The
entire port properties have been &c.
! CURED without taxation or pubic ap-
preparation Of any character.
The Stuyvesant Elevators
In addition to this monster elevas
tor, which has received from eight to
! forty-two millions Of grain per year
sidce It's beginning, the Board also
leases from the Illinois Central Rail
way and operates two other export
elevators Of 100000 and 100000
bnshels capacity respectively.
Efficisncy i
It is q pleasure to record that 8 re-
cent survey by Z prominent independ-
ent mechanical engineer lauds the ef-
fictency Of the plan apd persornel
ttnpughout. The very Landscape
catches the eye and gr5ps the satten,
tiou. Green grass and flowers m
on every hand, while two baseball
diamonds. md . tennis court afford