Evening star., 1942-07-19
Contracts Awarded
For Oil Pipeline
To Supply East
House Completes Action
On $93 900, 900 Florida
Boroe Canal Bill

Two steps were taken yesterday
to advance waterway and pipeline
facilities designed to help relieve
the East Coast oil shortage.
The House, by voice vote, COM
pleted congressional action on the
Florida barge canal and pipelines
bill.
Petroleum Co-ordinator Ickes an
nounced the awarding of contracts
to seven firms for construction of
the worlds largest oil pipeline, the
s50-mile emergency line from Tex
as to Illinois. 1t is expected to be
completed about December l.
The $93,000000 authorization bill
for the Florida barge canal takes
in Gulf waterway improvement and
construction of two or more pipe
lines. The Houses acceptance of
minor Senate amendments sent the
measure to President Roosevelt who
had indicated advance approval
of the proposal.
st. Lawrence Seen Next.
Asserting that passage of the bill
had established precedent for spend
ing money on projects which would
not contribute Immediately to the
war effort, Senator Gerry, Democrat,
Of Rhode Island. said he expected
the st. Lawrence project, which he
also opposes, to be brought up soon
Expressing the same viewpoint,
Senator Austin of Vermont, assis-
tant Republican leader, said he
thought a s44,0O0,0O0 outlay for a
high-level lock canal across Florida
would be wholly contrary to the
policy of putting our money into
resources needed for the war effort. ="
The canal bill authorized i'm
provement also of the Gulf inland
waterway from the Florida coast
to the Mexican border. although no
funds were provided for any of the
projects.
1t would authorize Presid len
Roosevelt to order one or more oil
pipelines built across Florida as we'll
as the construction of a pipeline
from the Tinsley oil fields of Mis-
sissippi to the Atlantic coast.
Contracts were let, for the main
oil pipeline between Longview, Tex,
and Norris City, Ill, and two smaller
branch lines from Norris City to
river barge and pipeline terminals
at Mount Vernon, Ind, and Enfield,
Ind.
Already Assembling Equipment.
Mr.. Ickes said contractors already
have begun to assemble men and
equipment in the field for the big
Job and dirt should be starting to
fly very shortly"
The pipe will be "a inches in di-
ameter. He said he thought oil
would be flowing through the line by
Christmas.
Contracts. Mr.. Ickes said, were
awarded on a cost-plus fixed fee
basis. War Emergency Pipeline, Inc,
has been organized by the oil in
dustry to plan and supervise the
building of the line for the Govern
ment. Fees agreed on vary, but the
average was said to be about 81 900
per mile of pipe to be laid.
Total cost of the line, financed by
the Government through the RIGS
Defense Plant Corp, is estimated at
s35. .000,00
The pipeline is planned to carry
approximately 100000 barrels of
crude oil a day. Some of this will
be refined as gasoline in Illinois and
shipped by tank car and truck into
the East. A larger percentage will
be shipped overland as crude oil for
industrial and home heating uses.
Contractors receiving awards for
the job include William Bros, O. E.
Dempsey Construction Co. and An
derson Bros, all of Tulsa, Okla;
Oklahoma Contracting Co. of Dali
las; c. S. Foreman Co., Kansas
City, Mo-: Ray E. Smith Co., Ell
Dorado, Kans., and the Sheehan
Pipeline Construction Co. of Tulsa.
The last named firm was awarded
the contract for construction of
the branch lines to Mount Vernon
and Enfield.