Evening star., 1954-05-11
By the Assoeiosed Press

S344S1A\1Og SN40J VeSSS
amount Of engineering work
faces numerous Great Lakes
cities before they can fully ac-
conmodate the ocean-going ships
which will churn inland through
the st. Lawrence Seaway.
An Associated Press survey
showed today that Great Lakes
cities are in various stages Of
preparation for handling such
commerce. The cities will spend
millions Of dollars on harbor
dredging, port construction and
other Improvements.
The year 1860 is the goal Of
many engineers.
Martin w. Oettershagen, Chi
cago port manager. said many
believe the entire project can be
completed by then, even though
estimates have ranged up to 10
years.
Chicago is planning a $40
million project to be started this
year.
The long-planned Atlantic
Oceap-to-Great Lakes project
got a firm lease on life last week
when Congress sent the $105 mil
lion st. Lawrence Seaway to
President Eisenhower,
The measure authorizes the
United States to participate with
Canada in building a 27-foot-
deep channel in the Interna-
tional Rapids section of the st.
Lawrence and into Lakes Ontario
and Erie as far West as Toledo,
Ohio.
Senator Thye. Republican, of
Minnesota said Congress also will
be asked to approve the deepen
ing of connecting channels into
Lakes Huron, Michigan and Su-
perior. Navigation to these lakes
is now restricted to 81 feet for
inbound ships and IS feet for
0OWnDOunQ vessels.
The survey showed:
ChicagO-Work is expected
TO be started next winter on
developing 1900 acres of Calu-
met harbor into a modern ocean
port. Plans call for a series of
docks liz miles long. designed
for 29-foot vessels, and sheds
and other facilities. Maxim M.
Cohen. general manager of the
Chicago regional port district,
said eventually 800 to 1900
ocean ships should reach Chi
cago yearly.
Cleveland-Shipping men say
30 per cent Of ocean-going ships
now could ply between world
ports and Cleveland, which al
ready has a 59-foot deep chan
mel. Deep dredging plans for
AShtabula and Lorain harbors
are well advanced. Lee c. How
ley. chairman of the Mayors
Port Committee, said changes in
piers and other harbor facilities
can be finished within the time
required to put the seaway into
operation. Some spokesmen
forecast that the seaway may
double Cleveland'S $500 million
q year export volume.
TOledO-An $4,000 survey was
started a month ago to deter
mine what changes a Seaway will
require. A previous study indi-
Gated the need for a general
cargo terminal, additional ware
house space and facilities for
handling freight. A channel q
feet deep and 400 feet wide to
parallel Maumee Bay also was
proposed.
Milwaukee The Milwaukee
Port Authority. first on the Great
Lakes, claims to be 80 years
ahead of Chicago and most other
Great Lakes ports. The port
plans 81 million to $40 million
shore improvement, including
deepening the outer harbor from
25 to q feet. The port area al
ready contains 2 miles of lake
frontage. 400 acres, general cargo
pier. transit shed, petroleum
pier. car ferry terminal, open
dock terminal, mooring basin II
miles of track and 9 cranes.
DetrOit-EngineerS say present
large docking facilities for the
Port of Detroit Commission will
serve adequately until two years
after the seaway is completed.
The commission said the pres
ent smallest terminal will be en-
larged by the time the Seaway
opens to handle five large ships
at a time instead of one. The
Rouge River. which empties into
the Detroit River, will be deep
ened from its present 81 feet
to q.
Erie, Pa.-Nothing is planned
to improve port facilities, which
already can handle ocean-going
vessels. The Chamber of Com
merce is considering a plan to
engage professional port engi-
neerS.
Gary, Ind.-No plans are in
prospect for expanding the facil-
tiles at Gary or Indiana harbor.
Both are almost exclusively IRON
coal ports for Inland and United
States Steel Cos. and present