| OCR Text |
Show improved waterways; and the ample and stable water sup- ply afforded by the pools of the navigation projects. Many of the bulk raw materials used in the chemical industries of the region are transported by barge. The Commercial Barge Lines The operations of the Commercial Barge Lines on the Ohio River and its improved tributaries and on the Missis- sippi River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway exemplify the manner in which improved waterways attract new busi- nesses and open new markets for the products of industry. In August 1949, the Commercial Barge Lines inaugu- rated a movement of highway tractor trailers by barge, between the ports of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville, Ky., making- daily trips each way overnight between these two ports. Trailers are loaded at points within the tribu- tary areas of the ports of origin and are then concen- trated at these ports. Here the loaded trailers are trans- ferred to barges, without handling the cargoes, and are transported by water to port of destination. At the latter port the loaded trailers are landed and local tractors con- vey them throughout the port's tributary area, distributing their cargoes at ultimate delivery points. It is estimated that an average of 15 trailers are transported each way daily. The Commercial Barge Lines is now proposing to extend this service ultimately to provide transport be- tween the ports of Pittsburgh, Pa., New Orleans, La., and Houston, Tex., with pickup and delivery to be made at intermediate points. In addition to the trailer movement by barge, the Commercial Barge Lines has operated a waterway trans- port for automobiles and trucks for a number of years. This service was inaugurated in 1935 and at the begin- ning the number of units hauled averaged approximately 1,000 per month. This movement represented a cargo value of approximately $1,000,000 per month and it covered relatively short distances. At the present time the lines load approximately 10,000 cars per month at the Evansville, Ind., and Cincinnati, Ohio, river ports. Approximately 3,000 of the 10,000 cars are loaded at Cincinnati, with the remainder being loaded at Evansville. The number of units hauled monthly by the lines repre- sent a cargo value of about $20,000,000. The service has been extended greatly since its inauguration, as is indicated by the fact that the units loaded at Cincinnati and Evansville are destined for ports at Guntersville, Ala., on the Tennessee River, and Memphis, Tenn., St. Louis, and New Orl eans on the Mississippi River, and Port Arthur and Houston, Tex., on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. Furthermore., many of the units transported to the port of New Orleans have been consigned to South American ports and are trans-shipped from New Orleans. Cumberland River Industries The following are typical examples of industries which have benefited because of adequate and low-cost trans- portation facilities provided by the improved Cumber- land River: The Nash-ville Bridge Co., a large barge and boat- building concern, in peacetime has been able to assume a share in boatbuilding which otherwise would have gone to shipyards on the Great Lakes, sea coasts, or other inland waterways. The ability of this company to under- take the construction of war vessels during World War II was vitally important to the success of this Nation's war effort, in view of the overload in coastal yards. Dur- ing that war this plant delivered more than 100 vessels to the military services, most of them for deep-water war use. The Cumberland Warehouse & Storage Co., of Nash- ville has leased the city's terminal facilities to provide an iron and steel distribution point in the Cumberland River Basin. In an agreement with the Jones & Laughlin Steel Co. and the Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corp., the warehouse company acts as jobber for the steel firms, handling such packaged products as nails and wire, sheet steel and metal roofing. In 1949 these shipments, totaling 45,000 tons, were valued at $3,600,000 compared to a 1939 tonnage of 15,000 with a value of $825,000. As still another example of industry locating to take advantage of low-haulage costs, 10 oil companies (Gulf, Standard of New Jersey, Pan-Am Petroleum, Lion, Shell, Ingram Products, Ashland Oil & Refining, Arkansas Fuel Oil, Pure Oil, and Southern Oil Service) operate bulk terminals at Nashville, with 1949 shipments aggregating 728,000 tons-virtually the total of bulk shipments used within the area, including most of middle and a large part of eastern Tennessee. B. Mississippi River Between the Ohio and Missouri Rivers The following is a short list of illustrative instances in which the Mississippi River, between the Ohio and the Missouri Rivers, has influenced the location of industries, individual businesses, and water-front communities. The navigable 9-foot channel, authorized in 1927, is an essential transportation resource for the Mississippi Valley in the vicinity of St. Louis, Mo., and for the entire Nation. It has stimulated the expansion of existing businesses by providing them with a low-cost alternate means of trans- portation, and has been the principal reason for the establishment of new industries. During 1948, about 9,500,000 tons of traffic were moved on the middle Mississippi River. The principal commodities are wheat, corn, flour, coffee, other agricultural products, coal, alu- minum ore, sand and gravel, crude petroleum, sulfur, lum- ber, gasoline, fuel oil, kerosene, chemicals, iron and steel, automobiles, cement, paper, sugar, and feed. Union Electric Light & Power Co., Meramec Plant, located a new power plant on the Mississippi River about 10 miles downstream from St. Louis, Mo., because of the availability of water transportation and supply. This plant, of 500,000 kilowatts ultimate capacity, is to be constructed in four sections, the first of which (110,000 kilowatts) is under construction at an estimated invest- ment of $26,000,000. One of the principal factors in the selection of the site was the use of west Kentucky coal for steam generation. This coal will be shipped by barges via the inland waterways. St. Louis Shipbuilding & Steel Co. is located on the river at St. Louis, Mo., and began operations in 1933. During World War II. This company built 4 lighters for the Navy, 6 towboats costing $1,000,000 each for the Defense Plant Corporation, 39 derrick boats costing 428 |
