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46 constant touch with the terminal freight agents to keep all this class of traffic on the move. If shippers of export business want to get quick results, they will save time by deal- ing direct with him. His work is comparable to consolidation of traffic and accounting as in railroad practice. If shipments eastbound are for local delivery, they are handled by two distinct methods, that is either by carfloat to pier freight stations or by lighter to public and private piers and bulkheads. Local consignees and coastwise steamship companies are on a regular towing order delivery. As an example, the Clyde Steamship Co. MARINE REVIEW heavy materials are handled usually on open piers where special ap- paratus, such as gantry cranes with derricks load them from the cars di- rect to the decks of the open boats. If, however, they are to be stored in transit, space is reserved on _ the pier where they are deposited, sub- ject to the call or shipping orders of the consignee. Westbound shipments are also run on schedule. Station cars are loaded direct while on the floats and leave the station piers on schedule time for regular trains west-bound. These trains are usually due out of terminals in the afternoon and the float movement A NEW TYPE OF BARGE—ELLIS CHANNEL SYSTEM OF CONSTRUCTION WITH A 15-18-HORSEPOWER GASOLINE ENGINE FOR OPERATING THE DERRICK has regular sailings on a _ definite schedule for points in the south from Wilmington, Delaware, to Miami, Florida. The Miami ships sail on Tues- day afternoon and the towing order calls for barge delivery at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. The Ocean Stamship Co. has ships sailing Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with “towing orders’ for Monday, Wednesday and Friday barge delivery. The harbor has been zoned for local towing orders and all classes of commodities are handled under these orders. Machinery, automobiles and other has to be like clockwork, for to have the float cars miss the regular west- bound trains means to have the wrath of everyone along the line brought down on the heads of the sailors. The tug power for all freight move- ments is under the jurisdiction of the superintendent. Under him come the tug dispatchers and captains. The dispatching is covered by three tricks of both headquarters and pier dis- patchers, who work 8 hours each. The marine department notifies their head- quarters dispatch men when boats are ready to tow and give all destinations January, 1926 and other information. The latter then relay these orders to the pier men who in turn give them to the tug boats. Dispatching has seen no change since its inauguration years ago but since the advent of radio tele- phony experiments, boats in New York harbor will in the near future receive their orders from the ether waves. Radio when used will increase tug boat efficiency by over 10 per cent and thereby reduce operating costs by a like amount. Grain for export is placed in grain elevators on arrival at this port and is held in storage until called for by the consignee. Shipping orders are obtained for a definite steamship, it is placed in grain boats, (or as they are commonly called, canal boats), and the unloading is done by a floating elevator at the ships side, after having been tested by an official weigher and tester. Grain is also bagged for ex- port and carried to the ships side in covered barges. All grain is tested by an official tester of the bureau of tests of the produce exchange be- fore being shipped. Operation Closely Watched I suppose my readers wonder how we know what our lighters are doing when away from the terminals. That is a situation which is covered by a corps of men with the title of shore foremen, but better known as “run- ners” and the appelation is merited. The harbor is zoned, with a man for each zone, and it is his duty to cover his territory, keeping tab on all com- pany and chartered boats working there. Boat bills and manifests of cargo are checked, both eastbound and westbound. If a boat is held too long by the shipper it is up to the runner to find out the whys and wherefores. If the barge captain gets in a “jam” with the shipper, it is up to the runner to smooth out the trouble. He checks demurrage and wharfage and keeps things in general in his district on the move. The marine departments of the big railroads employ from 1000 to 2000 men. The railroads entering this har- bor own and operate over two hundred tug boats and thousands of other classes of craft that go to make up their fleets. Operation is carried on during the 24 hours of the day and seven days a week. Most of the ma- rine offices are located next door to the shippers and have their agents keep in close touch with shippers, steam- ship operators and brokers, and prod- uce exchanges. They have their own claim, traffic and accounting depart- ments, cashiers and collectors. They have their own repair shops.