ENLARGEMENT AND EXTENSION OF THE GULF CONSTRUCTION OF A BARGE CD PIPE LINE ACROSS NORTHERN FLORIDA HEARINGS BEFORE THE 1 LIBRA 1942 COMMITTEE ON RIVERS AND HARBORS SEVENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION ON H. R. 6999 A BILL TO PROMOTE THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AND TO 72774 MAY 18 TO 22, 1942 Printed for the use of the Committee on Rivers and Harbors UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1942 1 ENLARGEMENT AND EXTENSION OF THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY SYSTEM MONDAY, MAY 18, 1942 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C. The committee met at 10:30 a. m., Hon. Joseph J. Mansfield (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will please come to order. Gentlemen, this hearing is called for the purpose of considering the bill H. R. 6999 for the enlargement of the Intracoastal Waterway on the Gulf coast, from the Mexican border to the west coast of the Florida Peninsula, and the extension of the barge channel across Florida to connect with the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The project completed would constitute a continuous channel from the Mexican border to Trenton, N. J., more than 2,400 miles in length and of uniform width and depth ample to supply the prospective needs of barge traffic. For the immediate relief of the acute oil and gasoline situation in the East, the bill provides for a temporary pipe line across Florida to connect the Atlantic and Gulf Intracoastal Waterways. This pipe line could be made available within a few months. The urgency of these measures has been brought about by the war conditions which have practically destroyed our coastwise shipping. About 80 percent of this shipping consisted of oil and gasoline, which was transported in deep draft tanker ships. The Associated Press announced last Monday that 191 of our American ships have been destroyed by enemy submarines since the Pearl Harbor incident. Additional to that, many American-owned tankers under Panamanian registration have been destroyed. The tankers vary in size and cost. They carry usually from 50,000 to 125,000 barrels of gasoline and cost from $2,500,000 to $3,000,000 each. The total loss in ships and cargoes might conservatively be estimated at several hundred million dollars. But this loss in dollars and cents is of little consequence as compared with the loss of human life that has resulted. All oil production in the Dutch East Indies is now in enemy hands. Gasoline for our armies and Navy will have to be transported great distances across the seas. It will be a serious problem to provide the necessary tankers for the service. Such ships could not well be spared for domestic trade, even if there was no submarine menace. In these circumstances inland methods of trans1 portation must of necessity be resorted to to supply our domestic trade. These methods of course, consist of rail, highway, pipe line, and inland waterways. All of these forms of transporation are met with serious obstacles. None of them have the necessary equipment, and to provide such equipment would require great quantities of steel almost impossible to obtain. The railroads are performing a great service, and the poorly equipped inland waters are operating every barge and towboat that can be obtained. Additional pipe lines are needed. Our needs require a combination of all transportation methods. The bill before us is not a panacea, of course, but will aid very materially in relieving the situation. Gasoline is now being rationed in the East, while the Southwest has a great surplus on hand that cannot be disposed of. While the people of the East are enduring great sacrifices, the people of the Southwest are suffering great financial loss. Certainly, Congress should be able to provide in some way for the transportation of essential commodities from one section of our country to another. This bill, if enacted, can afford at least partial relief in a comparatively short time. It will require but little, if any, new steel for the equipment. I am informed that 10-inch pipe now in partial use can be made available. One line of this pipe across Florida will provide for the daily movement of about 60,000 gallons of gasoline. If enough second-hand pipe can be made available to lay two, or possibly three lines in the same trench, it will relieve the acute situation in the East to a very great extent. Abis. If, and when, the 12-foot channel across Florida can be made available to connect the Atlantic and Gulf intracoastal channels, then this waterway, with the necessary equipment of wooden and steel barges and towboats will be ample to supply all the oil and gasoline requirements of the Atlantic seaboard. Not only will it be ample for this purpose, but at much less cost to the consumers than can be afforded by any other known method of transportation except transportation by ocean tankers. I have requested the attendance of some of our foremost experts on transportation to give us the benefit of their knowledge and advice and hope they may be able to lead us in working out the most practical solution of our difficulties. I have requested Mr. Roy Miller to introduce the gentlemen who are to be heard in presenting the facts. I will first ask Mr. Miller to make a statement. He has a deep interest in the subject matter to be considered and is thoroughly familiar with every detail of it. STATEMENT OF ROY MILLER, ACTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, INTRACOASTAL CANAL ASSOCIATION OF LOUISIANA AND TEXAS Mr. MILLER. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I appear here this morning in my capacity as active vice president of the Intracoastal Canal Association of Louisiana and Texas, an organization which for more than 30 years has been directing its efforts toward the construction of an inland waterway from the Mississippi River to the Rio Grande. The CHAIRMAN. All of that has been completed, except across Florida, and from Corpus Christi to the Mexican border, à distance of 128 miles. After you get to Trenton, N. J., there is a gap across New Jersey, where there is no water transportation. Mr. Moore, can you tell us about that? STATEMENT OF J. HAMPTON MOORE, PRESIDENT, ATLANTIC DEEPER WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION, PHILADELPHIA, PA. Mr. MOORE. The part that is completed is from Trenton, N. J., Miami, Fla., a distance of 1,435 miles. to Mr. RANKIN. What will it cost to dig a canal across that New Jersey stretch? Mr. MOORE. If we go back to the beginning, the first report estimated the cost for a 25-foot canal across the State of New Jersey at $45,000,000. For a 12-foot canal, which then was the first barge canal proposed, the cost was $20,000,000. These are figures made by General Black, when he was on a board of survey, and when General Bixby reported that to the War Department, which was then presided over by Mr. Secretary Stimson, and which has been referred to special boards ever since. Mr. RANKIN. That is the first statement we have had made to this committee as to the cost of this canal across New Jersey. Mr. MOORE. The cost of a canal acros New Jersey has been built up-and I say that not unkindly, because of the increased cost of labor, the increased cost of materials, and several other reasons, until $200,000,000 is about the outside limit of the estimated cost at the present time. Mr. PITTENGER. The propaganda people have fought that construction for years, have they not? Mr. MOORE. We have been advocating it for 30 years. Mr. PITTENGER. And you have been opposed by a lot of systematic propaganda? Mr. MOORE. Yes; we have been opposed by interests of one kind or another. Mr. PITTENGER. Selfish interests. Mr. MOORE. Transportation interests, in part, and the railroads had a hand in the opposition to the canal across New Jersey. Mr. RANKIN. Mr. Moore, I am informed by the clerk of the committee that there was a favorable report on this New Jersey canal in 1913, for a 12-foot channel, and the estimated cost then was $20,000,000. In 1920 the estimated cost was $40,000,000 for a 12-foot channel. Mr. MOORE. Yes; it has been going up steadily ever since, in a matter of estimates. One of the leaders in the oil business in my city, whose name cannot very well be used at the present time, authorized me to say: The east-coast section requires 1,500,000 barrels of oil per day. Of this amount approximately 700,000 barrels per day are now being delivered by tank cars; 130,000 barrels are being delivered by pipe line; and 80,000 barrels are being produced in Pennsylvania and nearby fields, making a total of something like 910,000 barrels. |