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HE following incident was DP assed as a “near. accident.” It occurred while a winch operator was assisting in the discharge of cargo. While at his work, the block snapped. Injury was prevented by precautionary measures. A pre- ventor—a wire strap—had been placed around the mast to the block at the heel of the derrick. Had the wire not been so placed before the work started, it was said, the winch driver might have been fatally in- jured because there was no possible way for him to get away when the block snapped. An iron bar used for opening scow doors of a side-opening dump scow had become bent. An employe was trying to straighten the bar by using it as a lever. He slipped, causing the bar to slip also and to strike him on the hand. An investigation of the accident resulted in a decision that he had employed the wrong method. The bar, it was pointed out, should have been straightened by being placed so that it could not slip during the operation, or at site less pre- carious than the slippery deck of the scow, or ought to have been straight- ened by striking it with a sledge. Both of the above incidents were reported to the marine section of the National Safety council during the past year. Empty electric light sockets which are exposed to the weather on piers can be most effectively protected by the use of ordinary cork bottle stoppers to plug up the socket. This prevents ‘‘weathering”’ on the inside of the socket. Cargo Handling Analyzed T New Orleans, 19,375 cases of A pineapples, having a_ total weight of 348 tons, were discharged using 248 man hours; or about 1.4 tons per man hour. Analysis of the cost of cargo handling at a terminal for coastwise operation shows’ the_ percentage division of cost per ton as follows: Stevedoring, 52; checking, 10; watching and cleaning, 9; supervi- sion, 10; tiering, 6; and miscellane- ous, 13. The tons per man hour ou this operation averaged about 1.8 tons loading and discharging com- bined. Loading, the tons per man a -—i ——as CTT 7 HIS page is being devoted to short items on all matters having to do with the more efficient turn- around of ships. These items are in- tended to be of a helpful nature. We will welcome for this page brief descriptions, illustrated if possible, of any better or safer way of perform: ing any function in cargo handling. Also, any questions submitted will be answered by the editor. UHC LEP PLLUPELOO PO ROLELUELOMPCO COCA OeT AL hours was 2.0 and discharging, 1.6. Dividing it into its principal items, the cost per ton of handling cargo on a New York terminal works out about as_ follows: Stevedoring labor, 58 cents; gear, 9 cents; rent of terminal, 50 cents; checking dock labor, watching and coopering, 20 cents; insurance, 6 cents, and super- vision 6 cents; making a total cost per ton of $1.49. Arrivals and Departures A BLACKBOARD, on which is posted the time of arrival and departure of ships, is used in several ports and on several terminals. The erection of such boards at centrally located points in and about the har- bor and terminals will insure that all persons concerned with the ships are duly notified of the details of arrivals and departures. A_ great many ports and terminals could make effective use of such boards. Tubs for potash should be thoroughly washed out after each time they are used and all remaining salt removed. The tubs should then be turned over so that water will not collect in them. Under no circumstances should these tubs be left on the pier as is while finishing a ship. Substantial Construction UCH criticism is levelled at the M government because of _ its policies regarding the construction of public edifices. Ordinary hooks for doors are fashioned out of brass, extra large sizes of steel pipes are used for railings, ete. When one MARINE REvVIEw—March, 1935 a 5 — = fi ROT i : Dy: s on (argo [[andling looks at some of the piers con- structed by private interests, how- ever, and sees the light construction employed for fire bucket racks, rail- ings, small cleats, ete., one can readily realize that the government is really economizing by building with durability as a primary con- sideration, and not spending money unwisely. Durable equipment pays for itself by reducing maintenance charges and replacement costs. Loads Railway Equipment HE Norwegian motorship BELPAMELA, a special ship for the carriage of railroad equipment, re- cently loaded the largest export ship- ment of railway equipment since 1929. There were 10 Baldwin narrow- gage locomotives and 15 Bethlehem first class passenger coaches, consigned to the Chilean State railways. The locomotives were erected com- pletely in the Baldwin shops, loaded upon flat cars and handled to the dock of the locomotive company. The passenger coaches came from the Harlan plant of the Bethlehem Steel Export Co. at Wilmington, Del. on temporary standard gage trucks because the cars have regular trucks of 5 feet, 6 inches gage, for use on the broad gage part of the Chilean State railways. The locomotives and tenders were stowed in the hold. The cars were stowed on deck athwartship, extend- ing over the side of the ship ap- proximately 12 feet on each side. Loading was done both with the ships special heavy lift gear and shore crane. On Loading Scrap Iron T some ports occasional cargoes of scrap iron are _ loaded quickly and economically by the use of old iron tanks. Tanks of about five or six feet in diameter are cut lengthwise down the center. The ends are removed with an acetylene torch. Shackles and bridles are at- tached to the two front corners and to the center of the rear of the tank. Scrap is thrown into the tanks direct from cars, hoisted over the ship’s side and dumped into the _ holds simply by releasing the two front hooks. 29 EOE OOO OOOO OOOO