OCR

The Marcona Mining Company was in charge of operating the mine and ex- tracting the ore while Utah undertook for Marcona the construction of the port works and the installation of mining and ore handling equipment. In addition, there were a number of affiliated organizations working at the port and mine. These included the Miles International Transportation Co. of Merced, California, which contracted the truck haulage from the mine to the port as well as repair and maintenance of the trucks, which were owned by Marcona. Other affiliates were the "Agencia Portuaria San Juan S. A.", a local company in charge of all shipping and dock activities, and the Pittsburgh Testing Laboratories who worked with Marcona chemists in analyzing ship samples of ore for the United States Steel Corporation. Also con- tracting for Utah was a steel fabrication company. Fabricaciones Metalicas S. A. of Lima. Pier and Ship Loading - Some 300 meters long or approximately 1100 feet, the pier was constructed in record time by the Pacific Bridge Company of San Francisco under subcontract with Utah. The shore end was of rock fill for some 54 meters with the extension carried out on steel, giving a depth of water ranging from 20 to 50 feet. Some of the steel piles were 150 feet in length. The pier surface was of steel and concrete flooring over steel piling and just off the north side were five dolphins or piling clusters to prevent ships from ramming against the pier itself. No dredging was necessary in erecting the pier or clearing the harbor. The water at the end of the pier was about 52 feet deep and 34 feet deep at the foot or shore end. The pier end also was provided with installations for putting in cranes. The ore was brought along the north side of the pier by conveyor belt. Dominating the entire scene was an enormous gantry used for loading. The ore went by belt up an incline to the height of the gantry boom, turning at a right angle and then another conveyor transported in the length of the boom which extended oyer the ship hold. At the end of the boom was a hooded, revolving attachment known appropriately enough as an elephants trunk. This fed the ore into the hold. The gantry towered up about 75 feet and weighed approximately 100 tons. Propelled by electric motor driven flanged car wheels along a track, this behemoth had two electric motors to operate it, while five others were utilized for the boom and elephant trunk.