of 30 feet (9.1 m) and leads through Sabine Pass, Port Arthur Ship Canal, Sabine-Neches Canal, Sabine River, Lake Charles Canal, and Calcasieu River to the Port of Lake Charles on the Calcasieu River immediately adjacent to the city of Lake Charles on Lake Charles. There are several sharp turns along this waterway and several places where it would be dangerous to pass another large vessel. The recently published new chart No. 592 covers that section of this waterway between the Sabine River and Lake Charles.

This canal leaves the Sabine River, 3 miles south of Orange, extends due eastward for 1912 miles and northeastward for 21/2 miles and joins the Calcasieu River about 1 mile south of Moss Lake. The controlling dimensions of the canal are 30 feet (9.1 m) deep with a bottom width of 125 feet. Two highway cable ferries cross the canal; one 2 miles from the eastern end, just north of where the canal turns westward and the other about half way along the canal. They are operated by a cable which is lowered to the bottom on the approach of a vessel. A long blast should be given in ample time for the ferryman to clear the cable and to prevent serious accident. Calcasieu River extends northeastward from the north end of Calcasieu Lake. The entrance from the lake into the river has been described on page 257.

Three miles above the mouth of the river, the Intracoastal Waterway leads to the eastward and 2 miles further, at the west end of Devils Elbow, the Lake Charles Canal (route of the Intracoastal Waterway) leads to the westward. Both river entrances are marked. The ship canal follows the river (and a cut-off) from the Lake Charles Canal to the Port of Lake Charles, a distance of 1011⁄2 miles. Several spar buoys have been placed in the river by private concerns, but as they are not colored, local knowledge is necessary in using them. Across Moss Lake, about a mile above the canal, the western side of the channel is marked by three lights. Five miles above Moss Lake, the channel follows the north fork through Rose Bluff Cut-off and continues on the same course through a cut across the south end of Coon Island (in the north bend of the river above Prien Lake); it then takes the eastern (right) fork for about 111⁄2 miles further to the port docks. There is deep water along mid-channel courses through the river with a controlling depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) in Rose Bluff Cut-off. Unlike most rivers, the deeper water often favors the points rather than the bends. There are no bridges crossing the river below the port docks. There is little current in the river except during freshets.

The port docks are on the east side of the river, on a point formed by cutting through a narrow neck of land across a bend of the river. The bend extends about a mile to the northwestward and forms a complete loop for vessels to head down stream. A large alkali works is located on a dredged channel leading off the northwest side of this bend. A draft of 30 feet (9.1 m) can be carried around the bend and to the wharf of the alkali works. The project provides for a turning basin at the municipal docks 2,000 feet by 500 feet.

About a mile above the port docks, the river widens into Lake Charles. This section of the river is crossed by a highway bascule bridge with a horizontal clearance of 100 feet and a vertical clear

ance (closed) of 11 feet (3.4 m) above high water. The lake is roughly circular, about a mile and quarter in diameter. The city of Lake Charles is located on the western shore.

Above the lake Caleasieu River has a controlling depth of 23 feet (7.0 m) for about 5 miles through that section of the river immediately north and west of the city, and it is reported that this depth can be taken about 15 miles up the river. A depth of 7 feet (2.1 m) can be carried to Jones Bluff, the head of navigation, 23 miles above Lake Charles. The deep water channel through the lake is 100-125 yards off the west shore for a distance of half a mile, into the northern extension of the river. This channel across the lake is sometimes marked by private concerns. Two railroad drawbridges cross the river just above the lake and another, 7 miles further upstream. The minimum horizontal clearance is 93 feet.

Lake Charles (population 15,791 by the 1930 census) is the only major port in western Louisiana. It is on the main state highway running westward from New Orleans and is served by three trunk line railroads. There are frequent steamship sailings to coastwise and foreign ports. Extensive oil discoveries in the vicinity have greatly increased the importance of the city. The principal exports are rice, lumber, cotton, packing house products, and oil. The principal imports are fertilizer materials, cement, and iron and steel products. The public terminals are owned by the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District and operated by a board of Commissioners, which is an agency of the State of Louisiana. The office of the port director is close by the wharves.

Westlake on the west bank of the Calcasieu River just north of Lake Charles is a sawmill town of some importance. There is highway connection with the city of Lake Charles.

Terminal Facilities. The public terminals are on a point on the east side of the Calcasieu River about a mile and a half west of the city of Lake Charles. There are two wharves, each 1,600 feet long, one on either side of the point. The transit sheds on the wharves have nearly 500,000 square feet of covered area and are equipped with modern fire-fighting apparatus. Double railroad tracks extend along both the front and the rear of the transit sheds. In the space between the wharves there are several privately owned warehouses and a high-density cotton compress.

At Rose Bluff, 5 miles below the public wharves, there are several privately owned oil-loading wharves and a similar terminal 5 miles further down the river. There is a large alkali works on the river bend northwest of the public wharves.

Pilotage. Pilotage is compulsory for vessels in foreign trade but not compulsory for vessels in coastwise trade if having on board a pilot licensed by the United States Steamboat Inspection Service. Bar pilotage, inward or outward, from sea to Orange, Tex., follows:

is as

To the above rates must be added river pilotage rate from Orange, Tex., to Lake Charles, of $1.50 per draft foot, regardless of size of vessel, with a minimum rate of $60 for round trip.

Due to passing from Texas into Louisiana it is necessary to have two pilots, one taking the vessel through the Sabine River and the other on to Lake Charles.

Ships generally go alongside the wharves although they can be moored along the river bank if necessary. There is scarcely room for anchoring in the river.

Smaller tugs are available locally and sea-going tugs can be secured at Beaumont or Port Arthur.

Supplies and Repairs.-Fresh water, suitable for boiler use, is piped to the public wharves. Provisions and general supplies are available but very little in the line of marine hardware. There are no fuel bunkering facilities. Gasoline, oil, and water can be secured at several boat landings on Lake Charles. The water in Calcasieu River and Lake Charles is suitable for boiler purposes.

The only repair facilities are for light-draft vessels. There are marine ways on the lower river just south of Moss Lake, where vessels up to 130 feet long and 7 feet (2.1 m) draft can be hauled and repaired. Larger vessels are taken to Orange and Beaumont. There are machine shops, a small foundry, and a welding shop in Lake Charles.

Quarantine, Customs, etc.-The boarding station for quarantine and immigration inspection is at Sabine, Tex. The quarantine station is at Sabine. The Immigration Office and the nearest United States Public Health Service Relief Station are at Port Arthur. The Customs Office is located in the Post Office building in Lake Charles. There is a local hospital.

Small boat Facilities. There are numerous boat landings along the lake shore at Lake Charles to which a depth of 6 to 7 feet (1.8 to 2.1 m) can be taken. The landings along the south shore of the river between the docks and the lake have somewhat greater depths and better protection. Gasoline, oil, and water can be secured at several of these landings. For repairs see Supplies and Repairs above. The Port Facilities described below apply generally to the ports on the Sabine Waterways.

Anchorage.-Vessels provided with good ground tackle can ride out any gale by anchoring about 7 miles westward of the jetties as close inshore as their draft will permit. The shoal west of the jetties is rapidly building out, and vessels should approach this area with caution. The bottom is soft mud and ooze. In some places during southerly gales the surface has the appearance of being covered with oil. Small craft should find anchorage inside the jetties or in the pass. In the pass there are three anchorages. The quarantine anchorage southward of the lighthouse has a depth of 32 feet (9.7 m). An anchorage alongside the west bank abreast of the northern end of the village of Sabine and an anchorage alongside the west bank for about a mile below the entrance to the Port Arthur Ship Canal have depths sufficient for any vessel that can enter the pass, but both have limited swinging room.

There are no anchorages at Beaumont, Orange, or Lake Charles. Anchorage is permitted in the Neches, Sabine, or Calcasieu Rivers

(29) PORT FACILITIES

281

only in an emergency. Vessels may be tied up to the banks of the rivers for limited periods if permission is obtained from the United States Engineer Department.

Pilotage. Pilotage is compulsory for vessels in foreign trade. It is also compulsory for vessels in coastwise trade as required under the laws for the State of Texas as given on page 8. It is not compulsory for coast wise vessels when having on board a pilot licensed by the United States Steamboat Inspection Service.

The Sabine Pilots have a station on the west breakwater at Sabine Pass. A pilot boat is usually on watch near the end of the jetties or will come out to a vessel making signal.

The rates of pilotage are as follows:

FROM SEA TO PORT ARTHUR:

Any tonnage_-

FROM SEA TO BEAUMONT OR ORANGE:

6,000 gross tonnage and under.

6,000 to 7,000 gross tonnage. 7,000 to 8,000 gross tonnage. 8,000 to 9,000 gross tonnage_ 9,000 gross tonnage and over. SHIFTING CHARGES:

With steam__.
Without steam

Per foot

of draft

$4.00

5.00

5.25

5. 50

5.75

6.00

20.00

25.00

The Lake Charles Pilots take ships from the Sabine River to Lake Charles. The rate for this river pilotage is $1.50 per foot of draft, regardless of size of vessel, with a minimum rate of $60 for the round trip.

Towage.-Towboats are frequently employed by the larger and deeper draft vessels.

There are three principal companies which furnish towboats and seagoing tugs in the Sabine area. Two of these operate out of Port Arthur and one out of Beaumont. Smaller tugs are available at Orange.

The following rates are quoted as typical:

Salvage Facilities.-The towboat companies have tugs, barges, derricks, pumps and miscellaneous equipment for the performance of wrecking and salvage operations.

Port Charges.-There is a dockage charge of 1 cent per gross registered_ton_for vessels tied up at the wharves of the Port Arthur Canal & Dock Co. or at the municipal wharf at Orange when not engaged in receiving or discharging any cargo. There are no dockage charges at the municipal terminal at Beaumont.

Quarantine. The Quarantine station is located on the west side of Sabine Pass just above Sabine. Vessels subject to visitation are boarded off Sabine. See also information relative to quarantine on page 9.

Immigration. The Immigration Office is located in the Federal Building at Port Arthur. Vessels are boarded at Sabine in Sabine Pass.

Customs.-The Sabine District customhouse is located in the Federal Building at Port Arthur. There is a customs office in the Federal Building at Beaumont; this office handles the business of the port of Orange. There is also a customs office in the Post Office Building at Lake Charles.

Hospitals. The nearest marine hospital is at Galveston. There is a United States Public Health Service Relief Station at Port Arthur and there are private hospitals at Port Arthur, Beaumont, Orange, and Lake Charles.

Storm Warnings.-Storm warning signals (day only) are displayed at the Coast Guard station in Sabine Pass and on the water front at Orange. Both day and night signals are displayed from the signal tower at the east end of the highway bridge at Port Arthur.

Tides and currents. The mean range of tide is 1.4 feet at the entrance of Sabine Pass. Tidal action is felt at Beaumont and Orange. Winds from any easterly or southerly quarter raise the surface of the water by as much as 3 feet at Sabine and 11⁄2 feet at Port Arthur. Northerly winds lower the surface by nearly the

same amounts.

The currents off the entrance are dependent upon the direction and velocity of the wind. Following continued northerly, northeasterly, or easterly winds a southwesterly to westerly current will be found off the entrance, sometimes with a velocity of as much as 2 knots and frequently of 1 knot. Following southerly or southwesterly winds, the currents will be in the opposite direction but with. less velocity. A velocity of 21⁄2 knots has been observed in Sabine. Pass..

DIRECTIONS, SABINE PASS

Approaching from eastward, deep-draft vessels should avoid Ship Shoal, Trinity Shoal, and the extensive area of broken ground between them. Sabine Bank (described on p. 257) parallels the east at a distance averaging 17 miles and should be avoided. The Lighted Whistle buoys off Ship Shoal, Trinity Shoal, and the easterly end of Sabine Bank are useful and dependable marks. Deepdraft vessels approaching from eastward usually lay their courses for Sabine Bank East End Lighted Whistle Buoy 1 or Sabine Pass Approach Lighted Bell Buoy 6. Comparatively few vessels from Dry Tortugas or points north of Dry Tortugas approach Sabine Pass through the buoyed channel in the bank 3 miles east of Sabine Bank Lighthouse, and with the 26-foot (7.9 m) shoal 12 miles 143° true from Sabine Bank Lighthouse, it is probable that this approach never will be popular. Mariners would prefer this approach (were it not for the fact that it is a difficult one), since it keeps them in deeper water with less bottom suction considerably longer than when approaching northward of the bank. Consequently many vessels that approach Sabine Pass to the northward of the bank depart by way of the passage through the bank.

Vessels coming from Dry Tortugas to Sabine Pass should hold up to the north in order to make their landfall course approximately parallel to the 10-fathom (18 m) curve, and incidentally to a line connecting Ship Shoal Lighted Whistle Buoy 2 and Trinity Shoal Lighted Whistle Buoy 4. If Ship Shoal buoy is missed they can