This month in history

Anchorage Daily News, Dec. 1, 1964 - City’s Petroleum Dock Put Out of Commission

It came as no surprise to port workers yesterday when they showed up for work to find part of the city’s temporary petroleum facility had disappeared, putting the facility out of action for the winter.

The engineers had predicted that the temporary structure, put in following the earthquake as an emergency measure, would probably not withstand the rigors of the ice and tide during an Alaskan winter.

The south dolphin, a cluster of 21 wooden piles, was apparently knocked over by the action of the tide and ice sometime early yesterday morning. There were no witnesses, according to Port Director A.E. Harned.

It is not known whether the dolphin was sheared off by the ice or merely knocked over.

Three tankers were scheduled to unload at the petroleum facility during the remainder of the year. They will now be forced to unload at the city dock, risking a possible conflict with Sea-Land Service Inc., which has priority rights two days a week at the dock.

The steel catwalk which led out to the dolphin was salvaged yesterday morning by the specially equipped tug “Milton II,” which is operating at the port under contract to Sea-Land.

Harned said members of the Port Commission viewed the damage and tentatively that the dolphin would have to be re-installed.

An off the cuff cost estimate secured by Harned was $30,000.

He said he expected “a flood of tankers” after breakup next spring to replenish the tank firms which have sprung up in the port area since the earthquake.

The proposed 1965 City Budget includes a bond issue of $2.25 million to finance a permanent city petroleum facility which would not be subject to ice damage.