Pipelines

First carload of 24 inch seamless pipe for War Emergency Pipelines, Inc. Ralph K. Davies, Deputy Petroleum Administrator for War, standing fourth from right on ground. All other men unidentified.

Aerial view of flood waters on right of way from Arkansas River. Despite the near impassable flood conditions on Arkansas and Missouri right of way, pipeliners pushed construction work on the Petroleum Administration's second Texas-East Coast oil artery, the 20 inch War Emergency Products Pipeline.

View of flood water from Arkansas River that caused construction to halt on second War Emergency Pipeline near site of "Big Inch" break under rampaging River.

View of construction of 20 inch War Emergency Products Pipeline that was stopped by flood waters from the Arkansas River. The pipeline runs between Beaumont-Houston, Texas and the East Coast. This same flood caused damage to the "Big Inch".

Back wash water of flooded Arkansas River which stalled highway traffic and pipeline construction work on Petroleum Administration's second Texas East Coast pipeline. Aerial view shows high water conditions and pipe strung ready for welding along second pipeline right-of-way near flood break in "Big Inch."

Back wash water of flooded Arkansas River which stalled highway traffic and pipeline construction work on Petroleum Administration's second Texas East Coast pipeline. Aerial view shows high water conditions and pipe strung ready for welding along second pipeline right-of-way near flood break in "Big Inch".

Back wash water of flooded Arkansas River which stalled highway traffic and pipeline construction work on Petroleum Administration's second Texas East Coast pipeline. Aerial view shows high water conditions and pipe strung ready for welding along second pipeline right-of-way near flood break in "Big Inch".

Oil slick (lower left foreground) caused by crude oil trapped between emergency gate valves, shut when flood damage occurred in "Big Inch" river crossing, seeped to the surface along bank of Arkansas River to mark the point of break in 24 inch War Emergency Pipeline. Raging water gouged back hundreds of feet of river bank and caused the "Big Inch" to break far north of the river channel. In the distance is Rock Island Railroad Bridge where the completed temporary pipeline detour spanned the flood, permitting resumption of "Big Inch" oil runs for the East.

Oil slick caused by crude oil trapped between emergency gate valves, shut when flood damage occurred in "Big Inch" river crossing, seeped to the surface along bank of Arkansas River to mark the point of break in 24 inch War Emergency Pipeline. Raging water gouged back hundred of feet of river bank and caused the "Big Inch" to break far north of the river channel.

View of flooded Arkansas River which washed out 300 feet of bank, undercut the buried "Big Inch" pipeline and caused a break that cost East Coast 7 day stoppage of pumping operations. The stoppage amounted to about one million, four hundred thousand barrels of oil.