The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-03-13
TIE WRECkERS OF KEY WEST,
FIDPIDt

tbE-fbA.
lhc principal business of Krv Wr,t *
from >ilva%e< commissions ard other prnIui
sites oi wr"ckirg. This Is a business ,,c.uli,r
+" the reefs. and demands particular ,.Iuc;-
iation. 1t Is not, as many suppose. and as il
was. to some extent laorc IT WIS rcr,l..,..l
by law and well administered lv the courts
species ot'rclcntlc>S piracy. 1t i>a lcu;,i-
mate business. cGnLurtrd nnd,r est,ll;.boJ
and equitable rules. and for ih.. nutu,l bor,-
III ol Inc wrecked, tine wrerkrr and ,l.. u,,.
a"rwrlicr- The persons cm.sa~ed in !, a..
"f character, standing and wealth mon ,f .,c,,-
'rouS sentiments. and kindly feelings. VIII,
FISK much ami work hard tor what they u,.,
and VIII" throw mt" their calling ~ p,,,b o.
regard t"r rights. Interests sn., ,,,oro-.,. =.
The sufferers whom they relieve, As is OK xhili,.a
IN any other department of mercantile, brs;
n.~S
That there lrc o-ra<ional cyce,,t;,,,.- :,
't'> -'i''''l 'T'e. cam. :,,. ,i,.riied s;,.
gle instance of rrrrn. Occurrences MIL ,o,.,
I" sh"" that ~rerkerS are not alrav, ,6rst..
nor always rhar""1''' with h..ar:le,> ra,,a,i-
y IN iil' i'u->''f i;i.'-ir har,l, .r,.f;.~>on
\ Vessel with 4 r;-w ,,a>s,.i:r, r. b.v;r,,.,.,,
ni''n ih'' r'si made tia u>uai SIGNALS .,f ,s;s-
fr''S> and wait,r!;or help, IMPATIENT Of de-
'''H- a''d .'''rin- that the vessel would uo +,
pieces before rrlic came, the passengers and
som" OF ia" crew f",'t to the boa. with I view
t. "f hnd'n" safe lace for landing. WLc,
the wreckcr came ,lown. The ra,t,ip ,,,s -
formed "t this fat. l!.inmr,iiate!v lci ,b..
1 Nv>>,!. AID went IN search ,t tL,. w.,,,-,,,.
among the intricate passes of tie KEYS. A.-
Other "re'k"r came down. >ho,rinr NOR.
anAicty t" save life tl:an 10 secure the s,I,,,-
tas'> "l an attempt II save the vessel and CAV
20. \ third canr. down. and f..I;,,,, ,.
'hr disasters We're sufficiently cared for u,.,,,
1" work 10 rescue the vessel and remove H.,
cargo 80 much was this act Of bero;. >.
'e'olehre appreciated, that when the au,ari
"' salvage was made up, those who first arr;v-
ei a; the Wrvrk. and l,f, in search Of ,h,.
J.. passengers and crew. TT, riycd IN. sam. .I,,,,
:. as they would have done il th,.v had prorcad-
+ eel IN tin" n>''''I way, 10 discharge IN. wre,k
and ct her of; while their comrades w,,
came last +" 'i spot. received only the share
winch would appropriately belong 10 ,:lc
third in the rare.
The rul' in this respect i. thai be wb,
=, first boards III" w-crk has unlisI,ue,l control
"i her. tril she Is delivered into the hands Of
The court lie determines who. any shalt
AID HIM in the rescue. and IN ,yha, ,,r,I.r,b..,.
shall come IN for shares He also decide, +,
whom tn" wrecked vessel shall nc rn,,>i.r,..:
unless The master ofihe wreck. has \ rbnc..
IN tl'" case ih" whole matter is then l.tt
>, t" III" adjudication OF the ronrt. Tie auou,
"f Saiv""" is there Determined ,a.I ,arfv en-
=, g'-cd IN tn" re>rn" receiving his >Larc o ;Irc
=, award, according the previous arrangement,
:. "ifh" skipper who first boarded the wrr,l.
The amount of the award AVERAGES alor,
- "hr tenth oi the vau" Of the property saved
COMMISSIONS. EXPENSES. g.. swell this 10 A.
boat "n"-siNth, The average amount ri
i wrecked property drought into kcv West. !,
=, n"t tar from Il ,2"",""o per annum. of whirl
there is lcil hchinl for the ben, fit d: thcIlac,
J. ai'"nt >>2"n.""o. This hcin- divided anon.
J., the raPiaim.rr"w and owners of the wr.ckcr>
commission merchants. LAWYERS. au,tiunccr,
y, whari-"wncr>. ship-wri.ht>. carpenters an,
:, >t"rc-k"crcr>, Is pretty widely ,liffn>cd. alr
!. goes into general circulation 1t Is the prinrI
pal reliance oi all the br,inc>S m,.n. mechanic.
''r lai"r'r> ct the plarc.-iI.'s lIrrcir,t,
.H.g0,;nc