The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-16

length. while the latter only sixty % eighty
thor encines showing 3O-inch To- W-tnch diam
eter IL cynnder. ana averaging &-nch stoke.
while the whitehall tugs average about lbinch 4
cylinder and 2D-inch stroke. business IA 80 CA
coedinrly dali now TINT not moro than one
third Of the compauys force Ia actively ON
rloyed. Gait Cox also runs IA line OF large tucs
lowing coal boats from Perth Amboy to ports
this siue of Norwalk. Conn.
J. a. StarIn mauaR \ an extensive line OF tugs,
which monopolize the work Of tho New Jersey
Central Railroad. Ills concern is, tnaeed, said
II, tug men be part Of the New Jersey Cen
trail. Under his direction, his pier at the foot Of
Broad stree has just been widcned TWENTY-FIVE
Inc here directly the New jersey Central freight
cars, ON enormous floats. moved by tugs.
SANDY HOOK TUGS.
The most exciting and adventurous phase Of
tug life vs. that enJOycd by the men Sandy
Hook service. To prosecute this branch OF the
Ousinoss. tugs are scut out with degree OF en-
terprise ana recxlessness OF ocean pcrils scarce
ly second to that DISPLAYED by our harbor pilots.
They run down first to Barnerat. tben across to
Fire Island: standing forty miles out beyond
Sandy Hook to waylay incoming vessels. IL
would seem that these little boats, laden down
TO the waters edge with their heavy feieht Of
coal and fresh water. would run great risk OF be-
ing swamped IN heavy seas or rolled upon ny the
huge bulk Of the vessels they take In charge,
ou. their seaworthiness is well proven by the
fact thut none have been lost in either OF
those ways. They all have surface-condonsing,
not high-pressure engines, like most of those
which Wy nearer home and a few OF them are
built OF iron. question seems to exist among
tug owners whether large or small tugs are best
nd lpted to this branch OF the business. but the
general inion seems to be that In view u the
heavier coal expenses incurred by the larger
eighty hve feet In length. The Cyclups Is cited
az an illustration Of tho inacvisaoility OF EN-.
feet In length, and had cylinder thrty-f0ur
inches IN diameter. Aith ouRh she had her far
snare OF employment, her owners lost money on
her, as long "a they kept her ut this work, at the
rate OF 800 or SS,O mouth, and now she has
been Withdrawn from It.
The crew Of a harbor tug almost uniformly
consists OF captain (whO H. also pilOt) engineer,
first and second nremen. two deck hands, and
cook. rms Is two larger than tue complement
Of n Whitehall tug Their wages are from <1l2
to 1925 per month for ciptan 500 TO $50 for en-
gibeer; deck bHnds, t25 70 sjO; nremen and
cook, from S25 to SA5. some owners. instead Of
paving regular salaries. give a percentage On
business 10 encourage tho crew. and wnen this
n the case the captain receives about eight per
cent OF the gross receipts aud the engineer six
very successfniiy by Capt. Nickerson. who be.
lieves that with such an incentive his men will
be much more active In stalking" customers
than tuey would lie otherwise.
LIVELY WORK.
A tug going out on this service leaves her
dock at from ~ l.. NJ. TO A. NJ, SO Nv to be ten
miles outside the Lghtsnip by daylight. and
taxes along sufficient supply Of water, coal, and
provisions for three days. IL sometimes happens
That the allotted time passes without single
sail being sighted, while ON other occasions the
prize IL In view almost US quickly ~ the tug
reaches her station. But whatever time the
sail appears. II Is pretty certain that 1t will I've
seen SIM utaneously from four or 1vo Lugs. each
OF which makes Its best speed to be the first to
| ".
these races are long and very exciting but who
ever II lrst to reach the coveted place has his
rights fully recognized by the Others, none of
whom will approach until he has left the vessel.
IL sometimes happens that the captain OF an IN
coming ship Is unwilling 60 pny the demanded
price for towsge, and seeks to call some other
tug to underbd the frst conner. But his labor
IS ALWAYS bootloss. Not iufreduently the captain
In such an emergency positively refuses to en-
plOy the first conner and do so "a such vgor-
Gus terms that lac awakens the tux man wrath,
who thereupon declares. every well. II YOU will
not hire z. shall not hire WOODY else.
and In pursuance Of that threat sticks close to
her way up the harb0r. and all the other tugs
stand on Tor new capture.
The towaso rate from say Fire Island Is on an
average SIS 10 Si5 for snip OF 500 tons, when
wind ana sea proptious Sometimes. how
ever, tro charge runs as high Ms S2UJ. sou. and
even 400 for very large ships. Not infrequent-
" the tug men secure by bargain whom coming
In, the towage on the outgoing TRIP, ana In such
cases the towages nre added together, and a con
siderable reduction made. Pilots are seldom able
to do much toward hct.ing a tux to yet fob,
though friendly pilot may occasionally.
by a few recommendations words, essist the tug
man IN making terms with IA vessel captain.
In pfoc4uon for such service. the tugs are
always ready Tor kindly omces toward ths pi-
lots. taking thsn N vessels, carrying them
from place to place IN the harbor. even some
times towing their boats out To sea. a., &o.
During the past fifteen years the humber OF
tugs In New York harbor has been doubled. and
Mt the same time the expenses have Increased
IN every way 1akne al in all, the S3,OOO.OO0 in
vested la the tug business in this harbur IL prob
ably now about the lsas, productive active
capital in tits city. so keenly Is this folt That
numbers OF the oldest tug owners are endeavor-
ing TO contract their business or edge out OF II
into something else. Capt. Marshall. for iu-
stance, VINO has been "tugging" for wenty-six
years. during twenty Of which lie has occupied
the same once on south street. says, with
si-h, that he would have been $1,000 better on
Il he had gone out fifteen years rgo anu now he
has only two tugs instead Of 1--WE. as formerly,
ana IL operating a small daily passenger line to
stamford, Com, Instead Of chnging 10 tue fall
ing fortunes OF towing.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.
hrx 70.
or on board them, considering how numerous
they are, and 10 what dangers they are EXPOSED.
Being small anu nimblc. they Get out Of the way
readily when endangered by the rolling of big
vessels, and even II deluge OF water pOurs into
them tney have pumps Of tremendous power to
ciear themselves IN a few minutes. One, the
"Lapham," wen: down i've or six years ago op
Dosite Greenpoint, being capszed by the part
lng 81 bow line ami the tripping Of the stern
line under her. out none Of her crew were lost,
aud she was subsequently raisel and Is still IN
service. Occasi"ilrlif, one burns or blows W,
through the CarcleSsness OF ner crew-as In the
recent c .se OF the Workman but such occur
fences are quite rare and need not happen win
Ordinary wa cnfulutss.
Few men arc believed to have made fortunes in
the tugnoat business. 1 he Crarys,wbo any years
ago were associated with Cap. MARSHALL, were
said to have accumulated considerable money.
Peter some years ago retired with competent
cy; Humphrey died. leaving a snug little for
tune and Palmer. the least successful Of the
tnree brothers, Is still tugging. Potter Schaus.
North rlvcr tux man, Is said - be the weatnicst
individual owner about the harb0r. why"
said one old captain, " he's tue A. r. Stewart ~
worth rs much as SlOO,OUO.' so. would az
pear that the tugmen's ideas Of gigantic for
tunes are not absolutely overwhelming.
An rs poor business now" said tug
captain medtatively turning ms gl ~ upside
DOWN, and seeing with satisfaction that 1t had
been SO perfectly drained that not drop fell.
There amt many II Us has such luck the
o~ners Of the Henry smith, shea Knapp she
has been charter steadily by the Govern N ent
for years back, Tor the use Of the Qusrtermas-
tcr's and Ccmmissary and Ordnance depart
mcnts in tins hai Dor, and there hasn't been
youT thut she hasn't paid moro than MY per
cent above her entire original cost. Why, they
used t. get $40 day and her cOal-which would
make IL about St5-fur her ri.ht along. Now |
don't know how mucn they get, but | suppose
rs about $l,WO n month and hcr coal. OF course
her uwnerH don't get all 81 that, or leastways
! don't Keep II all. for II don't stand to reason
that thcyd have such n SOFT thngif some Of
hClas that have the power % select the tug to
/ be hireu didn't get "a slice out Of IT. How big
that Slice IL don't know, but think ia like to
have tho Henry Smiths Job fora whie.'
Immense Deposits OF Rock salt.