The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-18
SOMETHING ABOUT TOWBOATs.

SVMElHlNG ABDUL 1VWDVA 10,
The card Of Capt J. w. Black, manager Of
the Anchor Line Of Towboats, and the report
Of an interview with him by representative
! Of this journal, both OF which were printed in
our columns yesterday morning, taken In
connection with tho other literature recently
published on the project for blocking the
jetties, constitutes some very entertaining
| reading.
The members of the Towboat Association
! and Capt Black have for several days past
been bandyng left-handed compliments; but
the question as TO which parity made the propo-
siton to block South Pass, by grounding ships
in their charge on the bar, remains unsettled,
Tho Towboat Association first made the
charge against Capt. Black. Capt. Black
published letter denying the charge, and
affirming that the proposition was made by
the members of the Towboat Association; and
that he alone dissenting, withdrew from the
Association Mr.. W. q. Coyle, president Of the
Association, printed card in the DEMOCRAT
on the sixteenth. Endorsed by his co-propri-
etors In tho Association. In which he repre-
sents Black as bad and Enthusiastically
who proposed to block the ietty pass. Black
responded in his card and interview
yesterday, again, charging that the
proposition to block tho jetties was made by
his late associates, but. In his interview,
evincing a very strong desire to drop the
subject and direct the controversy into a
new channel by charging q long course of
disreputable practices upon that ancient
set Of lambs" as he terms them.
Now we do not intend that these parties
shall smother UP this matter. They opened
the controversy themselves. It Is of i'm
mense Importance to the public, and the
truth must be brought out one way or the
other. There Is no doubt that the PROPOSE
tion to block South Pass by grounding one
or more large ships on the bar was made in
the Towboat Association when Black was a
member of IT, that it was discussed at diff
ferent times, and that none Of the parties to
this controversy said word about 1t, outside
Of the ring, until this quarrel arose between
them.
Capt. Black, in his interview with our re-
porters, said about this blockading of the
jetties they are making mountain out OF q
molehill Of it. AS / said 1t was talked about
in tho presence Of all Of them, but then 1t was
at times in what you might call iesting
way" Again, he said the project was talked
Of several times, and the Tornado was the
vessel selected to be grounded, because Of her
extreme length. In concluding the interview,
the representative of the DEMOCRAT said to
Capt Black: "In closing, captain you still
assert that all the presidents at the meetings
conversed about the grounding of a vessel in
the jetties 2" To which Capt. Black replied: 81
do sir. AS | said before they are making too
much out of what was very little thing 1t
was spoken of In light sort Of way, you
know, and don't see why SO much fuss has
been made about II"
Perhaps the most extraordinary feature Of
this exposure is tho light In which Capt
Black seems to have regarded it, He tells US
that the towboat presidents discussed In their
meetings proposition to block the jetties by
on the bar ships entrusted to their
charge, and which 1t was their duty to put to
sea safely and without detention; that they
proposed to embarrass the commerce Of this
city and criminally violate their trust; wreck,
If necessary, the vessels In their charge, and
carry out a scheme of piracy. Hel
Is extremely specific in his statements. He
tells us the name Of the ship which it was
proposed to ground, and informs us of the
reasons she was selected. Evidently, II Capt
Black is to be believed, the plan had been
thoroughly discussed and fully matured in
all its parts. Indeed. Capt. Black leaves no
doubt upon our mind that this project was on
foot, and then he tells US that excitement over
1t is idle, and that we are "making noun
tain out of a molehill;" that it was "a very
little thing" and that he che can't see why
so much fuss has been made about It,"
We fear Capt. Black experience In the tow
boat ring has not sharpened his moral per
captions. The public will not, we apprehend,
appre ciate the jest of those humorous gentle
men who go 30 lightly about the job Of wreck
ing ships, robbing honest people and damag-
ing whole community. The humor has
grimness about it resembling that Of band
Of pirates planning the capture of their next
prize over their grog, and gaily jesting of
cutting the threats of their captives. We as
sure Capt. Black that the public are not
making too much fuss about this thing, and
that it is no small matter. It was piratical
scheme Of the first order, and the public inter
ests require that the real truth shall be
known, and the parties concerned In itexposed
to public Indignation.
Who those parties are, we do not presume
to Judge. But as the case stands, public
opinion will refuse to acquit any Of the par
ties concerned in the controversy. 1t impera-
lively demands. in fact, that the innocent
man or men shall seek q judicial investiga-
ton which will force out all the evidence that
exists. Captains Mcclellan and Riddle of
the Towboat Association, first charged Capt
Black with devising the infamous scheme. If
Capt. Black Is innocent as he claims that he
is, he cannot fear an Investigations; nay, he
should seek 1t; he should insti-
tute suit against the Towboat Asso-
citation for defamation of character and
rate his damages at very high figure.
~ ~ p1oo Iy hoo Oh