Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-06
aouruaI srra Corrisr.
SINGLE COPIES THREE GENTS.
Thursday. september 6. 1888.
THE NEW YORK PILOTS.

The New York pilots Cor pirates) are at it again. They have caused to be filed at AL bany preliminary certificate of incorpora- ton for the Sandy Hook Pilot Boat Com pany.'' In the circular issued by the pro iectors of the company it is stated that the one hundred and seventy New York and New Jersey pilots own twenty-eight boats, and l that the average amount of annual income derived from these is $700, GOO After all expenses are deducted the net yearly earn l ings of each pilot, under the present system, amount to $2, ,461.76. It is proposed, after the organization of the company, to reduce the number of boats to be used to twelve. and under the new system it is calculated that each pilot will receive an addition to his annual earnings of $5ss.24, making the total of pilots income $3,
 This. it is to be remembered, is the pilots' own statement. They have been charged with making much more out of vessels than is represented by the figures given above, and there have been several attempts to re Heve commerce of part of the heavy bur den they put upon it. The pilots have thus far strongly and successfully fought all these attempts A significant statement in the cir cular they have issued is that 'it will be bet ter to be prepared for the next legislature and it is suspected tGat the Sandy Hook Pilot Boat company may be intended to influence legislation A bill to reduce the fees of the pilots was introduced in the last legislature. and its history, as recited by the Brooklyn Union, is certainly remarkable It was pre- pared by & committee of the Chamber of Commerce and indorsed by all the other mer- cantile bodies of the metropolis. Its pro- visions so commended themselves to the members of the lower house that it was speedily passed in the Assembly and transmitted to the Senate early in the session. In that body it found an earnest opponent in one Senator, upon whose motion it was sent to inc appropriate committee. It was favor ably reported and came up in regular order for passage. The very mention of the Pilot bill appeared to have a remarkable effect up- on the health of the Senator above referred to, as each time that it was reached he plead ed sickness and obtained postponement of action until he should be able to discuss its provisions. The Senator could lobby for OF against other measures, press partisan legis
 
 lation and record his vote on other acts, but the moment the Pilot bill was reached an at tack of some insidious disease prostrated him, and it's consideration was postponed pending his convalescence. The policy of delay resorted to by the Senate defeated the measure in the closing hours of the session, much to the disgust of the delegations from several commercial assocfations that occupied seats in the Senate gallery. It was openly charged that corruption fund of $1O, 900 had been sent to Albany to defeat the bill, ! and it was stated with equal publicity that money of the pilots assisted to pay the ex- penses incurred from the SIP plate dinner rendered to the Senator after the legislaturess adjournment.
 Another attempt will be made this winter to relieve the commerce of the port of New York from the disadvantages arising from exorbitant pilot fees. If the Sandy Hook Pilot Boat company is for the purpose of trying to defeat this attempt, it's organizers did not do well in letting the public know that they were preparing for the next legis- lature." It is possible that the next legisla- ture may be prepared for the pilots.