Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-31
OUR FOREIGN MAILS.
How They Are Handled at New Vol

A New York Telegram man recently sauntered
down the wharf of the Cunard line. The BIG
steamer had been reported early on the previous
evening, and her mail had already been distrib-
uted throughout the city. The reporter expect
ed to find the ship snugly docked and the pas
sengers disembarking at the hour of 10 a. NJ,
but such was not the case. At the end Of the
wharf was lying the William Fletcher, that
ubiquitous steamboat met at steamship arrivals
departures, regattas, excursions fires, wrecks,
&c. In the pilOt-house that he has filled fol
nearly fourteen years sat Capt. j. G. Emmons
and him the reporter accosted:
"Where is the steamer"
"Outside the BAR
"Why is she not ins'
" The tide was too low when she arrived there.
and when it rose the fog shut her out"
But her mail is up?"
ooh, yes; we brought it from near the light
ship and landed it here at 9 o'clock last even
ing
And then the captain explained that the
European mail was brought to town and placed
in the hands of readers while yet the steamer
that brought it was far out at sea.
"When steamer is due" said the CAPTAIN
1--WE are ordered to be at the wharf of the com
pany, to which the telegraph report from Fire
Island or Sandy Hook is Immediately sent. We
must have steam up and the crew on board
when lying for a steamer at night. as the COM
that they will brook no delay. So you see that
| am virtually a prisoner here much of my
time.
eve rtart Immediately. no matter what the
Weather-ice, snow, gales. fOg-we must at
least make an attempt. But We seldom fail to
get the mail up ahead of the steamer if the tel
egraph gives us prompt notice of arrival. They
do not always do this, however
"Our first stop is at the barge office, where
we take on board an officer of customs to see
that nothing but mail is taken from the ship
Then we make all haste toward the ship meet
ing her at quarantine or beyond the bar as the
case may be. II gale is blowing We take the
windward shore for smooth water. If the ice
is running we try to avoid it; if we cannot get
around it we crash through it. l was once
about two hours getting from the battery to the
Cunard dock with mail on board Ii it is
foggy we proceed at half speed by compass,
sounding the whistle frequently. listening for
bells, horns and whistles, occasionally using the
lead. had queer experience once in the fog
tOwed vessel to sea safely ana left her of the
lightship.
1--WE then groped our way back to the hook,
and steered for steamers anchor-beil in the
lower bay. 1t proved to be the Parthia. fol-
which we were to wait that night. The officers
thought we came down to look for them, and
congratulated US upon our skill in a fog. We
put the mail on board, and found our way to the
city before the fog lifted. But sometimes we 90
to quarantine or sea upon false report. Occa-
siOnally we find the steamer aground or disabled
when we reach her, and so are able to render
immediate assistance. Yes. we frequently take
the mail outside IN heavy sea. l never lost a
bag of mail matter.
CATER the mail is all on board and snugly
slowed away out OF the wet we take an officer
of the steamer on board and make all haste for
the city. The mails are taken ashore and loaded
in huge trucks and ratified away to the post
office. We have had as many as eight hundred
bags at once. The ordinary number now is
three to four hundred bags. When l first went
into the mail business in: the George Brkbek.
twenty years ago, there was not so large a
number. Then the steamer would anchor in the
stream. fire gun. and we would 60 for her.
We would take the dozen bags or more to the
old barge office, throw them into an express
wagon, and if no horse was ready. run them to
the post office ourselves. The Australian and
New Zealand mails usually double the quantity
of bags. Sometimes we take these mails out to
steamer bound for Europe.
''The tide occasionally prevents mail steamers
awaiting the arrival Of the overland train from
San Francisco. The post office officials are anX-
ious to make the connection and the fast time,
SO it is arranged with the captain that he wait
outside the bar for the mailboat l remember
putting the mail on board the Gerlnania off the
Sandy Hook light-ship once in a northeaster
that was blowing great guns and the sea rolling
even with the steamships deck. We accom-
pllshed 1t safely, with only the parting of some
ropes. Captain Kennedy put the ship head to
the sea and moved ahead slowly, and the mails
were piled into rope cheese sings six at a time,
and whipped up from the fore yardarm Some
times the steamer will start for the city as soon
as we DO. but we can cut across lots where she
cannot float, and so We beat her up. Yes. these
modern 'racehOrses' can beat us or any other
boat in the harbor. We must watch for every
advantage to get up ahead Of them. and We gem
orally succeed"