Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-12-09
For the Ellsworth American.
The Pilotage Question.

SCHOONER HELEN G. MosFfEy.
AT SEA. Nov. IL, 1856, Bound FOR
CHARLESTON, s. {.
Ar Editor:
.s~ IN your paper Of October Is. an
article written by Capt. John ". Kane
brig |. W. Parker, on the sbuses Of com
pulsory ploiage, end feel and think
about the same he does IN the matter
feel ii N, dut, TO make public some Of III,
grievances and impositions have had 81;
the hands Of pilot. IN my little experience
In the fall of 1850 joined the schooner
Clifford in Boston, and chartered to 60 to
Ne~ York 10 load for Para. Brszil. and
hen | got round TO City Island expected
TO take TOW boat through the gate and, Of
course. if did. | did not need the s.si.i-
snoe of pilot, ss considered | was cspa-
ble Of steering my vessel after -boat
But & pilot came and offered his services
giving me the choice TO accrp, him or pay
half pilotage. OF course, a. | did not need
him, | gave the toll he demanded, and vent
on my wa, rejoicing. l got through all
right and loaded for foreign port. Then
| vas subject 10 full pilo,sge, if spoken by
one Of the gang. But as good luck would
have it. got to .ea without being spoken.
10 si1t, hve DAYS arrived on nv return
passage of the highlands Of Nays.iuk 10
the night, and If had been allowed to sail
my vessel in without paying S3I pilotage
when did not need pilot, should have
laid by until morning and gone in b, day
light, which | consider would be very
much safer. (And notice the pilots do not
care TO 90 in in the night time) But fur
the sake Cf saving the pilotage / took
chances, went in in the night all right aud
passed the health officers station. with
proper signals fy ing, and Wa. boarded by
thst honorable officer.
loaded up again for Para. and 3.
luck would have II he pilots failed TO
speak me when outward bound on the
voyage, snt went out ali righ, withou,
of Sandy Hook in the nght> again, and
thought If could. | would go in as had
not been spoken. So ! ran in BY the
Hook With fine little breeze The tide
turned ahead and the wind died out before
We got inside Of the pilot bounds. Still We
we're inside of the take Off boat some
and asked my mate We wanted 10 tow
q was below at The time shayingl | told
the mate 10 tell him no, as thought the
wind would spring up soon and We would
have good chance 10 sail up. The captain
asked if We had pilot. The mLte told
him no. He said. III you have no pilot you
can afford TO tow" But the mate said, "Ii
~e get in without either so much the better
for the captain" The tow-boa, pilot said,
''You are not going to do that for if you do
not give me job, will 60 down TO the
rake-off boat and TOW up pilot" which
he did The pilot spoke US. OF course
did not take him and he made out bill and
claimed full plotage. S37. But thought it
vas an outrage and against the laws Of
deceney, so protested against paying the
bill, which | took and laid my case before
that honorable board, the pilot commission
ers, and explained my grievances to them
They did consider me in the matter and
made an abatement of one-half of the bill
paid the money, but considered taking it
no better than highway robbery, and have
noticed many times where there are pilots
that they and the tow boats are eagued to-
gether to beat US.
l could cite several cases about as
ever, mention one more case where | was
obliged to pay toll without the leas, ser
vice. l consider it a great hardship on
any captain to be obliged to pay on such low
rate OF freights as We are getting these
days. Two years ago last June l took in
part of cargo Of salt in sack. in Boston,
part TO be landed at Newport News and the
balance at Alexandria and Washington.
got my vessel into Newport News all righ,
without pilot. They did not even speak
me. landed the salt. and about the time
was ready to sail, down came we'll dressed
gentleman with notice for me to 20 up to
the pilot office and get = pilot certificate to
allow ne 10 navigate my vessel in these
waters, or lay SO naueh . foot which would
smount to more than the pilot license. So,
of course, Of the Two evils. l chose the les
ser and went up cpd paid 10 cts per ton toll
which would allow me to navigate those