New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-04
WELL, MIR. WATCBMAN, HERE YOU ARE.
HE COMPLAINS THAT NO ATTENTION is GIVEN
TO HIM AND HIS HARD LOT.

HE COMPLAINS THAT NO ATTENTION is GIVEN
TO HIM AND HIS HARD LOT.
"People seem to think nowadays said one Of the
night watchmen the Fall River pier signing at the
thought Of his unapprecined hardshps. that the
night watchmen along the rverfront have easy
time The responsibility Is heap greater than 1t
used to be. though perhaps we don't stand so much
chance OF being knocked the head and tossed In
the river fathers did. Those were exciting
tines in the old days. when the river pirates used to
swarm along the wharves like rats and we're ready
for anything no matter how desperate The thieves
were regularly organized in those palmy days and used
to 60 in for big spoil the East Side. among
the wharves the rich goods from the Orient lay
they used 70 make huge gains. On the p'tchdarK
nights with the wind sweeping down the liver and
bowling and whstling through the old storehouSes,
there would surely be haul ac some point OF other
It was dangerous and sometimes fatal. work for tho
wntchmen. The thieves would come In the darkness
BIZ boat gliding quietly along the piers without sound
TO alarm the watchful guardians Then In and ont
behind the huge piles OF boxes and between the
massive supports OF the storehouse two or three OF
the gang would steal and be upon the lone Waterman
often ore he had time to make the slightest struggle
II he did manage 10 get out his clumsy pistol MS
aim In the darkness or uncertain light Of lantern
WAS seldom effective The police were few and far
between and couldn't investigate all the stray pistol
shots which they happened 10 hear-cspecaly on inc
East side so, after they had once got him In their
clutches the gang could do about a. they pleased WIN
their vctom. After quietly dlsposng OF him. uiey
would bring alongside their wide yaws, which would
hold a ton OF merchandise without sihnhs'
Frequently they would have time to make two or three
trp, In the one night carrying of boxes upon boxes
OF tea and bags OF coffee at every trip.
with the gray light OF dawn they would TO"
>tcalthy away TO their haunts over on Long lsahd
or in some Of the dark holes OF the city'-and Inc
longshorcnan shook his head at the thought OF the
many such tales which had been recounted to him.
But times are changed since then and HES
different thing After while the authorities began To
unbc ND and 10 organize efficient river police.
Al first they had some bloody encounters With the
most desperate OF the lot but finally they began 10
cut pretty severely Into the trade OF the river pirates
who no longer could make the bold depredatlons OF
former days The thieves grew less numerous rs
their support WAS taken away; yet once In a while
they woud bag big game. one OF the. old men who
used 10 be on guard the wharves OF the West
Indiamen told me Of "A tremendous steal which the
On Nh. wharf werc Il couple OF shploads OF Jamaica
rum of the best quality and OF many thousand doars
I'm value. The casks which heiu IL covered Tue
The sang Conducted It's operations from under the
wharf Running their boats under there al llw uue
th"v bored with huge augurs Though the panhing Of
the docks and the ends OF the casks resting Just
of the greater part OF the liquor. Tho theft wasn't
fund out until the stcvedoic came TO move tie
IN his this city something pluiu -
since then the city has been vigilhnt The sSS-
tom Of he river and harbor patrol prevents any eN-
n.Iy, operations and In these times the only tieVln
fom the watersldc Of the wharves /, the piierhs oil
n mile fruit or something OF small value.
"Thc danger comes now from the shore side. Just
inside there" pointing to the once OF the company.
" Is the safe. with any amount OF money IN IT, na,
ia the thing which mikes ~ most uneasy, though
us wearing enough to see That somebody ,ooesn
arop a match among all those boxes and bales tnat
are pIIed nm for ABOUT an acre around here III
almost rather have the old times thah nave We care
of that money cycling npprehenslv"y again the
heavy black safe that stood IN the once
" We have 20 be- here night IN AMI night oit.
winter and summern--and AT the remembrance OF
H. the Waterman had slight chill ana wiped MS
heated brow At the same time. It's bud enough al
the summer, with those mosquitoes and the ar thN
comes 10 lis from the heated merchandise but IN
mo winter with the bitter winds sweeping up and
down the liver and the snow blasts that come Straight
from the Archie regions. It's terrible job We grow
GRAY at IT, yet the people who aren't up NJ such
hcnthcnish hours never think Of US. Even you news
nauer fellows don't bother rs 0ngshoremen nnuch
/ no policemen are written up and The hiemen are
written up and amt never Yet had worn SAID
about US" closed the amablc watchnlan SMILING at
the thoughc Of the noorcty possibly soon TO De MIS-