The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-24
PERKS OF SOUND TOWING
STORIES or NARROW ESCAPES IN THE
RECEYT WINTER GALES

1 nrffttnG = Wnwe-fOrH
Abeve the shoais 90 Cornneia Potut-Ths
Ho-rybrook's Dauiisr with = Gsi..
sAvBRooK. Conn. Fob. 22-Not for many
| winters has the month OF February proved SO
| terrifying to the souls Of coastwiss mariners
| rlylng through Long Island Sound between
| New York and Boston. as this year. SO in
| cessantly have wintry gales hovled from one
| quarter and another for the past ten days that
sailing vessels such ~ are still out OF troubls.
| cling close to snug harbors. leaving the carry
| ing trade almost entirely 10 the powerful
ocean tugs which haul fleets OF barges to and
| fro between the two ports.
| And these modern marvels OF strength and
speed. handled by the most expert class OF
! coast navigators known in the metropolis and
| at the Hub. sneak cautiously by daylight from
one harbor to another. taking week to make
| trip between the two cities which can ordi-
narily be made in twenty eight hours.
The perls Of these tug men this month have
been greater and more continuous than they
have ever reported before. On dreaded
Corn1eld Point shoals oHshore from here.
the shallow waters have been torn into
sheets OF = dazzling white all day before the
latest gale. a hour blast from tho south
west which at times has travelled here at the
rate OF forty-eiRht miles per hour The sea
has been running at n terrific height Now
that the wind has gone down the tugs and
-
few miles further toward their destination
before they get caught" again.
Many stories OF narrow escape are told. In
the height Of to-dsy's gale large white tug.
towing three lightship barges. was seen strug-
Cling to the westward OF the shoals. She was
supposed to be the crack tug Scranton. new
$50 600 boat bound from Boston to New York
The weight OF the storm struck her as abe
was outside tho, shoals. great seas broke
over her high bow. and boat and barges
were lost to sight In cloud Of foam.
, her Roadway against the hurricane. and
the tow was found to be driving stern fore
hawsers between the vessels. as large a. ones
body, were hauled as taut as harpstrings. and
about like feather Dy the tempest Finally
the tow hauled over under the Long Island
was probably driven down to the mouth Of the
Sound again before the gale subsidized.
rS sSs Sa% SGE ' Wheh sBS
bs SR 81 n. .l..y 4 . E k.r9 Ts
tS has Sss5 over week he,
yale snd s en- y. on TSsds night sh.
threw her rudder hard to .PoEt TO- sheer
power engines OF the great towboat tshe is
as large as a tramp steamer did NOT give
open! You've got TO, or we're done iori" The
boat finally struggled through ali right. She
had another close shave 10 running from Mar
for tho entire distance. The HoneybrooS
and was again set back, but ' she o. viii ffu uIt.
nately reach New York II her coal and water
The tug America Of the Thames Tow Boa.
Company. with ship barees from New York for
hss n ssSs az
by. after landing her commander, Capt VIE
dG9ets Sap Gre s h.s the
one OF his hands broken hy the spinning OF the
Se IN !sf ru SGa s.n PIG
swamp her; The America was SO effect ually
he in 9ystsr Bay By the gales TIA,
w AIHiiGthsr boa. Of tho same line tn. T. ".
dSSn q ba x. srs ssT :
aGG On The beach and many lives being lost.
toy. tow. q the Big sas Robert A Psss.r. bound
o1n Ssy nSss to NeTPSrf went through on
the Bee Line Towing Company OF New York.
fierce gale. with sea running mountains
her 10 nto Base fdin h Bay ocas
miles further ahead. tsuch times 1t Is sheer
before the wind. for in turning the bsrgss the
seas will sweep over them bodily and speedily
as the Captain look ed back from time to time.
all he could see Of his barge above. the angry
seas cas- we're the tops 9t their pilot houses He
a Pull down all the rest, as 50 many have
and they finally reached the desired haven.
Some Of them subsequently said they could
Es TUE Goy hsr s fST1 81 &,
81. G bs sssaRs Pssf.r %0 and /:
going out through the Race with two deeply
loaded barges when the gale struck her with
such Sf fury that she was only too glad to be
Not long ago the s tug H. II R..hsun of tn.
had an s1psr Hs Tia G~ OF 81
SrS E r q, il = gale AID the Rathsua pro:
up by the tug Aries and towed to safety.
sinks s TO take the rest s1 Of The toM 20 sass
and secure the crew, OF the lost barge who are
small boat. But this Is much easier said than
done. Hours may elapss before q bargs's
ss N Th. s
ms ms. Kind Kind on here one winter. Hundreds Of
l. some OF The tug Captains say the barRss are
oaded reeklessy deep. the barge owners pro-
lain that Il. small So..s SUPPLIED th si S.r n
msn are notoriously unit TO preserve life IN
lines OF peril. and that law should be at
! liteooat or raft. tho same as are required on
ail tugs and steam vessels. Else, they declare.
been told. viii be reported after some Of these
Nolnsh wintry gales. when a whole string %
oarges and ,perhsps the towboat as well will
Do dragged beneath the angry waters.