The morning times., 1895-07-28

"Joe Blackburn is plucky little mem
Der of the metropolitan police force, whose
record for efficiency aud general ability
is first class.
"Joe's" descriptive list does not embrace
a muscular girth, nor does it call for so
many feet aud inches OF flesh, blood, and
bones, measured in the stocking feet,
and Of a given number OF pounds of avoir-
dupos, but the papers are nevertheless as
explicit as though the subject had served
n term ia the United States Army and been
thence trans ferred TO the ranks oI
'.the finest" They speak Of length,
breadth, depth, beam, keel, hull, aud the
other requisites Of a first class little
vessel: and that's just what the Joe"
has proved herself TO be.
She is too small for so great mission,
but in proportion TO her inches has rendered
a service 10 the community she serves that
is greatly beyond that of the average cop;
and that is not a reflection upon the force
toy any means
The Joe Blackburn entered the District
service in the capacity of police boat aud
general utility craft on the 9th day or
June, 1888 She had been the property
of Norman L. Munro, the well known
publisher, for whom she was built to order.
She was his first pleasure boat and he
named her Edward n"
CHANGED HER NAME.
Later. however, and before she was pur-
chased by the District the boat was USED
quite good deal on the East River, at
New York and had her name changed, be-
ing then known as Sadie Walker; but upon
passing into the government service she
took the name of distinguished United
states Senator and was placed IN charge
or Commodore sutton, the master of the
Washington harbor.
Her pilot is Russell Dean, and he has Of
rciated in that capacity during all the
years of her service here. James ii. Davis
presides over the engine, and her force or
uolicemen consist of two only, Messrs. j.
j Perry and s. T. Lewis.
The boat is fifty-seven feet two inches IN
I length and her storage facilities consist OF
two small "cabinS, - located fore and
aft-either large enough 10 contain TWO
| OF three men, except when the 25o pound
commodore is aboard; in such case both
cabins are just large enough for one ana
! that is the commodore The remainder of
! the crew III such emergency stow themselves
on the roof. the guards, or in whatever
nook orcrauny thathappens toheconvenlent-
The motive power is supplied from an
| SXlO keel Condensing engine, which is
| capable OF securing excellent speed.
PIRATICAL MAID OF ALL WORK.
The mission OF the Joe" is that OF a
life-saver, primarily, and incidentally to
serve as a general city boat, TO regulate
! harbor affairs, 10 look after violations of
fish, game and harbor laws, 10 patrol
| twenty five miles OF Potomac territory
| ranging from the Chain bridge to the Re
form School, 10 assist the health officer,
and perform on the water what the average
] policeman is expected TO do on terra
| firma.
The boat is supposed 10 be on duty only
| during the DAY, tut when necessary, nd
| il often is the force remains on the "beat
all night and instances have occurred when
] there was continuous service required OF
] thirty-siX hours without intermisslon. In
the capacity OF policemen, the crew pursued
/ d lot Of fishermen one night and captured
| fourteen who were trying 10 turn an
/ honest penny" by ev8ding the provisions
! of the statute made and provided" against
J surreptitiOus gathering Of the finny tribe.
! After every little storm, and often dur
/ ing the worst Of il, the JaUnty little boat
/ goes forth on its errand Of mercy, and from
this particular line OF duty is where the
| luster of its fame is chiefly derived. Small
! craft caught out upon the historic Potomac,
| ana unable TO weather The gale would in
| many Instances have sacrificed d their human
! freight but for the energy Of the Blackburn,
1 and many sad story of the futility Of
/ even her prompt action is recorded in her
/ log-book.
TALES OF THE LOG BOOK.
An interesting study is that log book.
Every event, thrilling, painful, sad, pa
thetic-humorous it may be also-that has
gone into history with the Blackburn as an
| actor in it, duly noted upon its pages.
The first entry is under date OF July 10,
! 1888, and reads. stopped a row at
! Robt. HoItzman's place on Virginia shore
/ Recovered the body Of a man named Bos-
| well. who had been drowned on the Nlr-
| ginia side. near Three Sisters lsland,'' a
1 rocky plat that burrows in the river like big
roots in the soil of the adjacent hills.
The saddest sight l ever witnessed
here" said Mr.. Sutton, musingly, was
whenth at boy was drowned, 'andh pointed
to an entry in the Blackburn diary. The
mother came here Her son had lost his
| life directly opposite, on the other side
Of the river, ana the poor woman literally
tore her hair from her head jn the frenzy
of her great grief. II was an awful time. :
How do we recover bodies? By means
of this apparatus"
MT. Sutton exhibited triangular-shapeC
frame with four holes in the bottom angle
| and from each ofthese holes wa suspended
| a small dedvice with three massive fish
hooks attached 1t is called "brail
| and requires four men TO handle it, three
| oarsmen for "A batteau boat, and one man tC
hold the 'braiI' in position
DRAGGING FOR A BODY.
The men row to the spot designated the
last at which the drowned person wa seer
and lower the "braiT' TO the bottom, anc
with it drag for the body.
Sometimes the work is over in five
minutes; sometimes i t takes us five days,
was the sententious response to a sugges
gestion as to the average time employed
in the task of recovery.
when men come back from an all-nigh
cruise with the 'brail,' - commented Mr.
Sutton, their hands are in such a condition