The San Francisco call., 1896-03-06
The Committee on Commerce
Adopts Measures for
Economy.
FAT INCOMES OF THE PILOTS.
In the Interest of the Ports Pros.
perity Bill Will Be Prepared
to Reduce Them.

An interesting report on pilotage in thi
port was read yesterday before the Sa1
Francisco committee of commerce in tn,
rooms of the Cham Der of Commerce. The
report came from subcommittee anl
was adopted, with its suggestions and rec
concentrations, for Eew system tha
would secure lower rates OF pllotage in th,
harbor.
Reviewing the subject the sub-commit
tee stated:
The amount of money which the pilots actu
ally collect and the amount which the presen
law authorizes them to collect are widely diff
ferent. This is due to system OF dlscrimlna
tions in the collection of pilotage. One result
of the present extravagant pilot monopoly il
that the pilots seek to fortify their position
and to head off and keep down opposition by
| means of widespread preferences in the col
lection OF pilot charges. ship-owner who
possesses political influence or who is known
as vigorous man and likely to give trouble il
pilot fees the law says he should pay. The
pilots simply do not collect the full amount
A regular system of differentials has been thus
built up by which the powerful are favored a.
the expense of the weak. 1t is unnecessary to
point out the evil OF such system. 1t would
be much better for the community'if the pilot
fees were rigdly collected from all alike to the
full amount allowed by law.
In an Investigation into the pilot charges
held by committee from the State Legislature
in 1883 1t was brought out from the books Of
the Pilot Commissioners that the pilots col
lected for the year 1882 the gross sum OF
$19S ,625, or nearly $4,000 for each of the
twenty pilots. During the same investigation
the system of discrimination practiced by the
pilots under the name OF rebates was also
shown. Your subcommittee saw no reason to
conclude that the amount of pilotage collected
now was any less than the amount collected
in 1882. There had been no reduction in the
charges and EXEMPTIONS from DlIOtage since
that date. On the contrary, certain class o1
yessels-to-wit: coasting vessels under reg
ment of pilotage have since been compelled to
pay. Your subcommittee, therefore, was led
10 conclude that the amount OF pilotage col
lected now was as great as in 1882, unlesSthe
commerce OF this port had greatly declined
or the system of discrimination above referred
to had been greatly extended.
A request for information was sent to
the Pilot Commissioners last Decemb Der
and the following reply was received and
read yesterday:
Hugh Craig Esq, Chairman Sub Committee on
Pitotdge Committee on Commerce-SIR: To your
information desired by the committee on com
merce in reference TO pilotage we are unable
to furnish. However, all that could be gath
cred is forwarded you herewith.
The piiOt-boats are owned by the pilots
The Commissioners are expressly for hidden by
law from having any interest in the boats and
are only required to ascertain that they are
maintained in a seaworthy condition, and are
safe and suitable for the pilot service. Conse
quently the cost of maintenance of these boats
could only be ascertained from the private
accounts of the pilots.
No return is made OF the nationality of the
ships or vessels from which pilotage is collected
or whether they are enrolled or registered
There is no pilotage collected from any
American vessel sailing under an enrolment
The number of pilots in the service for each
of the past eleven years was twenty.
The actual earnings of the pilots for that
period was 1929 80 each per month.
The mber of pilot-boats in commission
for the same period was four, viz. The Lady
Mine. costing $l5 500; America, $lS, 900; Bo
nita 81 200; Oracle S, $18 900.
There are employed on each boat five sailors
whose wages are paid from the earnings of the
pilots.
The net and gross earnings of the pilots fol
the last eleven years were as follows: