New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-14

DROWNED IN HEAVY SEAS
TWO OF THE PILOT-BOAT NETWORKS
SEANEN LOST
SWEPT AwAY WITH A YAwL IN WHICH THEY
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE PILOT OFF
TILE MASSACHUSETTS.

THE MASSACHUSETTS,.
In the heavy northwest gale that was blowing
off Sandy Hooi: Friday night two seameh
Of the pilot boat New-York were lost In an at
tempt to take pilot off the outgoing steamer
Massachusetts. They were lowered over the side
In the darkness. and from the moment the yaWl
struck the heavy seas that were running anu
the falls were unlocked neither boat nor men
were seen. although a search OF nearly an hou'
was made for them
The New-York is the new steam statiOn-boat
of the pilots, recently placed on duty OH SANDY
Hook. where it lies day and night TO take pilots
of outgoing steamers and place them on any
incoming ones which have passed the pilot YES
sells cruising further to the eastward. ON the
New-York there usually from sly To dozen
pilots. the boatkeeper and q crew OF about half
a dozen men. a yawl Is always scnt out either
TO take a pilot off put one on vessel In
stormy weather this work of approaching OF
leaving an ocean liner In small boat IS attehu-
ed with great danger, and the lives OF many men
thus engaged have been lost in the gales or the
winter.
on Friday evening the Atlantic Transport
Liner Massachusetts, sailed from here Tor LONDON
with the animals o. Barnum & Bailey's circus
on board Pilo. Dennis Reardon was In charge
Of her When she approached the statlon-poat
New-York about 1915 p. m. the boatkeeper'
WaldIe OF the pOt-boat. ordered an apprentice
James Ayrcs. and Norwegian sailor called
Theodore to prepare to go to the Massachusetts,
and take Pilot Rcardon of. The eastward
bound steamship slowed up about one hundred
and fifty yards from the New-fork. and Rear
don descended the long rope ladder over the
side to be ready to jump into the yawI the mo-
ment it came alongside.
v1 ~ New York
cleared away for lowering. but before the m"n
had got into IL one OF the falls became unlocked
and the yawl fell, hanging perpendicuarly. The
port yawl was then cleared for lowering and
Ayers and Theodore climbed into IT, 1t was
lowered into the tremendous and almost
before the men had fairly unlocked the fails
and before they had time TO take a lantern
aboard IL was swept astern In the darkness ana
was lost to sight.
The searchlight Of the New-York was imme-
diately swept around the vessel In ali directions.
while the starboard yawl again prepared
for lowering Waldle. with two men, jumped
into It and started IL scach OF the other yawl
For nearly an hour they roved about, while the
searChlight was kept I'm constant motion, nut
no sign Of the irst yawl or Its two occupants
seen again
Meanwhile Reardon. hanging on the rope
ladder OF the Massachusetts,, saw that something
had gone wrong and climbed back to the bridge
where he told the captoin that he believed the
pilot boats yawl had been lost The engines of
the Massachusetts were stopped and she lay
hove to until the second yawl from the pilot
boat. having given up the search. clmc alongside
to take Reardon on This was done success
fully. although with great difficulty ana ne was
taken aboard the New-York. There he learned
IA. ,pib brought IL o town yes
,ordov y,her no car-c ashore In a harbor tug.
II IS generally believed that the lost yawl driftrd
under the quarter OF the New-fork ana "is
swarnped by the neavy seas and the action ol
the New Yorf's propeller which was work.HE
enough 10 keep the vessel hove 10 into IN"
wind.