The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
PILOT BOAT LOST TWO MEN.
NEW FORK LOWERED 4 XAWL TO 60
TO THE LINER MISSAOHUSEzTS.

As II Touched the water tire neat DisapDenred.
Crow ana All, ana Not p Trace or Ht Couia
the New York Pick Up with Etc seaTch-
light in the MACK NiEht ana Tossing See.
on the Sandy Hook bar on Friday night a
yawl belonging to tho steam pilot boat Now
York went to the bottom, carrying with 1.-TWO
men, James B. Aver, the boatkeeper, an APP
prentice of two years standing, and theodore,
last namo unknown, q Norwegian sailor. The
accident occurred in tho twinkling OF an eye.
Tho boat had been launched with its two men,
and before my ono knew. what had happened
1t had disappeared.
There was nasty weather OF tho Hook ON
Friday night. A stift gale came out OF tho
northwest. and beyond the shelter OF the land
q big sea wa running. The night was black
as a hat, and the dozen pilots on the New York
were well content to remain In the snug smok-
Ing room. The pilot boat was cruising out
about the entrance of Gedney's Channel. wait
Ing for any stray incoming ship and ready to
take Off pilots from outgoing ships.
About helf.past 10 the big liner Massachu-
sets. loaded down with the Biggest Show on
Earth came out through Gedney's Channel
into the open sea on her way to the other side.
On board of her was Pilot Dennis Reardon. who
wanted to be taken of. The New York was
sighted and torched and about halfway be-
tween tho whistling buoy and the Channel she
camo up to windward of the Massachusetts,
and stopped about $50 yards away.
, Before q man can bee ONE O pilot he must
serve n Ave years apprenticeship on board Of
the pilot boats. After they have learned
something about the business in general the
apprentices are sent out in the yawls. those
little nineteen-foot boats that carry the pilots
to and from tho ships In oil kind 8 Of weather.
This is the most hazardous part Of tho pilots
.-o.lx l. loo.ll.- 49, ~a,t-, ~ ,htoa fnr M
matter how high the seas may run they must
trust their lives to the little yawls and to the
skill and strength of the two men that man
them. In time the apprentice becomes a boat
keeper and he and a sailor make the crew o.
The apprentices, like tho pilots, take turns in
turn: The two yawis Of the New York are
carried on either side, att of the engine, and
Vas Wssf ON %As the S'q lee side. '" He md his sailor, Theo:
dore, clambered into it, swung out and lowered
s sSsn ell sSe to the 60o s sea v Ts1 ne, was inst the as l tht
at the stern of the New York yelled to Capt,
Owen Hennessy:
The pilots rushed to the stern Of the boat and
Of the two men. Not a sign Of them could they
see. As quick as possible the starhoard yawl
an ch 1%d m OF H Sas ioS%srs sssS away w anS CAPT pit
Hennessy swept, the sea with his searchlight
but not n vestige OF the men or boat wal
found. For forty minutes they worked around
and finally gave the Job up as hopeless.
In the meantime Pilot Reardon had got over
the side of the Massachusetts and was cling
ing to the rope ladder. waiting for the yawl u
come and take him of. He waited until ht
was drenched by the seas that constantly
broke over him., and was chilled to the bone
Then. seeing the searchlight of the New York
he decided that something was wrong ant
climbed up again. =.
II knew that they'd lost a man." he sale
yesterday, "or why would they have used thei
After Waldo saw that there was no hope o
r~escuing the men, he pulled over to tho Maesa
shusetts and took Reardon of. and the BY
As no one saw the accident occur, oil explana
tions are theoretical. The pilots think tina
the men must have unlocked one Of tho falls O
the davits before the poat was fairly in tn,
water, and that before the men were able to GO
control Of it in the heavy sea that was run
nirRsit was swept under the counter of tn!
New York and smashed by the screw. which
was, revolving fast enough to give the Ney
York headway. Aver was only 81 years old
Nothing is known about Theodore, the sailor
except that he was q Norwegian WIN lived Of
Staten Island.