Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-28
GIVES THE DETAILS
Harbormaster's Report Of Operations
the Past Year.
his ESTIMATES AND EXPENDITURES
Appeal for an Appropriation for a
Night Crew.
NEW ENGINE FOR VIGILANT

Mr.. ]. r. Sutton, the District harbor-
master, has submitted his annual report to
the Commissioners, in which he details the
operations Of his department and its ex-
penditures for the fiscal year ended June
80, 1900, together with estimates for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1902.
The appropriations for the fiscal year
ended June 80 1900, are given as follows:
Engineer, $50; Waterman. $3.50; deck hand
$3.50; insurance on and repairs to office,
wharf and boat, fuel and other miscella-
neous expenses, 81 100; total, s., 600.
The estimates for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1902. are: Engineer, at $65 per
month, $3.50; Waterman, at $50 per month,
$500; deck hand, at $50 per month, $420: in
surance on and repairs to office, wharf and
boat, fuel, oils, paints. brushes. waste and
other miscellaneous expenses, 81 440; total
g, 600.
Police HarbOr Boat.
In the appropriation act for the current
fiscal year. the harbormaster says, provis-
ion was made for installing a new boiler
and connections in the police harbor boat
Vigilant, at an estimated cost of 81 800.
Owing to the advance in prices of material,
wages, etc. the past year it seems impos-
sible at the present time to have the work
done within the limits of the appropria ton,
and this fact may at some subsequent time
necessitate my asking for an additional
amount to cover the increased cost of the
boiler.
Continuing Mr. Sutton says:
THE force allowed by the appropriation
for the current year. together with the four
policemen detailed for duty at this harbor,
is sufficient to constitute but one crew for
the police harbor boat. This crew performs
day duty, coming on at s o'clock am. and
going off at Z o'clock pm. OF the four po-
licemen one is pilot. / am allowed by law
one engineer, one Waterman and deck
hand, or general utility man. who when the
boat is out, attends to what office business
arises during its absence. The Waterman
goes on duty at 6 o'clock p.m. and is relieved
at I o clock am. by the general utility man,
who remains on duty until o'clock pm:
Called Out at Night.
This day crew is frequently called out
at night to enforce the game and fish
laws, which are violated almost nightly,
to drag the river in the search for the
bodies of drowned persons. The time which
necessarily elapses before l can assemble
the crew at the harbor office is consider
able and tends to render more difficult, If
not impossible, the performance of the
work for which it was called out. The
men are on such occasions frequently on
duty the entire night, in small boats en-
gagged in work which is very arduous, and.
consequently, l am without crew on the
that during the months of June, July, Au7
gust and September the summer excursion
season is at its height, and it is very neces-
sary that there should be a night police
force on the river to handle the thousands
of persons who go down the river in the
evening on the various excursion steamers.
AT night time also the harbor is fire.
quented by disorderly persons in small
boats by nude bathers who offend and
insult passersby, and, apparently. give free
rein to their lawless propensities, knowing
that the harbor police boat is laid up at
o'clock pm, and that they are not likely
to be molested."
The Regulations.
Mr.. Sutton directs attention to the act of
Congress establishing harbor regulations
for the District of Columbia, approved May
10, 1896 and says:
THE responsibility for the enforcement
Of these very essential regulations rests, of
course. upon the harbor police, and the
fact that violations Of this act most
likely to be attempted at night, furnishes
an additional reason for the establishment
of night force.
1.-The reasons which I have advanced
above show very plainly the necessity for
night crew, and l urgently recommend
an additional appropriation for that pur-
pose. as follows: One engineer, at S75 per
month, $500: one pilot. at s15 per month,
$500: three deck hands. at $40 per month,
S1.44O; extra fuel, repairs and other mis-
cellaneous expenses, $3.50; total, $1,000.
THE small engine now in the police har-
Dor boa Nigilant was transferred to her
from the old harbor boat in which it was
paced thirteen years ago. In addition to
being inadequate for the propulsion of the
larger hull of the Figilant it is now worn
out from constant use With it the boat
cannot exceed speed of seven miles an
hour. 1t not infrequently happens that the
N1g1lant goes out in chase of a boat which
can easily make eight or ten miles an hour.
a n holm hot h
from and laughed at is something to which
the harbormaster'S force should not be sub
jected. 1 will cite instance which fully
demonstrates our inability to successfully
cope with other river craft. On one occa-
sion the promoters of a prize fight had
chartered boat to convey the principals
and spectators to some point down the
river selected as the scene of the encounter
In order to prevent landing within the
District lines I followed in the Vigilant
but was under The necessity of previously
going to the captain of the boat and re-
guessing him not to run at full speed until
he left me at Jones Point light the south
ern end of our jurisdiction.
New Engine Needed.
Il therefore earnestly recommend an ap-
preparation of 800 for one new fore-and-
aft compound engine, new shaft, new wheel
and other connections. With this engine I
am satisfied that the Vigilant can make
twelve miles pc" hour.
while the -Jast winter was severe in
many respects, this department was not
called upon, in the preceding year. to
break up Ice in the channel of the Potomac
river"
The Commissioners attention is invited
to the act of Congress establishing harbor
regulations for the District of Columbia
approved March 2, 1895, after which the
harbormaster says:
ITO successfully carry out the require
ments of this act the light house board. by
request commissioners he
trict of Columbia put in place a number of
buoys to mark off the allotted anchorage
grounds. Last year the board informed the
Commissioners that it would remove these
buoys, and that thereafter it would not fur
nish new buoys when required. Not having
an Ia TO OH