New-York tribune., 1901-06-02
PILOTS.
TIE MEN WHO GUIDE THE BIG SHIPS
INTO PORT. THEIR WORK
AND THEIR CLUR.

According 10 the last report Of the Board of /
Commissioners of Pilots, there are 100 pilots |
holding licenses from the hoard. OF these nine |
ty-eisht are holders of fun branch licenses. six
have what is known as a ..o2 foot license by !
which they are limited to service on vessels of |
-, feet drauEht less and one OF the pilots has
an is foot license"
These men take to and bring into port |
the ocean going vessels. and without being
known TO many members Of the community
they play important part and lead a life fun
cf activity. The headquarters of the association
AID the business Office OF the Board of Com
uissioners are at Ne. Il State-st and in the
same building the Sandy Hook Pilots Club
has lis rooms In this building the ilots who
are awaiting their turn TO be sent out may be
found at all hours Of the day or night The
Offices are severely plain and have an air OF
business about them. one OF the important pieces
q furniture being large blackboard on which
the names of the pilots chalked and the
order in which they on duty. The clubrooms
below handsomely furnished. There is a
library, decorated with prints paintings and
curios and a cosey smoking room in which
pictures Of pilot boats. old and new. ancient
nautical instruments, antique pilots licenses,
souvenirs Of notable sea disasters and portraits
of well known pilots show that its decoration
the work OF sailor men
THE PILOTS CLUB.
About ninety pilots are members OF this club,
which was organized in 1885. when the
oder of things To pilots for the port Of New
York into operation. Prior to that time
there Were thirty pilot boats in the service be-
longing 10 New-York and New-Jersey pilots.
They cruised as far south as the Delaware capes
ana east 10 Halifax. The boats for
business" said old pilot. and the farther
east they went the more chance there Of
Itching an incoming vessel Those were the
days when il was the practice to cover the
lieht which boat had carry between the
slrng stays so that rival boats could not see the
VenJuresome pilots pass. II was sharp race
for first place and the boats We're built for speed
on that account. 1t was worth while to catch
vessel coming into port, because the pilot who
brought her safe into port had the job, by com
mon consent, TO take her out again when she
made the return trip. The pilots kept making
their trips longer every year and there is no
telling where they would have finished if the
co1sodaton of the pilots interests had not
taken place in lS.,o.''
In the days of competition the New-York and
New-Jcrsey pilots had separate boats Under
the new arrangement they have combined, the
feet has been reduced TO seven sailing boats OF
which TWO belong TO the New-Jersey and hVe
to The New-Yor1 contingent, and one steamboat,
Of which the New York association owns seven
tenrbs and the Neu-Jersey association three
ton cut off the cruises Of the Sandy Hook
pilots were cut down until now pilot rarely
goes more than fifty miles from port. The pilots
are stockholders in the association to which the
boats belong 10 the extent OF $1,000 each, and
receive their share of dividends. and in addition
to his they have compensation ranging from
$3.50 10 $500 a month in keeping with the work
performed.
THE INTRODUCTION OF STEAM
Tn. introduction OF steam into the pilot
vice vas a great step forward, and the New
York the stanch boat which is designed on
the plan OF a great lifeboat. with two saloons
and twelve staterooms has done such good
service that a new vessel Of the same design is
being built for the service. The New-York is
stationed al the centre OF the line covered by
the pilot boats off Gedney Channel. II places
-nilots on incoming and takes pilots off Of out
gong vessels The sailing vessels cruise on five
stations and take such positions that vessels
cannot approach the port without being seen by
them.
When the pilot is on duty down the bay walt
f-e for a vessel to be taken across the bar, he
my look like an ordinary sailor, with storm
hat oilslin coat and rubber boots, but when ne
Is aiken alongside the incoming vessel fle wears
his store Clothes" because once on board the
ir-arrlira vessel he becomes the captains guest
c.ues at his table and is an object of general