The Republican journal., 1902-05-22

to Ask Congress to Take Control Of ~.
system. "
May 18th the Boston Marine Society.
which Is composed of retired sea can.
talns, ship owners and persons interest
ed in the business of the ocean held
one OF its regular meetings, which was
well attended. 1t was an interesting
assemblage which had gathered in the
Soclety's rooms, and look at the faces
OF the members present showed that
the men had been through storm and
stress atioat as we'll as ashore. and now.
though many of them in entirely
dl1ferent circumstances from what
they found themselves years ago. they
still had not forgotten the element on
which they had spent many years and
from which they now draw a prosper
Gus living.
The meeting was marked by the pre-
Sentatlon of a resolution, which was
unanimously adopted, committing the
society to the work of trying to in
f1uence Congress to frame laws which
should put an end to, or at least rem
edy, the present condition of the barge
towing business.
SACRIFICE OF HUMANS.
Without attempting to go back far
into the past and rake up the CHASTITY
records which are to be found along the
coast from the rocks of Maine to the
sands of New Jersey, but recalling only
those dates when barges have been lost
with their crews, the resolution men
toned those catastrophies which had
occurred since the year began, as fol
lows: Feb. g. the Mary Whitridge, with
all on board; March 20, an unknown
barge, with all on board; March %. the
disaster off Monomoy, III which twelve
men were lost; April II. when the Mvs-
tic Belle was lost, which was the second
drifting experience of this craft before
she went to her end. This latter acct
dent was the eleventh ship barge which
had been lost while bound to Provi-
dence, r. l., since the fall storms of
last year began, and which included the
loss OF twenty lives and thousands of
dollars worth of property. In view of
such facts, 1t seemed incumbent on the
Boston Marine Society to take some
stand against continuance of this
wholesale slaughter of men and loss of
property. which common humanity de
manded, without mentioning the com
merclal aspect.
To the credit of the society, the reso-
luton was accepted and adopted with
out a dissenting vote, and the Congress-
! men from this section of the State of
Massachusetts will be importuned to do
something in the matter.
A CHASTITY PICTUKE
In recalling the events which have
resulted so fatally, this picture might
be shown which but poorly illustrates
the terrible conditions which attended
the barge towing life. During one of
the storms which swept the coast, six
coal-laden barges We're being toWed bv
one tug to the port of destination. The
storm sent the waves rushing in ire
mendous heights across the course of
the floating coftins.' which, deeply
/ loaded, were fully entitled to the def
milton sometimes applied to such craft
] 'haif-tlde lodges, since their decks are
so frequently just awash The waves
! broke over and against the Wallowing
tubs, and they labored as if alive to the
condition in which they were placed.
| At the stern of the tug stood man
with an axe, ready to cut loose the ELL
/ tire tow, should it seem impossible for
the tug to keep them in a seaway. The
moment came, and at a signal from the
captain, the axe-man did his duty and
set adritt in frothing sea, the helpless
barges; for helpless they We're. having
no means of self propulsion.
Adrlft and helpless, the barges We're
! left, while the tug sought harbor of
refuge till the storm abated; but mean
while the deep-laden craft were buf
feted about till the sea opened its
depths to the frantic sailors and took
them to everlasting rest OF drove the
stanchest of the tow till some passing
vessel saw them and rescued the wear
led and frightened crews.
j HELPLESS CRAFT.
And there the matter ends. The
bargeS are worthless; once vessels of
register and reputation they served
their time; and then without masts or
sails, their upperWorks cut away, they
become floating collins till such time
as this comes. Not self-navigating, they
require no inspection, and so when the
craft founders no redress can be OBJ
/ tanned. The crews, too, are often made
up of those who, like the vessels them
: selves have lost their register, and
driven to desperation take employment
on the death-ship taking their chances
| with death afoat.
/ Not only is the barge-tow menace
w tilc ii'oo VI lHoSe Oh Dodlu, Dut
stretching out over half a mile or
less of sea, they are a serious obstacle
| in the path of passing vessels, and re-
, cent instances have been recorded of
the collisions of vessels with the yaw-
ing barges which are almost uncontrol-
liable in their course
Other instances could have been given
of the wrecks of barges, but the list
would be cumbersome. Too many have
happened, and the resolution before the
Boston Marine Society is a forward
movement. Journal.