Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-30
THE HARBOR POLICE
ANNUAL REPORT AND ESTIMATES
SUBMITTED TODAY.
Urgent Appeal for an Appropriation
for New Wharf and Office
Building.

Harbormaster John Robert Sutton today
submitted to the Commissioners his annual
report, covering the work Of the office and
of the harbor police during the fiscal year
ended June 80 last.
LAS in former years." says Commodore
Sutton, 1.-The principal duties which have
devolve6 upon this department have been
incident to the enforcement of the laws and
regulations for the government of the har-
Dor and river front, and of vessels entering
and leaving the harbor; keeping the chan
mel of the Potomac river open, maintaining
order on and in the vicinity of the wharves,
especially those of the summer excursion
steamers, which during the season carry
many thousands of passengers; recovering
the bodies of drowned persons, which, work
takes the harbormaster's force to- every
part of the District of Columbia, and often
into ado ming states, the enforcement OF tie
laws against gambling and of the fish and
game laws. together with such other gene
eral police duties necessarily grow out
of the performance of the operations
named. In each of the classes enumerated
there has been renewed activity, resulting
in increased demands upon this depart
ment, and especially has this been the case
in regard to the enforcement of the fish and
game laws.
Potomac River Ice.
While the past winter was a compare
lively mild one, and the ice which formed
on the Potomac river did not attain sufh-
Client thickness to arouse any danger of
serious flooding of the low-lying portions of
the city, 1t was found necessary to use the
harbor police boat Vigilant to break up
such ice had on occasions formed on the
river and in the harbor. This action COM
bined with the lightness of the ice OBJ
waited the necessity of securing a special
appropriation for that purpose. and so the
cost of hiring fleet of tugboats tor a con-
siderable period was saved
My report of last year contained rec
concentration for an annual appropriation
of 5000 for an emergency fund for clear
ing the Potomac river of ice when neces-
sary to prevent the flooding of the city, on
the ground that 1t was believed that the
work could be more thoroughly and more
economically performed under such
rangement than under a hurried special APP
preparation. While no such appropriation
was made for the current fiscal year, in
view of the frequent necessities of the past
no reason is known for a change of belief
in this respect.
For New Wharf and Office
In his estimates for the next fiscal year
Commodore Sutton invites particular atten-
ton to the item contained therein of $1,000
for extraordinary necessary repairs to the
wharf and office building. These We're built
twelve years ago and then in a cheap and
manner. he natural decay
and deterioration have reduced both wharf
and building to a condition such that it is
absolutely necessary that they be replaced
AS they are at present, they are in really
dangerous state, they may collapse at any
time. T6e need of the appropria ton. it is
stated cannot be too strongly urged.
In conclusion, the harbormaster says:
In their reports to Congress in former
years, the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia have seen fit to recommend that
the harbormaster be made captain of the
police department. a change which would
carry with ii an increase of salary to 81 $50
per annum. The legislation necessary TO
secure this change has not been enacted
and the salary of the harbormaster remains
the same it has been since my assign
ment to that Office in 1851 300 per an
num-
1T is believed that the present salary of
the harbormaster should be increased to
81 800 per annum, and a request is hereby
respectfully submitted to you to incorpo-
rate in your estimates of appropriations
for the next fiscal year in item which
will secure the desired increase