The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1903-10-09
New Customs Tug Put Into the
Water at Leathers' Ship Yards
Yesterday Afternoon.
'cHRBTENED BY MISS RoBB
Boat Cost 10000 and VIII BE
of Great Value 10 the In
speet0rs mt the C0lum-
bias Mouth.

erlng OF interested spectators was In
attendance.
In the morning II. M. I.eathers, un'
der whose supervision the vessel wai
built. and his force OF men prepared
every detail carefully, and promptly a'
Leo the blocks supporting the vessel
IN place were knocked away, the dogE
released. and as the beautiful little ves-
sci began to move Miss Hazel Robb
daughter Of Collector of Customs w.
l.. Robb. hurled gaily ribboned bottle
OF champagne across the bow, saying:
Il chrIsten thee Patrol" and the vessel
| giided gracefully out on the Columbia.
The launching scene was a pretty
one; the Flagstaff at the stern support
/ ed n large American flag which fiaunt'
ed proudly In the breeze as the vessel
| moved rapidly down the ways, and
over the bow was draped the revenue
ensign OF the treasury department, un-
der the authority of which the vessel
win be commissioned. The docks sur
rounding we're lined with people cur
| ious 10 see the launching. and the
quarantine boat Electro and The
launch Fox were In attendance to do
honor 10 the new craft and give her a
rousing salute from their steam whist
| lev. in which the iron works and the
can factory joined. Immediately after
| the launching the Patrol was towcd
10 the iron works dock, where the few
remaining details necessary to finish
the vessel before she goes into COM
rnleslon viii be attended to.
on the little vessel at the time OF the
launching we're Hon. John Fox, ex-coi-
iector OF customs; Special Deputy Col.
Parker. Deputy Col Mccue, Inspector
Mcbride. Deckhand Fred Brown. sr.,
and James Robb son of Collector Rooo.
The launching of the Patrol marks
an epoch in the customs service at this
port. In years past the need OF
launch for the service has been keenly
felt. and at times the boarding Of yes
sells from Whitehall boats,as was form
erly the practice, was great hardship
10 thr boarding officer and at times at
tended with much risk. especially dur
ing the winter months. The needs OF
the service AT this place have been
made plain to the treasury officials for
number OF years past, and II was
during the incumbancy OF ex-Collector
Fox the agitation which resulted In the
securing OF the present staunch little
vessel was begun. and the result has
not been attained without persistent
effort on the part OF the customs OFF,
cIals at this port.
A letter was addressed to the treas
ury department on July II, 1898, relat-
i've to the securing OF a vessel Of some
kind for use OF the boarding officers,
and a reply was received stating that
II was impossible for the department
10 acquiesce In the request OF the local
officers as no funls were available for
such purpose. and Il would be neces-
sary to have special authority and an
appropriation from congress for the
purpose. As result the congressional
delegation from this state was inter-
ested in the matter and bill was In
troduced In the senate December q.
1898. by Senator Mcbride, appropriat-
ing the sum OF $4,000 for the purpose OF
building launch. The bill was am
ended changing the amount to s2.5OO
and was passed by congress on March |
z, 1899, authorizing the construction OF
the launch and appropriating the sum
named, s2,50O for such purpose. Plans
and specifications for launch In keep |
Ing with The above amount were pre-
pared by local bidders. and forwarded !
TO the department. and. as II was ap-
parent that the amount was not suffi-
cient to construct a launch suitable |
to the needs of the service at this port,
the matter was deferred pending an
additional appropriation BY subse-
quent congress.
The following year bill was passed |
recommending an appropriation Of S.
900 for the purpose Of building launch
at this place. This amount was made
available. and. as in the former case,
was deemed inadequate to the char
acter of the boat needed, and the mat
ter was again postponed pending the
securing Of suitable appropriation.
Finally, on March IL. 1902, an act was
passed by congress appropriating the
sum of$lO,OOO. and in. the civil sundry bill
passed June 2S, 1902. the amount was
made available. and the efforts of the
local officials to secure the launch were
finally crowned with success.
The plans and specifications for the
boat were prepared under the super
vision Of the chief Of construction
revenue cutter service. Baltimore. Nd,
and it is safe to say that no vessel on
the river is as stably built as the Pat
rol. The boltIng Throughout Is of brass
and every detail that enters in the
thorough construction of vessel has
been carefully attended to and provid-
ed for. The boat Is equipped with a
Robtrts water tube safety boiler, the
only one of its kind on the river. and
triple expansion engines capable OF de-
yeloping $50 revolutions per minute.
The engine and boiler were constructed
In the east and thoroughly tested be-
fore shipment. In brief when the Pa
rol enters upon her duties next week
she will be perfectly equipped In every
particular, and. while making very
useful and ornamental addition to the
steam craft Of Astoria harbor, will also
stand as credit to her builders. r.