The evening world., 1904-05-19
SWELLS ENDANGER
Sis OLD BOATS
R. T. Rokeby Voices Objection
to Sandy Hook Flyers and the
Sea They Kick Up While
Steaming Up the Bay.

Staten Islanders now tell
or the great and threatening swell
That follows in the wake Of Sandy's
flyers
They want those swells tn cease,
Else they all will sleep In peace
Meath tho waves. OF which old Neptune
never tires
crusade against the swells of the
Sandy Hook lyors--those marine road
sters whicn Sallavant up and down the
bay daiiy-has earnestly been started
by one fearless Staten Islander. lie
has raised the cry down with the
swclis" and he has already taken the
in,in;iv by officially calling Dock Com
missioner Fcatherson's attention to the
threatening rollers which fall and rise
in the wake OF the big Sandy Hook
boats.
This champion is Mr.. r. T. Rokeby.
NJ No. Broadway. who. pcrforce OF a
city's delay and the avarciousness OF
aHGTg eo%psSSy !; c2mpaiedd WIN
lrsve! on the antiquated hulks called
pany
And II IL even deemed by the men who
control the big Sandy Hook boats that
Mr.. Rokeby'S crusade is not such a bad
or silly thing after all.
safe Ferry-Boats Necessity.
The crusade points an object lesson.
they say, and the lesson Is that while
the ss'lIs cont!nu" they will he an
boats on the Staten Island service.
But the gentlemen who manage tho
r,lnninG OF the Sandy Hook speeders
don't propose TO stop their boats. and
thereby interrupt travel, even IL the
old staten Island hulks are to be
mtndc"d and mayhap swamped.
There's the rub.
MIR. Rokeby. voicing the feelings OF
muny OF the residents Of fair Staten
Island. says In his letter to CumuIis-
sioner Featherson that every morning
passengers on Staten Island boats leav-
Ing st. George ''aro In a state OF panic"
by reason Of the oncoming swells caused
by the speeding Sandy Hookers. With
the three flyers coming sand going at
regular intervals there Is always 10 b,
encountered one of the moor. RroaninR
hulks OF the Staten Island Terry, at
which times the pilots OF the ferry boats
swing Off. head on to the rising swells
20 that the encroaching pillows will not
deliver a broadside and swamp the decks
Of their craft
This nautical maneuvre cannot always
he accomplished at just the right mo
mcnt, With the result that the swciis
climb inboard and cause consternatton
among the passengers, who are often
crowded like cattle on the lower decks,
At these times the ferry-boats careen
like canoes and threaten to turn turtle.
The passage, therefore. OF a Sandy
Fooker is usually viewed with alarm.
and the nninoeuvre. or the broadNde, Is
awaited with Interest by the passengers.
Passengers Scared by Waves.
THE waves from these Sandy Hook
boats" continues Mr.. Rokeby's letter to
sometimes wash the decks Of the ferry
boats clean across from port to star
board, and at such times 1t Is necessary
through the cabins auieting passen-
gers
Twenty full, clean knots an hour is
the speed of the Sandy Hook boats.
Of safety and for the peace of mind
Of the Staten Islanders the speed OF
the big boats be reduced to ten knots
an hour while they are within the ra-
diqs OF s.. George and the Battery.
ek ike tho S0fas ass rsS" sF rs compel nsN ?Ee Sr
marine greyhounds to &C, along through
knots would deprive their nyers OF
much OF the!r glCry. Besides they say
when the MONMOUTH. the Sandy Hook
is 10 holding them down to a plebeian
ten-knot rate.
Passengers DesIre speed.
why. it would break the hearts o.,
many a one OF our fast trio to hold
| l1eHl uOWn 10 llat gait, SAID one or
| the pilots Of the Monmouth to-day.
Them boats amt built to 20 ten
knots. They were built to go twenty
| two knots an they kin do It, and they
| will continue to do II, wrecks or no
wrecks. on the Staten Island route
Them old tubs ought to be sunk in the
/ Panama Canal
We do kick UP some bit OF a sea. T
| admit when we go down the bay, an
we've got TO kick up 4 sea to make time
an catch them trains at the Highlands
| There's no fear OF them Staten Island
| tubs turning turtle at that. but It's a
good thing to throw scare n the
staten Island folks are ever to get new
Flyers Must Catch Trains.
MANAGER Hollis said; ut would be
! quite impracticaele TO reduc. the speed
| OF our boats IN coming up or leaving
the Battery, We run on schedule time
! ana t-ains have got 10 be made on
tine. Perhaps. this agitation may have
its merit for II Will keep alive the suS-
gesunr the topic OF new boats and
snfcr boats for the Staten Island fcrrv,
| ours are powerful boats, and, as in
| the case Of all propeller vessels. a