New-York tribune., 1905-02-06
THE ICE GIRDLE GROWS.
Shippers Say Navigation Is Most
Dangerous an Years.

New-York Harbor's ice girdle continues to
grow This is not due to exceptionally low
temperatures but rather to the continued cold.
Ice in large quantity is forming in and about
the harbor on all sides, north, south east and
west. and each rise and fall of the tide detaches
large foes. which in turn become part of the
floating ice in the harbor
Thick and heavy cakes Of ice are also coming
into the bay from the Hudson. and Long Island
Sound is supplying the East River with like
grinding packs.
Ysssteraays sys.Y 'f.s hei sas Msa tag tag
last four d ys. For thesu. st part the ice re-
nained in the middle of the North and East
rivers. This fact, coupled with the normal six
foot rise and fall of the tide, has prevented
New-York from completely surrendering to an
ice embargo Otherwise the ferry service and
harbor traffic would be completely tied up.
Ferry service on both rivers was maintained
yesterday with little difficulty. Along the
Brooklyn south shore and the Staten Island
waterfront, however, the ice packs are still
heavy. An attempt was made to keep the 39th-
st. ferry to South Brooklyn running early in
the day by sending the boats over the outside
course to the westward of Governors Island
but this plan had to be abandoned after two
round trips had been made, owing to the ice in
the upper bay
and break their way through the ice in reaching
st. George. The captains of all the boats report
that the ice conditions are the worst that they
have experienced in the last fifteen years
In the upper bay little open water to be
seen The harbor is completely filled with ice
foes. Each day is adding to the compactness
Of the fields and the thickness of the ice The
trip either up or down the bay by incoming and
outgoing vessels is slow and dangerous
The Narrows is continually full Of large ice
packs. Incoming vessels have literally to plough
their way through, breaking and spntering d
course through the ice cakes. The trip UP the
bay consumes from three to four times long
as it usually does.
Navigation has become exceedingly dangerous,
the ice IS shifting about the buoys that mark
| crooked and narrow ship channels in the harbor.
In the last four days the ice foes have broken
and carried away a large number of spar and
can buoys. Captains of coastwise steamers and
the Sandy Hook pilots have been extremely wor-
ried this. and have reported narrow escapes
from severe accidents. owing 10 the absence or
displacement of these buoys.
Captain Shepard, of the Lighthouse Board
said yesterday that last week was the worst
ever known in the history Of the department.
For the last three days the Lighthouse Depart
ment has had two tenders at work day and
night chasing runaway buoys and replacing
them in their proper positions. The ice has
caused these buoys TO drift from One-half to
three-quarters Of a mile from their moorings.
In some cases the buoys have drifted from two
TO three miles out to sea
Although the buoys lighted early every
night the service is merely perfunctory, as the
ice promptly extinguishes the lights.
All OF the Sound steamers arrived safely yes
terday but all hours late. The captains
reported navigation barely possible and fraught
with great danger. Several times yester-
DAYS trip the fleet of NewYork bound vesse4s
was obliged to join forces and. forming wedge,
unite in efforts to break way through the ice.
! The Metropolitan Line. owing to the ice, has
abandoned sending steamers to Boston by the
Sound The Herman Winter. which arrived yes
terday from Boston. came by the outside course
+ around Long Island.