Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-28
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not his sails. the launch took him In
tow and moved his vessel to a proper an
chorage.
And so the day went on. first one call.
then another, and another. various
duties. so that the harbor men had but lit
tie time for rest, and when The Star man
left the station in the afternoon he
convinced that detail to the harbor pre-
cinct was no soft snap"
This is but a sample of one day; the
others are very much like it. Even In the
depth of winter, when the vessels are ice
bound, the Vigilant, the police tug, is often
called to fight her way through the ice 10
rescue some foohardy skater who has
broken in. Sometimes she is able to reach
the scene of the accident in time TO save
life, but more often when she reaches the
scene the skater has gone under the ice,
to remain until the water warns In the
spring and the body comes to the surface.
The recovery of drowned bodies is the part
of the work of the harbor police which the
men do not like. and the task is By no
means a pleasant one, but 1t must he per-
formed.
The harbormasters office was established
in 1881. when Commodore Sutton was
placed in charge of it. July l. 1893. it was
made police precinct and Commodore SUIT
ton was placed in charge of 1t with the
rank of lieutenant. AS precinct it is
said to take high rank for the efficiency of
in existence It's records show arrests made
| for all grades of crime, from simple
sault to murder. and from petty larceny to
grand larceny.
The men detailed at the harbor station
| are all veterans in the service. Lieut. SUIT
| ton entered the service private Of police
! In 1873. September Z, 1878. he was de-
| tailed oyster and fish inspector, and in
| 1881 was made harbormaster. and has been
| in charge of the harbor since that time.
| AS stated, his commission lieutenant OF
| the police force dates from July 1 OF last
| year.
| Russell Dean. the sergeant entered the
police service twenty-One years ago, and,
| as he was a steamboat man. he was trans
ferred to the harbor detail June 6, 1888. July
/ l of last year he was made sergeant.
Officer ]. d. Lewis has been with the har-
Dor detail fifteen years, but his service in
| the police department dates from March 81.
1870 Officer Rane Passano has seen
twenty-one years service on the force Off
| Ger Preston, seventeen years: Officer Mad
dox twenty-five years: officer Cooper,
| twelve years; Officer Sweet, fifteen years;
| Officer Stang. twelve years. and Desk Ser
geant Monroe, eighteen years as station
keeper and In various other capacities In
| the department. His commission police
| officer and desk sergeant at the harbor pre-
| cinct Is eighteen months old The veteran
| of the harbor detail Is Officer Huntington.
| He will, within the next few weeks, have
rounded out forty years of active service In
| the department, and he looks as If he Is
good for many more years OF efficient work.
The service stripes his sleeve almost
cover the entire forearm.
The headquarters of the harbor precinct
is in an ola ramshackle building of frame
totally unsuited for police station. There
are no cell rooms in the station, and when
an arrest is made the fourth precinct has
to be called upon to take charge of the
prisoner. A new and modern station is
wanted and it is expected that it will be
strongly urged before Congress.