The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1907-07-05

charge. and beat his rival. It was
then a case of the pilot with the swift
est schooner and the greatest daring
who won the best berths. but now all
that has changed. All the pilots arc
In one organization, they have their
own steamers 70 carry them out 20
the place where they pick up the big
boats. and they take their turn In
plotting them through the narrows and
10 their docks
These boats of the pilots are named
the New York and the New Jersey
and are powerful. large steamers.
about 100 feet long. the former built
of steel, the latter Of wood. The sys-
tenn under which they work is as fol
lows: The New York IS known as
the station boat and her duty is 10
take pilots OFF the outward bound
ships. while the duty Of the New Jer-
sey Is TO put them aboard the Inward
bound steamships.
In the case of a pilot who leaves the
Jersey and guides a vessel up into the
harbor AS soon as she warps into
her pier he reports az the pilot Office
al No. II State street Here Is a
great blackboard, with two long rows
of names. one marked outward" and
the other Reserve" The pilot who
has just brought in the ship IS then
nut down on the outward list. The
cloarancos Of ships IS reported hour
" from the custom house. and II Il
should be the turn Of the man just In,
he will Lo r1,nted TO take that one
To sea. II he get to sea with her be.
fore the men who come immediately
after him with their vessels tsome.
times he might not, though, for various
rcasons) his name is placed frst on
the reserve" list.
Pilots are put aboard at least 10
ships q day; and the next morning the
New Jersey, having put so many men
on inward bound ships has 70 draw
her supply from the reserve list Of
men. There are still three Of the old
sailboats In commission on what We
call the southern group watching for
vessels from South and Central Amer
Tea and the West Indies.
IN the Sandy Hook service there
are l4O pilots and 1S apprentices.
When the New York and New Jersey
pilots amalgamated some years ago
and built the two steamboats, there
was such a predominance Of the for
mcr IN the business that a ratio OF
expense and profits was agreed upon,
the stipulation being that seven parts
out of every ten in the profits, work
ing expenses. fixed charges and every
thing else should go TO the New
Workers. The pilots paid for and own
both their boats, the New York hav-
ing been designed by A. Cary Smith
and built at O cost close 10 100000
The New Jersey. being Of wood. and
of not such expensive construction as
the New York, cost $4,000.
Oldest OF the apprentices. Of which
there are six on one boat and seven
on the other, IS always known as the
hoatkeeper. with one bOatkecper on
each boat He acts as sort OF boat
swain and also handles the donkey
when launching the yawl A youne
man must serve as an apprentice fol
five years. But before he is even
permltted enrolment as such he musl
serve a certain length Of time on ap
probation. according TO his lights, &C
demonstrate whether or not he is III
for the calling az all.
When he has made good and IS ac
copted he serves for the five years
doing the work Of an ordinary fore
mast or deck hand, polishing brass
pulling the yawl. steering. painting
splicing and doing all such worl
about the decks. And. most impor
tant Of all. he never ceases TO oh
o. serve and stow away. At the end o
avo years, If he IS apt, he gets hl
'ls.foot branch" which means tha
ne is now fl 10 take IN or out Of th0
harbor vessels drawing not more thar
Is feet Of water At this ne serve
2 for one year. when he acquires hi
. "22.foot branch" at which he also re
meins for one year, az the end o
which time he receives his "ful
branch" authorizing him 10 conduc
; I'm and out the deepest vessels ahoa'