The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-02-19


Has the time come for automobile
patrol wagons in Boston? Paris has
greatest service. Berlin has two or
three police garages. In this country
the chief of the Hartford police speaks
highly OF them from actual experience.
New York and Chicago are now trying
them out. London is preparing TO get
a few of them. Automobile manufact-
urers say that no horse-drawn vehicle
can give the service rendered by a
smoothly running police wagon that
can take a squad of officers a mile in
a minute and a half.
Here in Boston Commissioner
O'Meara Of the police department and
the trustees of the hospitals have them
under consideration. They are some
what more expensive than the horse
drawn patrol and ambulance wagons,
and they require for their operation
trained drivers; but against these as
pec.s of the innovation the automobile
makers speak of the great value OF
type Of wagon which can cover dis
tances in minimum time, a necessity
of police and hospital work, as they
say, which is so obvious as TO require
no explanation.
Take the case Of bomb-thrOwing
outrage, such as that of the anarchists
of Chicago years ago or that in New
York more recently Take the case
of the bandit outrages in Boston. Take
the case of any serious disturbances in
an outlying district. With high-pow-
er automobile it would be possible for
a squad of policemen, armed with rifles
to do most effective work.
Coast pilots with headquarters in
Boston can be counted on the fingers
of ones hands. Not more than half
dozen follow the calling regularly,
with few intervals on shore, because
that number is usually sufficient to at
tend to the demand of foreign ship
ping for men competent to navigate
vessels through Nantucket and Vine
yard sounds to New York or other
ports.
Among the best known coast pilots
are Capt. William f. Quinn. Michael
J O'Brien, John Hall and Frank Gates,
all Of whom have been so many times
across the shoals that ii is as easy for
them to make the passage as 10 find
their. way about their back yards.
These pilots have records for judgment
and clear brains. Each has been tried
L., ,,yl,f In, oh
of valuable ships, and the pilot came
out ahead in the battle waged against
him by the elements.
State street is where the coast pilots
have their headquarters while not at
sea. Usually they may be found In
buildings where are located Offices OF
the principal steamship agents who
represent foreign concerns that operate
lines between Europe, the Orient and
Boston, with New York as the loading
port, whence the freighters start on
new voyages to the far East. These
freight ships furnish the coast pilot
the greater part of his work. He is
ready to start on a moments notice
and can never tell when he will pass
a night at home.
The pilot keeps a grip packed in
his Office down town, and it is surpris-
ing what few articles Of wearing ap-
parel he needs when starting on a ship
at this season. Most of the clothing
ne carries on his back. The pilot Of
the present has nothing in common
with the pilot one frequently sees por-
trayed ON the stage. The Boston pilot
wears no pea jacket, and abhors the
dinky little cap and brass buttons OF
the traditional salt, and does not have
partially concealed in a hip pocket a
plug of tobacco; nor does the goth cen
tury pilot carry under his arm mon
ster telescope and keep his weather
eye cooked to windward
From the manner of his dress the
Boston coast pilot in winter toggery
looks much like prosperous farmer
just arrived from the village store.
Direct from it's long and highly
successful run at the Broadway
Theatre, New York and with the en-
tire metropolitan cast and produc
tion "A Waltz Dream" will come to
the fremont Theatre, Boston, begin
ming Monday, Feb. 10. SO much has
been written of the success of this
charming Viennese operetta, Of its
enhancing music by Oscar Strauss,
its gorgeousness of costume and pro-
duction that it should meet with
rousing reception during its engage
ment here. Already the advance
booking of seats indicates a record
breaking engagement.
Things are certainly coming thick
and fast at the Orpheum Theatre for
this week sees still another enor-
nous bill which rivals, those of the
past two or three weeks in excel
lence. To begin with there is the in
ventive comedian, Ezra Kendall, who
is probably the most original artist