Evening star., 1909-04-23
SUGGESTS A LICENSE
Maj. SyIvester's Plan of Reg
ulating the Hiring of Boats.
REPORT OF LIEUT.. SUTTON
Boatmen Will Cooperate With the
Authorities.
CONTROL OF THE FLOOD GATES
Dangerous Current That Caused
Drowning Of Elmer Lacey
to Be Abated.
CONTROL OF THE FLOOD GATES

To control the hiring of boats to chill
dren, Mai. Richard Sylvester chief Of
police, suggests the issuance of licenses
to boatmen, revocable If boats are hired
to children. Maj. Sylvester has submit
ted to Commissioner West a report
from Harbormaster Sutton on the prac-
tice Of boys hiring rowboats and the
dangerous conditions at the flood gates
where Elmer Lacey lost his life Sunday.
Lieut. Sutton says:
Il have notified all lighthouses and
requested them to be careful in hiring
boats to boys and have received from
them their assurances of their hearty CO.
operation in the same"
The practice of having only two of the
six flood gates open at certain times, caus-
ing very swift currents, is to be discon-
tinued. 1t was announced this morning.
and all will be either open or closed at
one time. This is expected 10 lessen the
danger.
Suggests Nominal License Fee.
In transmitting Lieut.. Suttons report
Maj. Sylvester says. after speaking OF De-
tectiye ,Cox's report on the drowning:
The harbor master has gone more into
detail, showing that it is the common
practice for boys of all ages to patronize
the Washington channel in rowboats.
many times in the way of excursion
steamers. and further. that the harbor
crew must devote considerable time in
warning them of the danger of this prac-
tice.
'.Whie many of these boats are hired
not only in the vicinity of the recent ac-
cident, but along the Potomac and Aana-
costa rivers, many OF them are oowned
by young boys and others of them by the
parents of these young boys, so that If
restrictions are to be made as to the
hiring of boats. to secure its proper en-
forcement it will be necessary. in my
opinion, to have a nominal license fee
imposed. though this Is a question for the
corporation counsel to determine.
The report of the harbor master con-
tans a description of the flood gates and
states that at times a number of them
are closed, thus increasing the volume
and velocity of the water in those that
are left open.
Il also inclose herewith a copy Of the
verdict rendered by the coroners jury in
considering this matter, and three photo
graphs also accompany this report, which
presents in quite forcible manner condi-
tions existing at the point of this unfor-
tunate fatality"
Swift Current Of the Flood Gates.
Regarding the dangers of the swift wa
ter where young Lacey lost his life Har-
Dor Master Sutton says in his report:
I'm regard to the place where the acci-
dent occurred Sunday, April Is, 1909, will
say it is extremely dangerous for any
one to try and get through the food
gates on flood tide, this being the only
intake and outlet to the tidal basin.
There are six arches with gates at the
above place. When the tides are ebbing
the gates to the six arches are open, and
when the tides are flooding four are
closed and two are kept open, which
causes a great current to pass through
the open ones.
'On the inside Of the tidal basin about
fifty feet frons the arches are two rows
of piles. which were presumably put there
for the purpose of keeping drift wood
and other material from jamming at the
arches.
This condition has only existed since
the construction of the new bridge and
flood gates at the outlet to the George
town channel has been in progress, this
outlet being closed temporarily, causing
the entire volume of water to pass
through at the lower arches which are
nine and one-haH feet in width each
Il would suggest that the six gates to
the. arches be kept open by means of a
barricade at the top of each and the piles
In 'front.' be taken out. This. l think
would eliminate considerable part of
the- danger until the new outlet is fin
ished. There should be warning signs on
both sides of these arches.
There are no regulations for the hiring
Of boats to any one"