New-York tribune., 1912-01-15
TWO TUGS |CEBOUND
One in Danger-Four BargeS
Also Frozen In OFF Hastings.
CARGOES, ICE FOR NEW YORK
Shippers and Crews, Forty in
All, Stick to Their Jobs, but
Call for Help.

Within halling distance OF the second
largest city In the world, in sight OF the
tracks of one Of the leading railroads OF
the country and on speaking terms with
Two states OF the Union, Captain Tom
Brown; Of the ocean-going tug bismarck,
and Captain "Bll' Woodwork. OF the
sea-travelllng tug Princess, with their fami-
lies and crews, are held fast In field OF
ice foes, miles in extent. Dr. Cook, even
without his gumdrops, was never more isc-
lated In his search for the North Pole and
,,rd,,ing fame than are these two hardy
stinrers. held In the ice off Hastings-on-
the Hudson.
Deenite the statements of the ice com
many officials that there will be scarcity
~ ice next summer because the Hudson
River Is frozen Ia depth OF only three or
four inches, Captains Brown ana WOOD
worth are willing to make afiidaVlt 10 tne
fact that they are hemmed In by nine soma
inches of as fine Ice as ever cooled a oott'e'
When the inhabitants of Hastings arose
from their beds yesterday morning ana
glanced toward the river they rubbed their
ewes and looked again. with the alo Vi
spyglasses they made out the forms OF TWO
large tugs and four big barges. all frozen
FIGHT In the unbroken stretch OF ice thst
extends from shore TO shore.
Some of the more venturesome staTteu o"t
from the New York side of the river ana
walked within hailing distance of the tug
Bismarck.
What ship is that. and how do you
,o,,o" was the nautical greeting sent over
the frozen wastes to Captain Brown SIT
tnr for'ard OF the BOBBY hatch on the
GOOD barge John b. Ford, belonging 10
tho Knickerbocker Ice Company.
Tug Bismarck and barges John b. Ford
william Bayier, John J. Binchell and Joe
Maeee, bound from Rockland Lake to Ne"
york CITY. Cap'n Brown on the bridge
said that skipper, and he spat upon the
deck
To the leeward Of the Bismarck lay the
ting Princess a hole stove In her bottom
and resting on the mud flats of the New
Jersey shore. Bill Hayes. pilot OF the
Princess said his boat was In serious
nl,pb, and would be destroyed when the
ice broke up unless assistance reached
her before then. Grub and coal enough
70 last I'll to-morrer." he added.
The barge Joe Magee lies with her bow
under the stern OF the Bavier. and her
capstan has been carried away IN the ice
e,rird "Rert" Groom, her pilot. OF No.
ru,ton street. Weehawken, hustled up the
sampson's post and waved hand
say. mate. tell the wife I'm friz in the
toe but safe and sound as duck IN
millpond." he hallooed across the frozen
water. and then went below to punish
hot toddy.
1aI
companies in this city and we're on their
way to New York when locked IN oy 'ne
ice lam. The Joe Magee. a new boat, VIII
probaby sink when the ice breaks up'
Csptain Brown asked that word be sent TO
the Knickerbocker Ice Company to send
tugs TO break way through the ice. All
hands refused TO desert their boats.
Although the thirty or forty people aboard
the boats refused TO leave them, II Is said
that their position is a ticklish one. Ihe
Xavier and the Joe Magee are the worst
damaged OF the barges. The former craft
has had a large hole stove In her bow by
tagged pieces OF ice. and the Magee Is also
suffering from shifts In the ice pack.
After the crew OF the Bavier had sound
cd the hold for traces of water, they found
that the barge was not leaking, and IT was
not necessary 20 use the pumps. They
thereupon announced their Intention OF re-
naming on board until help was sent to
them.
Besides the two captains Of the barges'
there are their wives and four children
marooned aboard, and members OF the crew
to the number OF about thirty. The Their
mometer hovered around the 20 degrees be-
low zero mark most OF yesterday, and
everybody was content TO hug the stove and
sit tight They cannot leave the boats.
owing to the broken condition OF the ice
al Niarenf a them