The Detroit times., 1914-01-15
NY. VESSELMEN
Are OPPOSED TO
SEAMAN'S BILL
Declare Every Line In New
York Waters Will BE Forced
To Quit Business
provisions OPPRESSIVE"
DECLARE MANY OWNERS
Would Require AS Heavy an
Equipment on Lake Steam
erS As on Ocean Vessels

NEW YORK, Jan. 15.--Local steam
boat men say that il the pending sea
mans bin is passed in its present
form the steamboat lines operating In
New York waters viii be forced 10 90
out OF business such lines as the
Sandy Hook route OF the Central
Railroad OF New Jersey running be-
tween New York and the Atlantic
highlands the Coney Island aud
RockaWay routes OF the Iron Steam
boat Co. he Kcansburg line. the Red
Bank line the Patten line--in fact.
all lines touching New YORK bay
The bin is now in the hands OF the
house committee on merchant ma
rinc aud fisheries. having passed the
senate \ neht is now 20 be- made
TO force certain amendments.
Commodore Henry l.. Joyce. man
ager OF the marine department of the
Central Railroad OF New Jersey. which
owns ana operates a fleet OF $40 yes
sells Of all descriptions in New York
harbor and tributary waters, includ-
ing the steamers OF the Sandy Hook
line and the steel fcrryboats between
New York and New Jersey. will head
delegation OF local steamboat men
who will go 10 Washington TO lay
their protest before the house com
mittee.
Oppressive" Provision
Commodore Joyce indicated the fol
lowing oppressive clause in the
bill. the operation OF which. he says,
would bring ruin 10 all steamboat
lines:
NO vessel carrying passengers. eX-
cept those navigating rivers and hdr-
bors and the smaller inland lakes,
as hereinbefore specified, exclusively.
shall be permitted to depart from
any port of the United States unless
she is provided and equipped with a
sufficient number Ol seaworthy life
boats to carry and transport at one
time every passenger and every mem
Der OF the crew licensed TO be car
ried on board such vessel and >un-
less she shall have sufficient crew
to man each lifeboat with not less
than two men of the rating OF able
seamen or higher, who shall be drilled
in the handling and lowering OF lite
boats, etc
This would require hay boats ~
be equipped the same as ocean steam
ers. and would require even our mum.
cipal ferry boats running TO St George
TO equip as ocean steamers said
Commodore Joyce For example, the
Sandy Hook route steamers would
have 20 carry the following
The Asbury Park. 80 lifeboats and
24o sailors Sandy Hook. i15 life.
heats and go sailors. Monmouth 1O5
lifcboats and 2l0 sailors.
ITO equip any of our steamers as
above. or any steamer In similar ser
vice. would reduce the carrying ca.
pacity to such Ell extent that accom-
mod atoms for the necessary number
of passengers could not be provided,
and 10 operate the line would be com
mercially impossible.
THE Sandy Hook Ronte steamers
arc oeerated between Forty-Secondst..
North river. and Atlantic Highlands.
y. y. only during the summer months,
and they are In New York hay (bays
being included in the full lifeboat
nroposition) only about 80 minutes
on each trip from the lower end of
The Narrows TO the Atlantic High.
lands wharf This is only in mar.
row channel. with shOal water on
either side. and The steamers could
be run ashore within hvN MpIutes al
anv stage Of the route - +
~ has .been sufficiently deripnstrat.
cd that the existing regulations OF
the steamboat inspection service
which provide for adequate lifeboats