Evening star., 1915-01-03
CUTTER WOODBURY. SOON
GOES TO THE SCRAP PILE
Half Century of Efficient Service
Ends Next Fall When Ship
Will Be Retired.
Boat Made Of Steel to Replace Old
Wooden Craft-Buift
In 1884.

= !
vice the revenue cutter Woodbury. 10
now on her last patrol. The good ship
will be retired some time next fall,
when steel ship will be commissioned
to take the place of the old wooden
craft.
with other revenue cutters Of tho
service on the Atlantic seaboard. the
Woodbury., December /, began her win
ter cruising, on constant watch to give
succor to mariners and vessels in dis
tress at sea. She will continue on this
duty until March 81. Threading the
Islands and beating along shore on the
Maine coast, her cruising course, the
Woodbury. is performing her usual
duties for the last time. under the
command of Capt. Roy C. Reinburg.
who was assigned to the revenue cut
ter In October, last.
The Woodbury's fifty years of SER
vice have been tremendously busy. She
has worn out, not rusted. Frequent
repairs have kept her going. but hull
and engines are shaky.
When anything goes wrong between
Portland and Eastport, Me-, somebody
sends for the Woodbury., unless she is
already on the spot or on her way. 1t
may be Goa ster that blundered on
reef, a waterfront fire or riot; all such
duties have come to her in her career.
Owners clamor for the Woodbury. be-
cause it is cheaper than hiring tug
boat. Differences between shippers
and crews are oftentimes adjusted by
the commandant of the revenue cutter,
summoned in haste to hedge of
trouble.
Built for Keeps" in 1854.
She was designed to save lives and
property, in direct contrast to the war
craft which destroys. Way back IN
1864 she was laid down in Phfladel-
phia: the live oak that went into her
frame was regarded as almost inde-
structibIe. She was built for keeps"
as the saying goes. and the specifica-
tions were probably as complete to-
ward that end as any ever issued by
the Treasury Department.
When she goes to the scrap heap she
will yield tons Of copper and compost
tion metal. The keel and frames. sat
urated with brine. should be in great
demand for their sparkle on open
hearthS
So far as dimensions go. the Wood
bury is a toy compared with cutters
constructed for ice breaking and rug
ged work off shore. She is but 1866
The draft is in accord, being 11.7 feet.
Cutters like the Androscoggin, just
assigned hospital ship on the
great banks, could pull her apart in q
tug of war.
When the Woodbury. first took the
water she was brig rugged and pre-
sented an imposing spectacle. Thirty
or so years ago she was altered to
schooner, the change improving her
seaworthiness and making it possible
to get along with smaller crew. lt
was handler, too, with no yards to rip
another vessels gear.
Almost everything that a vessel can
do as good Samaritan is recorded of
this famous revenue cutter, now shap
ing a course for the scrap pile. Her
cruising ground has been between
Portland and I1astport, with Casco bay
as her special station, because in pro-
tected waters she can give good ac-
count of herself and nose into reef-in-
fected localities that might cause un-
doing of larger cutters.
Even behind sheltered islands. the
Woodbury. has had thrilling expert
ences i'll assisting crippled coasters.
But accounts of hardships endured in
seas, or boarding ice-fettered vessels,
or capturing tossing derelicts do not
appear in official reports of command
ing officers of the revenue cutter.
Commanded by the Best.
Veterans of the revenue cutter serv-
ice point with pride to the fact that
one time or another they have COM
manded the Woodbury. or been as
months or years of active service. And
the command of the Woodbury. has de
yolyed upon the very best officers OF
the service, whose competence has been
demonstrated in her handling.
Only last year the " Woodbury accom-
pIished a dangerous piece of work III
saving the steamer Monegan from de-
struction, on the lodges of Cape Small
point near the mouth of the kennebes.
in = locality that kicks up probably the
worst turmoil gales can produce along
the Atlantic coast. a month later sho
assist ed in ubduing waterfront blaze
ar Portland The winters work, SO far,
shows nine vessels assisted. f1fty-seven
persons succored, with property valued
at S21 5000 involved.
Sometimes the WoodburyS orcw OF
forty varies sea experience by going
ashore to fight cottage fires. Such
case was in 1911, when a building iso-
lated on Long island, Casco bay, q few
ton BY hard work. spread of the fire
was prevented. The next year the
crew of the Woodbury. extinsuished
6re in :. coal pocket at Portland
though the Woodbury. Is not often
ordered to distant points to free Ameri-
can fishing schoonerS from ice, she has
found much opportunity to be of help
during freeZe-ups. Her usefulness in
that way was demonstrated in 1912,
when she released fourteen vessels
frozen in at Winter harbor, Me-, SO
that they were enabled TO resume fish,
ing. The scene Of this exploit Is across
Frenchman's bay from Bar Harbor-
Helping powerless powerboats has
been common work
The vessel that will supersede the
on the Maine station Is now
building at the Newport News ship
wards. She is a modern revenue cutter.
built to specifications that require her
to be a perfect ice-breaker and equip
ped with every device for rescue work.
vessel will he launched during
spring, and work on her rapidly COM
pleted.