New-York tribune., 1922-03-07
Liner Fights
Tide 3R Hours
To. Make Piicr
Crowds Sec America Driven
From Pier landing Five
Times by Unusually Swift
Currcnt in North River
Delay Costs Line $l 900
Nineteen Volunteers Return
From Moroccan Campaign
With Anger Against Spain

A record for slow docking was made
last night by thc steamship America
Of the United States Lines. which came
into quarantine from Hamburg at 500
p. m and did not land her passengers
until 1l:20 p. m. For three hours and
q half she maneuvercd in the North
River in a futile effort TO warp into
her dock Despite She assistance of
eight tugs. she could not get in until
the tide cascd
1t was announced early in The day
that she would dock about s p. m and
hundreds of riends OF passengers on
board assembled on the pier about :
p. IN. The America appeared off her
Hobokcn pier at 7:A5 p. m. and seemed
to have anchored. Word was sent
ashore by tug that the tide was
strong and she would not be able to
warp in before 10 p. m. At $3.50 she
got ovcr to the Hoboken side Of the
river and bad her nose pointing close
to Pier 9 when she suddenly slipped
away and backed down stream. Jockey
ing for position she again came up to
the pier, this time lying adjacent to
and at right angles across the dock
between Piers and ).
Beaten Back Five Times
The visitors to the pier shouted to
friends ON board and rushed back to
the place where the gangplank was to be
put out and were confronted with the
fact few minutes later that the
America once more made a getaway
to midstream. Five times sne tried
to got in without success. Captain
Rind aaiH That he had encountered an
unusually stiff tide and was unable to
cope with it, When tho speed o. the
current moderated he got a line out
ashore and finally warped in. the gang
plank being hauled aboard at 1l:2O
p. m
Meanwhile the bill The Shipping
Board will have TO pay the Customs
inspectors for over time ran up close
to the $1,000 mart,
The United States Lines got night
permit, and sevcnty-five customs IN
spcctors. whose pay averages SO day,
were held in readiness to examine bag
gage. The overtime pay began at )
p. M. and although they had nothing
to DO but wait idly on the pier the
sevonty-fve inspectors had earned a
full days pay at p N. AT a M.
thcy were still at work examining bag
gage and at that hour they had earned
two days extra pay, the overtime day
being reckoned on a four-hour basis.
The America carried III saloon, 240
second cabin and 245 stecrage pas
sengers.
Passengers Rush Ashore
Almost all Of the first cabin travellers
came ashore, and IN their eagerness to
get home offered only hand baggage
for examination. They were advised
by the customs officials that inspectors
would be on the pier at s a. NJ. to-day
to examine whatever baggage was not
passed last night
In the steerage Of the America were
nineteen Americans who had enlisted
with the Spanish army in the cam
paign against the Moors in Morocco.
They We're kept aboard overnight and
Will be examined by the immigration
inspectors this morning.
The men complained of shabby treat
ment on the part Of the Spanish gov
eminent. When they entered the sorv-
ice they said they were promised a
bonus OF 700 pesetas, but on discharge
from the Spanish army the government
compromised on the compensation, cut
ting it down to $50 pesctas.