Milford chronicle., 1926-10-29
DEEDS OF HEROISM
SHINE IN RECORDS OF
DELAWARE PILOTS

Passengers aboard vessels outgo-
ing or incoming build their roman
ces of the voyage about the captain
Of their ship, his officers and the
crew. Rarely do they think of the
quiet man who clamOrs oversize
from a swaying tug, and unosten-
tiously effaceS himself from their
sight.
If the sight of him does bring a
f1eeting thought to mind, that
thought usually is one of pity or
wonder that a seafaring man can
forsake the adventure of the un-
certain and unruly waves to assume
the conduct of ships into and out
of port. To them the pilot is an
uninteresting fellow whose pres
ence on the ship will not endure fOr
long.
The pilot, of course, has other
ideas than those of the passengers
on the ship which he is guiding
through treacherous channels. He
realizes his responsibility, how nee
essary he is. He knows the tra6i-
tions OF the unheralded bravery OF
his kind. His is a romance as in
teresting as, sometimes exceeding,
that of the acknowledged deep-sea
sailor.
Pennsylvania, typified by its
principal port, Philadelphia, stands
unique in the history of the pilots
of the country. 1t alone for years
had enacted pilotage laws, of all
the States bordering on rivers. 1t
was not until 1881 that the State Of
Delaware enacted laws governing
pilots and pilotage, by board Of
pilot commissioners, with headquar-
ters at Wilmington. Congress in
1889 had authorized riger-bordered
States to make pilotage laws. Penn-
sylvania, by assuming the rights of
such a privilege, and alone main
tanning those rights, during the
period from 1889 to 1881, identified
the entire pilotage control of the
Delaware River wirh its laws.
The enactment Of laws by Della
ware created a separate control, but
the formation of the Pilots Asso-
citation of the Delaware Bay and
River, composed of pilots licensed
by both states, prevented any fTic-
ton and insured the highest eff
cheney on the part of men who
board incoming ships at the Over
falls Light, near the Delaware
Breakwater, and bring them safely
and quickly to their berths. The
work of the pilots, the heroic roles
that some of them have played in
sea tragedies, are recounted by
Captain Thomas ]. Virden, presi-
dent OF the Pilots Association.
"The association maintains two
boats at the entrance to Delaware
Bay" Captain Virden said. "One,
the steamer Philadelphia, is used
as the main supply; the other, the
auxiliary schooner Edmunds, is used
as relief boat. The boats are
called upon to render all manner
of service, in addition to acting as
unofficial mailing stations. Recent
ly radio calls received from ships
at sea requested medical help for a
scalded engineer, and a supply Of
fifty pounds of sugar. Both requests
were satisfied.
"My father, Captain John P. Vir-
den, was the first president Of the
organization, and served for seven
teen years. He was followed by
Captain James A. Clampitt. Cap
tain Albert G.. Bennett was the
third, and he was followed by Cap
tain Harry Lyons, whom I succeed
ed.
Before the organization of the
association, eight pilot boats oper-
ated out of the Breakwater, and Of
ten they wene five hundred and six
hundred milab to sea in their efforts
to get clients.
%There are some tales of heroism
connected with the occupation.
During March, 1888, a terrific storm
was raging in the Delaware Bay,
and Pilot Harry Eldridge had
boarded an incoming bark to take
her up the river. The vessel stag
gered under the battering gales and
it was necessary to anchor. Dur
ing the night the cables parted and