Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17
This Sum er, the
Busiest in the
Ri0er,s History
a Speed Lac Has
Been Passed and
NogO, I'm AdditiOn
to Their Other
Duties, heHarbor
Police Haze Become
Speed-Cops Of the
Potomac.

of her, selected her machinery and supervised
her construction in Baltimore. And she is a
ship of. which any feet may well be proud.
Powered with a 100-hnrsepower direct re-
versible Diesel of the latest type, she Is strong
enough to tow anything on. the river and sea-
worthy enough for coast duty. She's built to
break ice and can clear channel through the
heaviest foes. She's hot-water heated through
out and electrically lighted, mounting a pow
erful searchlight on her pilot house. And as
idea of his own, HUMPHREYS hooked up q
Hispano-Suiza airplane motor to a Seagrave
fire. pumping apparatus, and with this equip
ment the Evans throws 750 gallons Of water ut
40 pounds pressure per minute, and forms n
powerful auxiliary TO the harbor firefghting
force.
HUMPHREYS also designed the Sullivan, built
speed and stanchness into her every line and
chose her engine. That is why HUMPHREYS
knows these boats so well and knows what they
can do.
1t is doubtful if there is q faster boat than
the Sullivan or a more skillful pilot than Po-
liceman HUMPHREYS on the Potomac. Under
his handling the craft is as fleet and flexible as
a motor cycle, although she'll hold 10 men
with ease. It's amazing to the way he
maneuvers her. Your reporter took ride with
him and learned few things about a speed
boat At As miles an hour HUMPHREYS turned
her on a dime" reversed his course in the time
it takes to tell about it. At full speed he lodged
objects ON the water by inches He skipped
over the river so fast that it seemed the boat
must take wings and rise into the air. Then
he made landing beside wharf by heading
into 1t under fun power, throwing the engine
into reverse at the right moment and drawing
alongside as easily els you'd pull up to the curb
in an automobile These are not fancy tricks,
please understand, for it Is never known when
q quick maneuver stands between life and
death. And pity the lawbreaker who'd try TO
get away from HUMPHREYS in anything but
seaplane.
WHEN an emergency call comes in Hum
phries answers. He may be In his shop
at the time, bending motor, working at
the lathe, attending his files where he keeps
full indexed record of every piece Of machinery
used by the harbor force, but wherever he is
you will see him making . dash for the Sulli-
van in short order. One two officers on de-
tail throw off the lines and jump in beside him.
His foot touches the starter, instantly the mo-
tor responds the siren walls, the boat almost
leaps out into the stream.
The system works like fire engine getting
out OF its station in response to an alarm. But
there is even greater need of speed on the wa
ter. Drownings are quick. Minutes must be
cut to seconds.
many lives. And many who may not have
been saved if help had not reached them quick
ly owe their lvies to Pvt. Humphries. Here's
an instance Of the speed with which he works:
At the Presidents Cup races on the river last
year Q speed craft In the ISL" class capsized
while making fast turn. Humphries was pa
trolling the course in. the Sullivan. Some dis
lance away he saw the accident and in a fash
had swung his boat into the course and sped
alongside of the overturned craft. Before the
racing hull had time to settle itself upside
down in the water he had caught the pilot by
the collar and hauled him to safety. His rec
ord is filled with countless other instances of
fast work and good judgment
Airplanes have crashed in the Potomac and
the harbor police have rescued pilots and pas
sengers. On occasion plane went down
into the water with seven persons aboard.
HUMPHREYS got the fash. Because he reached
the scene quickly he managed to bring all seven
ashore safely.
I Up on the bulletin board at the harbor pre-
cinct. where the orders posted. you will
find the name Of Pvt. c. M. Birkght. always
mad 20, ffao ~Sa1o