Letter: Marine Surveyors

Great job on the special issue (WJ, October 21). You covered so many of the areas that do not get front page coverage but without them the industry could not function.

Pete Merrill and Bill Carrier are by far two of the wealthiest men in the industry—that is, if you’re not counting money but friendship, which matters more than money. Over many years, I had the pleasure to work with them in various fields of surveying from an insurance perspective to an owner of equipment. They may not tell you what you hoped to hear but you could rest assured it was factual as possible. Sometimes when they were on the other side of a situation, you learned to cut your losses and move on.

Jim “Goat” Patterson said Pete could have been in the entertainment business; having been on the receiving end of his humor, I can agree. Goat was also an excellent surveyor and no angel in his own right!

Great to see Bill Carrier has his family following in the tradition. Bill helped me write the insurance on a gasoline-powered towboat on the Missouri, with Neare, Gibbs & Company. No small undertaking,
Two ladies who deserve a great amount of credit for their success are Joyce Merrill and Brenda Carrier. The old country western song, “Stand by Your Man” may apply.

To Pete and Bill, thank you for your contribution to the river industry and forgive me for sending both of you out on tough jobs over the many years. You never complained, just sent me a big bill.

Tom Rollins

St. Louis, Mo.