Gangplanks were lowered and William Foy and Capt. Police launches forced the boat to dock, and constabulary surrounded the gangplanks at the pier. There were also adjustable passenger gangplanks and adjustable freight slips. Mules were often changed at locks, over gangplanks. On larger ships there may be as many as three gangplanks in use at once. Access to "Stevens" from the campus-owned Eighth Street Pier was facilitated by two gangplanks.