American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-06-17

serious and affecting Character nave oeeo |
sometimes the result of inexperence, but mostly
~ he a,,r;bued to want OF care. But even akingI,
,brsr into view it is we'll worth while to examine
whether it has not even heretofore afforded more
safety of conveyance than would have been effected
in the same quantity of travelling by any DINER
mode heretofore prscised.
we often hear il stated "that while we are on
the land we are safr"-and this is perfectly true
while we are in state OF rest-but 1t IS equany
true that as soon we exert locomotive powers "e
are subject to danger and surely under The &C.
customed mode Of travelling over bad roads, ferries,
fords. and the risks attendant on the conduct oil
stage drivers and horses, we must not forget toi
charge the land travelling with its usual proportion
of accidents, while we are engaged IN looking LOT
the calamities which have taken place upon thel
water.
Before come fully to apply these observations 70
the Atlantic States, wish TO take short view oil
the steam boat travelling on the western waters
where as it has been so largely extended Its safety
in comparison to other travelling may be fairly es
umatcd and here wish distinctly to state that
is equally applicable consider its safely In reision
to travelling by land or by water, or IN any o'her
way whatever.
| il NAV be fairly estimated that at this time there
are $50 steam boats upon the western waters anu
as considerable part Of these are running between
New Orleans and Pittsburg, We can take view OF
whole. In this distance, therefore, OF 1900 miles,
a downward passage is usually effected in ten days
and half and return passage in twenty one days
1.-The whole in little more than one month. Inc
burden of the boa,s $50 tons, will on an aver
Iage accommodate 100 passengers and carry 2oO
lions OF goods. Stating, however, that trips may
Ibe performed in a year, we see That l2u0 persons
and s4Oo ions Of goods, may be taken 2o'4oO miles
I'm one year, by each steam boat arriving at each
d;,ta wit mathematical
sion.
In such prodigious amount OF transportation,
lit was TO be expected that some accidents would &C
cur: this must be looked for in the natural state oil
lsuch wild rivers under any mode OF conveyance
and can scarcely imagine bot that less property
has been lost and fewer lives endangered by steam
boat travelling, than by any other mode which could
have been adopted as from The early settlement oil
1.-The country RATS srks we're the general convey
ances, and have always been dependant upon the
state of the river and uncertainty OF winds and cur
rents with no certain calculation as to the duration
of the voyage.
II, however, it should be granted that the advan
tages of steam navigation on the uestern uaters are
beyond all hesitation greatly in It's favor, both as II
RESPECTS convenience, expedition and safety, am
aware that from our having heretofore had convey
snces by land and water along the atlantic States
the steam boat navigation may not be considered SC
necessary here comparatively so sale.
In looking into the situation of our Atlantic Cities
lii will at once be found that they nearly all To-
Gated as places equally adapted to water as vel
as land approach lin fact, that thsy are placed
as adjacent 10 wide and open navigation OF the bay
and rivers as the shape Of the country would allow
and it is curious geographical fact, in regard tt
\, their locality worthy Of attention, that The cities
y. Washington, Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia
:, Trenton, New York, New Haven and Boston, ma!
). be very nearly struck by northeaserly line draw
- straight through them, with very little variation in
i deed
. In this extensive margin of country the interior
y, Of wide rivers and bays as well as OF uneven
lands must occur to increase the distances OF tray
II cling by land and the interference OF ferries viii
increase its danger 1t seems, therefore, Just in
, quiry whether the system to which steam boat nav
n, igaon is reduced, has not already rendered 1t les
dangerous than the travelling by land and 1t thi
is the case, every solid objection must be done away
and shall be happy to find that the last remove
ne will be that Of prejudice.
= The steam navigation Of the lower part OF Della
ne ware river to Wilmington and New Castle, com
os mencedin 1915 and it is fair to estimate that annu
ia ally there have been taken at least 10000 passeu
2. gers between Philadelphia and Wilmington, and
At. should believe 10000 passengers between Phade
to phia and New Castle:-thus for ten years abou
90 100000 persons have been accommodated, and III
70 steam boats have travelled in this part Of Del
n. aware river $4,000 miles, not only without on
personal accident but almos, invariably the per
er DDS Of punctual arrival, which has admitted atter
ton being paid to the hourly engagements of ii
ne day.
he In the further progress Of the Baltimore rout
en from New Castle there has been equal safety. b.
eli eve the only interruption was that caused by OF
II of the stages being overturned the road to Frenc
town. Is there to be found, lhselore, in the hsto
81, Of any travelling, in any country, so favorable
The statement oil its safety >!
art There are no circumstances which have attend
and the navigation the Delaware River, to ii