Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1838-07-11
THE GAZETTE.
NJ Ar P8M SDWR82 VA
WEDNESDAY, JULY ii, 1895
STEAM BOAT DISASTERS.

ty Of steam boat travelling. The speed and COM
fort Of steam boats offer strong Inducements TO
travellers TO use them as means Of convey
ance, bat If the explosions which so frequently
destroy the lives Of passengers, cannot be reader.
ed Of less frequent occurrence, the travelling
public will be compelled TO substitute some 9th.
or mode Of journeyiBg which viii be attended
with less danger. Tha, steam boats can be made
safe, is past doubt. The waters Of the Hud =
son, where steam navigation is as extensively
used, 10 comparison to the size ofthe river, as on
any sea- river, or lake in the country, are sell
dom ever made TO witness the destruction Of life
by the bursting ofslea boat boilers, are ma
ny other waters in the Union. The reason Of
this, is oby ions. The boats on the Hudson
managed by discreet, prudent men, who will
not, for the meagre honors ofmsking the "quick-
est trip on record" place in jeopardy the lives
Of those who haze embarked under their care.
To tho spirit Of rivslry--to the wish that exists
among steam boat managers 70 out travel their
opponents, may the public justly charge the des
truction of many of its members and ornaments
10 lHis may many i"ihiiN JuStit
pute the disaster that has clad it in the habli-
ments Of woe.
| The inquiry, which naturally comes up, when
the cause and effect brought into review, is,
can these disasters be prevented or, can any
means be devised by which to render them less
| frequent? We believe there can be measures
put into operation that would remedy the evil
in a very short time. Laws will be of but little
avail in preyentingsteam boat racing-they may
J punish man whose boat explodcs and destroys
the lives Of his passengers, but punishment will
| have about little effect in preventing dan
gerous degree Of speed, ii will in re ANNA
ting the dead The fault Tracing a often lies
with the passengers as with the conductors Of
steamboats,, but hen an explosion takes place.
The latter come in for the full share public rep
rotation. Passengers, who, while on board a
steam boat, urge the captain to pass by or com
mencc a race with another boat, or to try how
quick he can accomplish given distance, and
afterwards publish ticket, thanking him for
his speed, and recommending his boat to the
public, have much to answer for Praise from
passengers begets envy between rival boats-en-
w rouses mpetition-competitio incre asses
speed-and great speed i. attended more or less
by accidents and destruction Of life II the nub
lie wish to be guarded against these awful disas-
tiers more strongly Than the law can guard il,
let there be less hurry in travelling from place
to place, let no person embark on board a boat
that comes recommended for its extraordinary
swflness, but let him rather embark on board of
one that goes at moderate speed let ''quck
trips" cease TO be registered in the prints, or If
registered, let il be for the purpose of condem-
ming them, and the remedy will be obtained
Unless public opinion apply the correction, legal
pains and penalties will be little needed as
the idle iud.
Since the above was in type, VIC learn that an
important bill, for the regulation of steamboats,
has been passed by Congress. One Of its pro.
visions, inserted on motion Of Mr.. Webster. is
effective. The Baltimore Patriot gives the
following sketch of it 1t provides that in suits
against the proprietors Of steamboats,, for inju-
rles or losses in consequence Of the bursting of
boilers, collapsing Of flucs, &c, the fact of the
bursting or the collapse, shall be prima facie ev-
idence to charge the defendants they can
Only clear themselves by proving the loss or in.
jury TO have happened without any neg ligence
ofthe proprietors, or any person in their employ
ment. This will make propretors more care.
fui as to the persons whom they employ.
GooD-lt cannot have failed to attract the no.
tlce OF the obseryant, that every attempt Of the
Administration to carry out lis projects during
the past winter aud spring, has been defeated by
Congress. Scheme after scheme has been pre-
scented, every one of which has tended 10 the
same point-the placing Of the revenues of the
country firmly and legally in the hands of
the Executye-ap all have shared the same
fate. Remaining upon this fact. the Alexan-
dria Gazette says &c The latest humbug of the
Administration has exploded. The people might
now ask of the Magician, as the honest sailor
once did Of juggler, whose fireworks exploded
all at once and blew him from the stage where
he was performing his feats, A." What the ID
will he do next 20