The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-05-15
A REPUBLICAN,.


| STEAM Boat MURDERS. Last week w Q publish
cd an account of the explosion of the Moselle, and
the destruction of some two hundred persons To-
day record the disaster attending the Oronoko
horrid enough of itself, but in comparison with the
wholesale slaughter of the former scarcely excites
an emotion of sympathy. Several other Steam
boats have met with difficulties, in the mean tme
but Of more trlhing nature The last month has
been marked with disasters, by steam and fire. So
| frequent have become accidents by steam that
reluctance 10 patronze boats cannot but be excited
| TO some extent in the public mind writer in the
Boston Atlas, from the west, estimates the number
of lives lost upon the Mississippi and its tributaries
during eighteen months past to be far less than
| 1000! Though the destruction upon the western
waters has been greater and more fearful the total es
innate by the addition Of the number DESTROYED in
other parts of our waters, would be swollen TO near
ly 1000 in the same time. And nearly ali of the
human suffering and woe consequent, is caused by
sheer careessness on the part of those entrusted
with the lives of their fellow passengers and is de-
serving of severe punishment but yet there is no
law adequate IN its provisions to meet these cases
The disaster of the Home so awakened public at
tention that bill introduced into the Senate
for the better regulation of steam vessels, and pass
ed that body, which now lies upon the table of the
House, where action upon it is prevented by the at.
tempt now making to speculate to Van Burens ad-
| vantage upon the bones of Cilley The writer a.
bove referred to, IL who appears be we'll acquaint-
ed with steam navigation ailudes to this bill land saws
its passage would be useless as from the nature and
extent of Western navigation it would not be put in
execution. But he proposes the following, as the
| substance of law, which in his opinion, would be
more Efficient
"The plan we would propose for Congress 10
pursue would be this. To establish board of
six eight (more or less) practical and scientific
gentlemen, to be denominated a Board of Internal
Navigation and Police whose duty it should be TO
! examine engineers and pilots before they are en-
ployed, and require them TO produce certificates of
good moral character and sober habits before thew
| are eligible to an examination. Such as should be-
found qualified for the duty, to receive from The
Board license to that effect 1t might also be made
the duty of the Board to repair the scenes Of dis
asters from steamboats,, and TO examine into all the
facts of the case, and have power to send for per.
sons and papers, and if it was found to have been
caused by the carelessnoss fault of any officer or
other person, TO prosecute them the extent of tho
law. They, also should have power to examine in
10 the condition Of steamboats,, and to reject or con-
denim such as were unsafe from age or other cause
| They, also, should have power to impose fines for
racing, or for other misconduct which may greatly
endanger the lives or property of passengers
where accident has actually occurred. If such
important duties considered too extensive and
onerous for one Board to perform it might be expe-
dent to create two three such Boards 10 meet at
different places at stated intervals One might be
organized for the Western States to meet at Lous-
vile or New Orleans and another for the Atlantic
States to meet at Washington Ortwo Boards might
be created for the West, if necessary.
Congress has the necessary authority to interpose
some speedy remedy to prevent, if possible the a.
farming accidents that to increase SO fearfullv
on the western waters. Humanity requires il at
their hands. The voices of thousand victims.
in tho last eighteen months, if they could be heard
would call upon them to interfere The commerce
and trade ofa least 5000 900 of western people call
upon them to do something. Christian phanthro-
pists call upon them. Then in the name of all that
is just and merciful, why do something, and at
once The time bestowed upon the fall of one
man in duel, il given TO this subject, might be the
means of saving the lives and property of hundreds
ifnot thousands. o ui
| HORRIBLE AND DIssRAcEFuL.--A few days
since, at Claysville, Marshalco. Alabama, Messrs
Nathaniel and Graves w Steele, while riding in
a carriage, were shot dead, 81 A. Steele 81 VIM.
Collins, also in the carriage were severely woun-
ded (the former supposed mortality by Messrs.
! Jesse Alien, Alex. and Arthur McFarlane, and
| DAnieI Dickerson. The Steeles it appears last
4 year killed James McFarlane and another person
liza aisifnilar manner which led to this dreadful