Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-01-25
The LexIngiop--Jhe Culpabie Conduct o
the Government En- pectors and the Di

The Lexingie"--The Caipabie Conduct of
she Government n.pectors and the Di-
reciois of tho Company
The loss OF this vessel, and those whom the
ought to rest, still continue TO be the uni
versa exciting topic OF conversations and it is right
and proper tia it should be The calamity is
the most awful that has befalen the Rorthern cities,
particularly New York and Boston, for long series
of years. The investigation is still going on, with
searching mnutentss, before the Coroaers Inquest;
and according 10 present appearances, not only the
directors OF the company, and the experimenting
agents. greatly to blame; but most especially
are the two inspectors appointed usder the law OF
Congress, to see that every possible arrangement
was made on board of her, TO protect her from
hagration, xploson, and disaster Of every kind -
They have rot done this, in scarcely any one in
stance Nearly 80 of our fellow beings have been
hurled into eternity, through their neglect; and pub
lie alton calls lsudly for the dismissal Of the
steamboat inspectors, and for the appointment Of
men who will efficiently perform the duties assigned
them. That Messrs. Clark and Bunker have
shsmefaly neglected their duties, is evident from
the testimony given before tia inquest now pro-
crossing. They have furnished certificates to most
unworthy and unsafe boats the. have allowed others
10 without certificates, which they knew TO Be
trustworthy; and they have, in numerous instances,
totally disrsgarded the provisions and specifications
OF the act Of Congress.
IL any thing were wanting q show how utterly
unfit both Of those are for the situations which
they have been appointed TO fill, II would be found in
the answers given by Banker and Clark in relation
to the steering apparatus. Bunker says positively
that, he eonstraes the law, ropes are not prohi
bited from being used" although the law expressly
says rods and chains Clark SAYS that, as he
=
tors bound to nspest the steering apparatus at
all And yet the fact is notorious that the Lexington
would have doubtless reached the land in ten mi
nutes from the time when she stopped had the ropes
Of hide or hemp, attached to the wheel, not been
burnt OF She was going at full speed, head 20 land
when the ropes we're destroyed. Immediately sue
eeeding this, the poat suddenly sheered round with
the action of the water. This motion threw piece
OF material into the valve, and thus the engine
and the boats course suddenly stopped, al
though few miautes more running would unGues-
tionably have saved the lives Of nearly all on board
Again: u Is notorious that there are boats now
runung which totally unsafe 10 travel in and in
which the lives e passengers hourly endan-
gered. The Fulton ferry boat, called the Fulton,
has the old boiler which originally belonged to the
Wm Cutting; and we are credibly Informed that the
engineers afraid Of its bursting that they will
put weight the safety valve, and have threat
ened 10 leave the boat rather than do so. We are
also assured that 10 of the ferry boats, wooden
plugs are inserted in the holes ofthe boilers, These
are said 20 be one Of the South Ferry boats and
the boiler in the Fulton must be at least a dozen
years old Who will say, then, that these pectors
ought pot 90 be dismissed instsnterl
But whilst would have the ms pc etors punished
We would, by no means, allow the directors to es-
cape unsca;hed. II is with pleasure we perceive,
that numerous individuals IN Providence and Boston
are about commencing suits against them for the
losses sustained by the burning Of the Lexington and
there very little doubt that in instance they
will recover damages 60 the ful amount sf the loss
sustained IL Is impossible forthe directors toexcul
pate themselves from the severest censure IN this
business. Captain Comstock states positively, that
they refused 20 allow more than certain sum at time
for repair, however urgently these repairs might
have been required blythe fragile condition Of the boat
II s notorious, also, that when her CRATES and ere an
paratu. ere altered add arranged 50 as 20 enable
her 10 burn coal instead Of wood that no cor,ss.
pondinr alteration made in the fues the chin,
neyf, the easing, and the wood work Immediately
dact thereto TO protect her from the posi-
bily Of taking FIRE. All the material around the red
bot iron work was just like much inlsmmable
finder Again: The Company had powerful steam
fan at work, to fan the coal into flame this fn was
of sufficient power 20 smslt 10 tons of iron at atirne
aud with all this additional heating power, no extra
precautiop was AXE against FIRE by the directors.
Il is notorious that the Lexington was on Gre three