Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-04-22
THE TELEGRAPH.
SOUTHPORT. " r., TUESDAY, APRIL %. 1916

DIsAsTERs.- exchanges of the past
week come TO us with accounts Of terrible
calami,ies. First in importance, as invov-
ing the greatest destruction of human life
comes the loss Of the Swallow. An account
of this disaster will be found on the outside
Of our paper. Since that, we have received
more details The loss of human life has
not yet been clearly asceriained, and it will
be some time before it can be. The exact
number Of passengers on board is not known.
1t is coniectured TO have been about ESQ.,
OF these, 204 have as yet been ascertaned
to be alive; the rest remain to be accounted
for, and will in oil probability be found 10
have pershed Thirteen bodies have been
already recovered from the wreck and the
river. The accident of course creates much
excitement and discussion among the press
As will be seen, a meeting was held lmme-
diately after the accident, excupating the
officers Of the boat. Subsequent reflection
on the part of the prominent actors in the
meeting have induced them TO withdraw the
opinion then expressed, as an investigation
shows that there must have been culpable
carelessness somewhere. Ofcourse, grea,
variety of opinions and assertions are afloat
Some say the pilot was drunk, some say he
was not Some say the boat was going
very fast, and some the she was going ve,y
slow. Some say the Captain behaved most
commercially, and is in no wise to blame
others, that he is responsible for the catas-
trophe. The Legislature of New York, by
resolution, have appointed a committee TO
investigate the matter. This committee, in
our opinion, will do just nothing, except
talk. The cause lies deeper than legisla-
ton can reach. 1t is folly for the Legislature
to attempt to reform thing where the fault
belongs TO the whole community. A cor
respondent of the n. Y. Post defines the
cause correctly, as folows:-lst, Liquor,
2nd, Avarice; Sd, Envy. We should con
slider the I'd of these reasons as the most
important one. The monomania of avarice
SO universally abroad, is the foundation Of
this and most ca,asrophes of similar char
acler. The whole world gives evidence
that human life is nothing where money is
to be made. For this lie is sacrificed in
conquest, in the dark and damp mines; in
unhealthy employmenis of every kind. Suf-
fering is nothing. The widow and orphan,
and indeed the great mass,as IN Europe, may
go on in crushing privation, but those who
have the power will no, take off the load,
because they cannot forego The accumulation
Of their darling gold. 1t is this watch APP
plies the steam to the car and boat, propel-
ling them with lightning speed, reckless of
danger. 1t was moi enough in the case to
know tina, the night was dark and stormy,
and that the coast aboundcd with dangerous
rocks. The propTeiors of the boat could
not afford even momenary stopp1ge; there
were doubtless great many passengers on
board for New York, with schemes of spccu-
lation in their heads, who would not brook
moments delay. On, on they go, reckless
of life and limb. possessed by the demon
Of the yellow god. They are all to
blame; and us this is not the first, neither
will il be the last accident Of The kind, until
the great mass of mind attains more heal
thy tone in this respect.
The last reason is also an important one,
as II gives rise 10 the rivalry of speed. We
have kind of an idea of our own, that on
this trip the Swallow was determined not to
be beat by the beats close in the rear, and
was consequently under good head of
steam. On no stream or navigable water
does this kind Of rivalry appear more preva-
lent than on the Hudson; and is the public
in no wise to blame for it? If the press is
any echo of public sentiment, it is; for the
press is continually teeming with accounts
Of races between rival boats, applauding the
speed of one or the other. Even now, side
by side with relation of this catastrophe,
do we find in New York paper minute
account of a trial of speed between the En-
pirc and kn;ckerbocker wherein The Knick-
SlDOtheT Is iduueu iot. HST WOnUcTlul Spceu,
having proved the victor. The next thing
VIC hear will probably be, that another boat
has burst her boiler and sent some fifty hu-
man beings into eternity, in endeavoring TO
make Judgement in public favor, by beating
the knickerbocker. And so it goes C,n
the legislature remedy such evils; and in
stead of bllming Captains and Pilots, are
not the sufferers measu-ahly the authors OF
their owa calamity. In this particular case,
it is possible that the first reason IS the true
one as the immediate cause of the calamity,
bat, nevertheless, we believe it has lis foun-
daton in the avaricjoas propensity of the
mind and until the tone of society is
changed in this respect, we may hope il
vain for any security against such dangers.
But it is all necessary after all. There
is no royal royal road 10 wisdom, but ii must
be attained by slow and painful struggles,
wherein experience is the main teacher.
Ii society Will have the Eghtning's speed in
its intercourse between different sections,
the sooner will that wisdom be attained
which will create different condition oil