The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-03-04


tina, bill has been introduced INTO the Legislature
Of tins State, to obvate, as much possible, the
recurrence of such catastrophe as occurred re-
Gently in Hague street, by the explosion of boiler
on the premises of A. B. Taylor & Co. The pro-
posed bill provides that board of skiful engineers
shall be constituted by the Governor. by and with
the consent of the Senate, whose duty il shall be
to examine all engineers, for the purpose of
tanning their competence to manage and control
steam-engnes, and to give certificates to such
persons ss they, on examination, shall decide to
be competent. 1t also provides that persons acting
as engineers, without such certificates, shall be
fined heavily; the same penalty TO apply to all
persons who may employ them.
This is an excellent measure. and we have no
doubt that 1t will be received with favor by engi-
neers themselves, as well as by the community at
large. We cannot call back TO life the numerous
persons who were sent In moment into the other
world, by the late terrible catastrophe IN this city,
but it Is the duty of the Legislature, with such
sad experience before them, TO prevent similar
disasters, as far as Legislation effect 1t. No
engineer, who properly understands his business,
and the immense responsibility that rests upon
him, will object TO the passage of such law. In
fact, il is the interest of all competent engineers to
promote 1t to the fullest extent of their ability.
The incompetent would then be set aside, and
none but men who thoroughly understand the
steam engine would be permitted 10 practise the
business. Steam, as a motive power, is more ge-
Morally used than it ever was, and will be in re-
QUESTION 10 a greater extent hereafter than II is
now There are hundreds OF boilers every
city and town in the State the explosion Of any Of
which would be attended with lamentable loss Of
life, IN greater or less degree. We have laws
for the preservation of human life, by prohibiting
more than certain quantity Of gunpowdcr being
stored within the city limits, lest an explosion
might occur, that would kill people. Why should
We Iot have law that none bu, competent per-
sons should have control of sieam-boiers, which
arc, il anything, more dangerous than gunpowder,
We think the Legislature might very iudclousy
make an addition TO the proposed law, by enacting
that a stcsm-boer should in no instance be within
the buiding-that il should be IN house alta ched.
or in cellar under the street. II the boiler In
Hague street had been situated in this WY, the
loss of life would, in all probability, have been
confined to the engineer, aud we would not now
be mourning, we are, the destruction Of seventy
persons and upwards. The effects Of the expio-
sion would have been, comparatively speaking,
tri0ing. We do not say that the engineer Of the
boiler in Hague street neglected his duty, and that
such neglect was the canse of that catastrophe;
but the experience Of all scientific men is to the
effect that in ninely-nlne explosions IN hundred,
the cause may h, attributed 10 neglect, and that
steam engine, III the hands Of competent and
faithful engineer, is perfectly safe. IF i. explode,
therefore, in detached building, the uafaithful
or incompetent engineer would. 10 most cases. he
the only sufferer, ond the inrocent would be
spared