Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-09-30
The Steamboat Bill.


The first section provides that no Ii
I cense shall be granted By any collector to
steamboat until be has sufficient evi.
dence that the provisions of this act are
complied with and if it be navigated
without this license. the owners and the
vessel itself shall be subject to the pen.
altses contained in the second section of
the act to which this is an amendment
Sec 2nd enacts that the inspectors OF
! the hulls Of steamers, and of boilers and
engines. shall see that suitable precau
4 tons are taken against fire that no IL
! cense snail be granted if any material like
to take fire from heated iron be placed at
! a less distance than IS inches from the
I substance likely TO cause ignition. unless
q column of air and water intervene be
/ tween tae heated surface aad the combus-
/ tible material But If tie structure of
/ the steamer is such that those REQUIRE
! ments cannot be complied with without
/ great Inconvenience, then the inspectors
I are allowed to vary therefrom. if they are
satisfied 1t can be done with safety
See Every steam vessel conveying
/ passengers shall have three forcing pumps
with chambers 4 inches in diameter. one
to be placed near the bow. one near the
stern amidship, each having a we'll fitted
hose two thirds the length of the vessel.
each pump having a pipe TO connect with
1t, which shall pass through the side of
the vessel SO as always to be able to sup
ply it with water when afoat. But in
steamers not exceeding 200 tons measure
ment two of the pumps may be dispensed
with, and those over 200 tons, and not
exceeding 500 tons, one of the pumps
may be dispensed with
Sec 4. Every passenger steam yes
sci shall have two boats, one life
boat, made of metal every vessel of
more than 500 tons, and less than 500
tons shall have three every vessel of
more than 500, and less than 1900 tons.
SIX but steamers navigating rivers only
are exempt from carrying more than one
life boat, provided they have such other
provisions for the preservation of life as
satisfies the inspectors
Sec. 5. Every vessel shall have life
preserver and float for each passenger.
and 25 fire buckets and axes. A vessel
of 600 tons shall have five buckets and
one axe for each 100 tons, decreasing as
the tonnage increases-so that a vessel of
DSNC boitS did AC5P But three buCheJS IDE
each 100 tons and one axe for every FIRE
bucket. 4 sufficient means Of escape
from the lower to the upper deck shall al
ways be at haud
Secs and s. No hemp shall be car
ricd unless the bales are conpactly press
ed and well covered neither shall any
explosive burning fluids be carried as
freight without license The violation Of
these provisions incurs penalty of 800
for each offence Any BODY putting on
board explosive materials. without label
ing it Oh the outside. shall be punished by
fine not exceeding $1,000, or by Is
months imprisonment.
Sec 9provides that two inspectors shall
be appointed In a district, one Of whom
shall Judge Of the hulls Of steamers. aud
be called the Inspector Of halls the 9th
er the Inspector Of boilers. both are to be
approved Of by the Secretary Of she Treas
ury Cpun d written demand Of the mas
ter or owner. they shall once a year IN
spect the hull and boiler of each vessel
within their district, aud see whether it
can be uavigatcd with due regard to the
safety Of passengers lives For this pur-
pose they can subject the boilers to a
moderate hydrostatic pressure, aud shall
satisfy themselves that all the pipes and
tubes are of proper dimensions that
there is a suitable number Of safety valves
and ggage cocks; water guage aud
steam gua1e aud that there is placed
metal fusi Bile by the heat. In or upon the
hue Of each out side high pressure boiler
That upon the examination Of every yes
sci they shall report to the commissioner
of the district its sea wortLiness. and
whether proper provisions are made for
eXtjnguishing fire should il arise ANY
man wishing to fill the situation of en-
gineer. shall undergo an examination be-
fore these inspectors. wha if they deem
him competent. shall give him certif
cate to that effect. They shall also ex
anime pilots; any body feeling agrievcd
by their decision may appeal To the super
vising Inspector within thirty days any
master employing a pilot. aud any pilot
undertaking the duties Of that situation
without first receiving the necessary Ger
ti6cate, shall forfeit ! 100 for each offence
Besides the annual examination of steam
ers, an Inspector may at any time examine
such steamer as he thinks not sufficiently
secured against accident. aud prohibit any
further navigation with it, until the re
pairs he recommends are made His de
cision, however. to be revised by the local
board of inspectors and fually an appeal
may be made to the supervising inspector
Inspectors have the power to summon
witnesses, and may compel their attend
ance as is done by courts of law. Pilots
and mates are also obliged to assist them
in making examinations
> r.
vessel shall by any device, subject the
boiler to a greater pressure than is allow
ed by certificate, it shall be held a misde-
meanor, and he may be fined $500 aud
imprisoned 5 months If the water fall
below three inches above the aue through
the couuivance or otherwise Of the master
he and also the engineer, shall be liable
to a fue Of 500 Al steam boilers shall
be constructed of stamped plates, the ma
terial Of which shall have been examined