New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-08-14
The Steamboat Calamity 1, TO Biams'

eiat public papers are ever 10 be found 10 orodl
by the advocacy OF the error and by making thc worse
sTpesrth better side nc mater a. what Goa, Of private
wrongo individual suffering Tie public expec, bet.
ter things Of The Tb,re and trust there will no, be
wanting among your resders. or In your own minds
M rd,:or, feeling which will respond 10 the
views | take Of tee fatal ca.astrophs-,he burning of
TIE Henry Csy-snd Of he cdhss which has led 70 the
fIiabtful tragedy.
While we al depore the calamity, Ii becomes each
10 set JUSTLY well 20 consider how far moral and
other remedies may be applied tor the prevention OF
similar horrors the recurrence OF similar outrages.
Facts are stubborn things Let u not lose Sigh. OF
such iacts shall prevent this enlightened Republic
from ever approving, encouraging, aiding or abetns
such desperate struggles for prominence In speed at
the expense Of safety, sppesr to have been called
forth in the efforts for victory the part OF the Off
OF the III ated vessel in question. All loud and
lengthy in their condemnation of the recseSsnSss o. The
said res Far be from 10 desire 10 sanction such
recklessnsss on the contrary, while condemn Il In
each and all the officers desire even more strongly
sud decidedly 20 discoUptenance and 10 condemn as
the Of the evil the spirit Of recklessness
the part Of TIE public who has hitherto been len. In
It's dsappToa Of rather has been too ready TO sp
psud that very OF conduct which has resulted
60 fatally 10 many Of our most valued aud valuable
crztrs
nisa fact well known 10 most passengers on board
these rRcin boats. that tar from the feeling being
strongly or generally expressed In condemnation OF
this fearful practice of racing the practice q batting on
the boats BIAS become general aud excessive, ana mani
iestatiors have In every way been coamuni a
ted 10 tie winners OF the by parties msnag
lug TIE rsciu boats that could be needed 10 urge the
officers b tha; recessness which we have much
reason to deplofe. The very parties who have thus
urged The OF the catastrophe by applause and
encourss emeLt are ready 10 condemn the victims of
their folly TO the seveteSt punishment While we are
bound D. condemn as the of the evil this tor
speed wtou, regard TO safety the part of the pub
lie let consider in the spirit Of csnoOr Of ustcs of
benevoet and of mercy how far this may have
It's fair and climate Influence in accounting for and
In mitigating the crime 4 the officers In charge of
the boat Among these officers some OF the most
tried the most deservedy respected and dstng
Of our owcitzens, who are as greatly sp2slled at
the ght'u result of the career they have been pursu
Ing the most benevolent among us can be, de-
sire that they should be- one of the most strongly rep
rotated yet one Of the most generous humane and
warm hearted is Thomas Collyer. man who only
Quires to be known 10 be beloved and esteemed and
whose personal appearance by thebye, has become
altered since this calamity TO give just of alarm
to bis friends, and OF commisersdOn from his fellow
cOuntrymen, more especially from those who have
hitherto favored and battered him for the preemnence
bis genius has gained of the foremost and sue
cessu Of countrymsn "a fast boat builder-it you
will racing boat builder. 10 M ust or unreasonable
TO extend our sympathy 10 this gentleman and his
compeers because have battered and tostered In
them that reckless spirit OF rivalry which has been TOO
bic consequences Of such headlong rashness Must
be unjust to individuals IN order to guard against f
disasters 10 the public Shall We be content With
the punishment of the criminals, and consider that In
pfjtinS sereYiiy upon them hare done duty,
rem best 10 Others dgdtna similar COrdt for the
6Irre Assuredly not nhas been stated as a great
wrong inflicted the public by these officers that there
boats TO which the passengers could resort at
the dreadful extremity. Whose fault Is this Have we
not officers appointed 10 examine and report upon the
sesworthness Of vessels, and could not should not
we include the duty OF these same officers that they
should report aud see 10 the proper provision by e'
boats &C. for such casualties as may arise IL has been
stated asO reelection upon the officers OF the Henry
Clay tina, they hsdno IRE engine as certain other boats
have capable OF deugng the decks at any Instant Let
US see that these and all rational remedies be applied in
future At the time let US beware OF nic ing add
toua and unnecessary pains and penalties on our fell
low beings, because they have favored the public win
lust that which the public has demanded 70 have
,retd at any rate no matter at what cost Life and
property have been less priced than the fame Tor speed
And little has the pubic thought or cared to provide or
TO 10 be provided these securities now demanded
of these said ohcers Ii may be urged that should
take view OF the conduct of the officers
in question had lost dear relative by such conduct
This Is but ,syiny that my fee ngs would In such case,
be too strong for my Judgment
Ii has been said By TIE Daily Times that the people
have been ignorant Of The dangers attending this racing
custom How s 1t possible that they should be ignorant
win the oftrepeated lessons which experience mas al
tordedi few weeks and the same recklessness
III be exhibited by the many, unless the wsd m Of tue
shall while the horror stricken crowd are
for improvement t Introduce such regulations as shall So
cure us against repetition Of such folly the of1cerS We
told, douby responsible TOR they knew the dan
gers 10 which they exposed the lives OF their pasSen
GERS Is thi. cutie usi Is Ii not the very character or
nature Of such men TO despse danger and are they not
by their very profession blinded to It's existence Being
themselves constantly exposed 10 dangers aud as con
stsny almost in escaping them heir judgments are NOV
50 reliable rs those OF the bystanders who are IN
better position tor estimating the connection between
cause and effect The officers are men OF high charac
ter and Justly respected 10 their profession Bind
though they the dangers they we're surrounded
by II cannot be supposed that they were fully aware OF
their position They did no more than what they mad
been frequently sppsudsd for doing With the public
who appau5ed sUcn reckessness then lies the cause OF
the evil and from the public must the remedy Let
those whose business Is 10 examine and superlntend
such vessels protection 10 the public Determine "nsI
can be done By steamguaees hre engines and e-ooas
with regulations for guarding against reckless racing
but let not public vengeance tall too heavily ana unjust
10 on the devoted heads OF the unfortunate few who nave
hitherto been f0stered and hattered In folly aud
now that the fruit is falling Iipe and rotten treat them
as toe cause when they are truly the victims, OF vi
Hated and vile custom the part OF the passenger pup
| lic Yours, &c, PUBLIC SAFETY
Remarks.
We consider the above nought but sheer, impu-
dent sophistry. Had the owners Of the Clay seen
Ct TO adrertise theirs ms racing boat, promising
TO make the trip ahead OF any rival if they were
ALE. NeE we should consider their passengers &C.
comp.ices Of their crime. But they did nothing
Of the sort and nobody can justly be called in to
share their blame. All the testimony shows that
the passenger, dill not incite them to race, while
many yehementiy protested against their racing.
That passengers prefer to travel fast, Is very
tue: but do they choose t. forego safety for the
sake Of speed! Certainly not else why should
tie officers Of the boats 20 about giving decetidl
and living assurances Of No Danger
20 boat i properly praised for making quick
ras.age. on the well understood presumption that
She has also made a J-c one. 1t does not follow
that boat las been crowded beyond the point o
safety because che has made the passage in seven
oreigh. hours We presume boats will yet be built
TO 20 safely and smoothly hence to Albany IN fire
.e-rs. Commenting the speed Of boat BY no
nam. m. niles IN aoproysl of racing.