The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-10-09
DEATHS AT THE FrRsrz.-The Union Ferry

DEATHS AT THE FERsIB.-The Union Ferry
CoDpan seem likely 10 become e Aotosioas
for tie loss OF ife on the premises a for the
extortion b y practice on the public. Ga
Satur ay LAST, another man was drowned at
one Of their ferries while att4mps ng TO leap on
board the boat after she had LETT the pier. Such
occurrences, g. all our readers kn W, have been
very frequent OF late. On every imilar coca
sion the press aad the public have ouily urged
upon the ferry N 4sters he necessity of pre-
venting accidents of this nature by closing the
gates, or barring the way to The boat with o
chain or other continuance, so soon as the bell
has been sken of the admoniton. Persons
have been and still are allowed to leap OFF the
boats before they reach the whar and to leao
on board Of them after they have started Those
who act thus imprudently have in general no
idea of the danger they rur. Haste and mex
perience prevent their est mating accurately
the space which divide. the boat from the
shore. They venture the peri,ous leap, and
every now and then some unluoky individual
misses his fo0th0ld an is drowned. All this
time, the ferry master or his men stand coolly
by, foresee the accident, but stretch no hand to
avert it.
1t is time that this negligence were stopped.
Nc principle of law is clearer than this, that q
man is responsible for accidents of which his
act, though not the cause is still the occasion.
We are all bound not only not to inAict injury
uponanother, but to guard against it aud protect
each ether If our business is such that with
out any direct fault Of ours, the life or liz1b of
one iuaprudent fellowcisizen may be endsn-
gered thereby, the law binds US to take extraor-
binary precautions for his protection and ses4
rity. Thus workmen, at work with brick.
stone, wood or other materials at the upper
stories or on the roof of house are obliged to
employ man to warn passengers Of the dan
ger Of passing under the caves: though clearly
q prudent man would foresee the danger and
avoid it without such intimatioo. So be who
digs hole in the road must set light over the
pitiall by nght so serve as beacon 10 the I'M
wary: and it would be no excuse for him in
case of accident from omission o. this safeguard
10 say that prudent man would have seen the !
LANCER and avoided it. Our laws must always
be made for fools, not for wise men: and herein |
he rules Of the Union Ferry Company, and in |
Iced Of all our New York ferries, are glaringly |
detective. They suppose in every man who
ays them his two cents, sufficient cautiousness
nd experience to avoid the trap they set:
whereas the spirit Of our law clearly imposes
N them the duty not only Of carrying passen, |
,ers to and fro, but of protecting the lives o.
hose passengers while in their premises. When
hey eyade this obligation and accidents ensue,
hey are accessories before the fact: and earn
mother claim to the title Of public nuisance.
We hope that the attention Of our grand
uries and prosecuting officers may be drawn to
he subject, and at all events that it may be
ecided how far ferry master is responsible
OF accidents which occur in consequence Of the
eglect Of proper precautions on his part We
ubmit, if it must be, to enrich the owners of
,ur ferries by paying them twice as high rate
# toll as they ought to exact but we cannot
suffer our citizens to be slaughtered, in order |
70 economist the time OF the labor Of their ser
wants.