The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-07-25

! STEAMBOAT LAW-An act highly lmportar
! to the officers and owners of steamers navga
6 ting the waters of Louisiana, was passed at til
), last session of tie legislature, and having bee
:. officially promul gated is now in force. Tt de
: clares that any accident, except such as is i'm
b possible to be foreseen or avoided, that ma
i happen to any steamer from racing, carryin
9 higher steam than may be allowed by law, run
: ming into or foul of another boat, or that ma
:, occur whilst the captain, pilot or engineer is en-
q gagged in gambling, or attending any game Q
Y chance or hazard, or whenever an acciden
e happens from the boat being overloaded, tn
: owner of the boat shall be responsible for al
loss or damage, and shall be barred from th
: recovery offreight or insurance; and the officer
! violating this section of the law subject them
selves to fine of not less than $500 nor more
than $4,000, and in1prisonmentfor not less thar
! three months nor more than three years. II
the event of loss of life by such accident, Their
the officers to be adjudged guilty Of manslaugh
ter. When gunpowderis shipped, it is to be
stored away at as great distance as possible
from the furnace, and written notification Of
the fact must be placed in three conspicuous
parts Of the boat. In the event Of such Motif
cation not being so exhibited, the owners of the
boat will be held liable for any loss of life or
property the powder may cause. All boats
must be furnished, under penalty of $500,
with iron chains to steer with, in place Of the
grass tller-ropes now used. Whenever the
commander of boat takes wood from any wood
yard, he must pay the price demanded for
the same in current coin Of the United States.
In case the boat refuses or neglects to pay the
price SO demanded, the owners of the boat shall
be bound for the same, together with fifty per
cent. on the amount as damages tits not ne
cessary for the owner of the wood to furnish
proof of his claim against any steamboat for
wood taken other than his affidavit, setting forth
the facts, accompanied with a certificate of the
judge, or ola justice of the peace, near where the
affiant lives, that he is Of good standing as to
veracity, and is citizen of that parish, which
affidavit and certificate shall be prima face ev-
idence. The claim against steamboat owners
for wood, stands the first privilege during the
term of eight months, as regards boats running
beyond the limits of the State, and for three
months for boats running within the limits of
the State. All steamers navigating lakes, riv-
ers or bayous, within the jurisdiction of the State
of Louisiana, shall, when running during the
night, be compelled to hoist each two lights
both on the hurricane deck, one forward and
.he other at the stern, which lights shall be
Kept up without intermission throughout the
hight, under the penalty of $500 for every fai-
IRE or neglect, to be recovered of the boat; one
lalf of which penalty to be for the use of the
nlormer. In all eases where any loss OF dam
zee has been caused to the person or property
If any individual by any careessness, neglect
II want of skill, in the direction or manage .
nent of any steamboat, barge, fatboat, water
raft or raft, the party injured shall have the
rivilege specified by the Civil Code, article
204, and continue for the same length of time,
4 the same manner provided for other privilege ,
laims by the said article of the code upon
'ater craft, for the amount of the loss or dam I
ges sustained, and may proceed by attach !
nent to recover the same. There are other
important points, WORTHY the attention of our
iver friends. Owners of boats will save them I
elves trouble and the penalty of the fine by c
romptly complying with the requirements of =
ne act in regard to the tler-c chains and signal =
ghts. $
~~~-~---~-~~~>~~~-~-0>~--- :;
The New York papers are still hammerine y
way at Cuba, general Quitman and the ad- :. =,
Illustration. The Sun-one of the organs of VI VI
no faith in general Quitman, q q
+ his Cuban sympathies, and says that the pa :,
lots avow he is no longer in their confidence, :!
nd is dismissed, so far as they are concerned, u
ON all connection with Cuban affairs. The d
TN says further: :,
eve have already made some revelations u
sgarding the chartering of two steamers for the +
uitman Cuba expeditions but we did not men =. -
on that those steamers were the United States w
nd the St. Lawrence. The contract, as we ',
e informed, was made by major McMakecn. p
) agent for Quitman, and capt. Graham. vi vi
i'd afterwards accepted as bona fde trans u, "