Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1856-10-16
Prom the Cntei stars Matted Maga.inr
Ghs un0ger. Of sire ussd >tes ssa-. he
Hcnrdy.

Since the introduction u steam YES
1 sells, the press lat teemei with accounts
Of the dreadfal conhagrations, expo.
sions and collisions, with the greatest
destruction Of human life and property.
The press and pulpit have Numbered
against these calsmities, aud have char.
acteriied them NJ enemies. but they still
- on: the groans Of the dying aud woun-
ded have gone up against them from ev-
cry corner Of our land; tut they do not
cease The loss of the steamer North
err Indiana, on The 18th Of July, on Lake
Ere, " fire, with the loss Of many val
liable lives. and large amount Of prop
erty, induces me to investigate the
cau,e, and remedy and place them before
the public. From the engineers story,
it originated about the boilers, or steam
chimney. To say nothing about the ar
rsngement of the boat IN regard to FIRE,
We will proceed TO the remedy. Fret;
stop the engine To prevent draught Of
AR Of |, miles per hour, IN calm,
which IL the cause Of all boats burning
so rapidly, and the burning Of the after
part of the boat first. Second; the engi
neer and other officers should command
order, and apply all the fire engines at
once, which will put out any tire, in our
opinion, on board Of steamboats,, when
there is no draught of air to cause the
ire to rage or spread
The most certain remedy Of putting
out fires on board Of steam vessels, IS the
blowing OF wet steam from the boilers
with tubular steam pipes running through
all parts Of the boat, with openings to
blow out wet steam wherever the fire
might originate. with rods Of iron lead
ing from different blowoti cocks to the
bow OF the boat, where there il no dan
ger of fire, IN order to blow of steam in
to that part OF the boat that may be on
fire, without risk to he passengers. The
rods, with levers attached, to open the
blowof cocks to be ebcauseJ, and lock
up; tho captain, mate AMI engineer to
carry the keys.
In case Of fire the engin should be
stopped, unless blowing a gale ahead, IN
which case the boa, should be put before
the wind in order to produce u calm.
The wet steam to be blown INTO that
part which ~ on fire, by the first oiicer
that reaches the blow off levers with u
key; due notice being given 80 the pas
sengers, by printed cards IN different
parts of the boat. that wet steam will be
blown into that part Of the boat which
rs on FIR, in order that there NAV be no
alarm among the passengers. u -
we'll known fact that wet steam will put
out fire. and never has failed, when
blown into the location Of the ire on
board Of steam vessels; and steam YES
sells always have, when under way. the
steam at hand o put out fires IN all
parts of the boat by the above arrange
ment: and no sane man will presume to
say that they will not be used when the
levers that open the blow of cocks are
passed forwartthe las. part Of the boat
that burns, in oil cases.
Let Us now search "a remedy tor the
loss OF lf' and property III case OF a col
lIsIon. snags or rocks: Tor such accl-
dents will take place. notwithstanding
all the laws that have been or NAV be
passed to prevent them. In order 10 ac-
complish tha object. let Us make the
vessel itself life boat. by building her
with longitudinal and transverse bulk
3 Hebus Oi DOlttT iron, WhteT-tiSut. 'uTn-
ing from ten to thirty compartments, ac-
cording to the size Of the boat, which
will give much more strength to the YES
sci, with less expense, and much less
weight than any other, mode of construc-
ton. The ship would then be life
boat, beyond ell contingency, that could
not be sunk or lost under any circumstan-
cas. In case Of two or three collisions
90 a voyage, that would fill that number
Of compartments, she would still have
ample strength, hotation or buovancy re
naming, to carry her safe to her port
Of destination, with her valuable cargo
Of human beings, without the slightest
/ risk to life or property.
\ In regard to explosions, in our OPP nj
4 on the cause is lack OF water in the
: boilers No boilers ever blew up with
"A flush Of waters 10 he middle or upper
cock, to our knowledge, during thirty
odd years stcamboating. The remedy
care, and practical knowledge of the bu
siness.