New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-16
DIR FERRY.BOATs


No measure for the better security of the lives OF
travellers in this country has ever been adopted
save at a murderOus cost. In truth, it would seem
az If the exercise of little forethought amid the
whirl of reckless impulse, is entirely out OF the
question. The condition OF our ferry -boats Is a
most alarming proof Of this fact. Here are some
forty or fifty boats plying to and fro, at every
point of this island, to Long Island and New
Jersey many times during the day and night. AT
all seasons there are valuable lives on board-men,
women and children, members Of families In this
and other cities, whose loss would be felt through
out an extensive circle of relatives and friends
There are times in the day too, when every inch
of standing space on these boats is occupied BY
laboripg men, whose families would be thrown
helpless and penniless upon the world BY any OF the
casualties. of fire. water or collision, TO which these
boats are liable Although this has been repeated
" set forth yet we do not perceive that any effort
has been made by the Ferry Companies to lessen
the dangers of transit between this ard the sub
urban cities. We assert this from having made
special and close investigation of the fact
To some it may seem waste Of time TO argue
in favor OF precautionary measures. The common
argument Of such people is, What danger can
there be in crossing two or three hundred yards
of smooth water" Yet the Bridge-street boat
Louisa wa. cut through and sunk in crossing the
narrowest part of the East River; the Staten
Island boat Columbus, after her seven miles trip,
WAS cut through, when almost within her slip, and
sunk; and only the other night one of the
Fulton Ferry boats took fire in ,he middle of the
river. In all of these very many lives were
placed in imminent peril; but no precautionary
measures have resulted from such repeated
warnings.
Ills claimed that ferry-bOats are exempt from the
G., neral Steamboat law under stupid and unwSr-
rantabe clause inserted init and a consequence,
their bulls may crumble away and their machinery
be run Until unsafe and highly dangerous, without
accountability to any one. After the Columbus
was raised from the bottom of the river she was
taken into Dry Dock and repaired, and then
towed down to Staten Island. Her hull was too
much decayed for anything but irewoOd, yet the
Company went to work to paint her up for Sum.
mer boat Monstrous as the statement may appear,
the operation she sank at her dock II appears
from the report of the Steamboat Inspector that
ths New Jersey, a ferry-bOat plying between Phil
sdelphia and Camden, which was lately burnt,
causing the death of some thirty or forty persons,
would, if she had not taken fire, have beeh blown
up before great while The loss, therefore, OF
thirty or forty lives in that instance, through fire,
may simply have taken the place of greater dis
aster through explosion, had she continued to run
to the end of her numbering tether. Some good, it
seems has grown out Of the disaster, for The Penn
sylrdniau says:
1--WE Yesterday observed on board the steamer
Dido large number of cork llfe-preservers hung
around the interior Of both cabins, with two boats
near the pilot house Axes and buckets were also pro-
yided. We learn that the same precautions are like
wise adopted board the Mary. Also, that the West
Jeryey ferry boats are abundantly supplied with means
of saving life in the event Of accident But, alas
at what terrible coat has experience been purchased
Must we wait until a similar Wholesale murder
takes place upon our Oyercrowded ferries before
the managers provide the commonest means of ed
cape! If so, it is time the public knew the fact in
order that they may take measures for their own
security. We trust the bill now before Congress,
making the general steamboat law applicable to
ferry boats, will be adopted.
The truth is, these wooden boats, shooting hither
and thther in the maze Of shps and steamtugs, are
much more dangerous than would at first be,in-
aened. In addition to their liability to fire, the
chances Of collision are very great What we
need, and what in the end we must have, Is iron
ferry boats, proof against fire and secure against
sinking. Until then, let the ferry managers see
that their boats are amply provided with force
pumps, life. preservers and life-boass.