The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-09-07

All. ScHbt{}us Or OoR ffSRbS,~-t III RBVtutf
column we publish a report from one OF our re-
porters, whom we detailed to examine the condi
ton Of the different ferries with view to ascer
tain with certainty how far the lives of the thou
sands daily in transit on the boats of the ferry
companies aye secured. and to what extent the
stringent laws enacted to regulate them arc dis
regarded.
The report OF the policemen deputed by the
Superintendent is not sufficient TO satisfy the
pub!ic--olicial reports Of this character rarely
ere-and It will be eeen By the result Of our re
porter's observations that ii was quite imperfect
at least il not untrue. 1t appears that out Of
the tfty-eight boats running on the different fer
ries only twenty are provided with the necessary
appliances for saving life in case of accident;
twenty one have an imperfect supply of appara-
tus- either lfeboats, cork buoys ladders or
hooks available in an emergency, while on Sc
,cnteen boats the lives of those crossing on
them ere absolutely at the mercy of chance, no
provision whatever being made to guard against
an accident or 10 render it Less disastrous should
one occur.
The Union Ferry Company alone. il appears
from this report, is properly provided with saw
ing apparatus. This company comprises the
Roosevelt street Caibarine street, Faiior, Wall
street, South and Hamilton avenue ferries. The
boats on these lines have l;feboats. aoats steam
paups ladders, and other appliances for saving
life in case of accident by fire or water. But
TIE Hoboken. Staten Island He'll Gate and
Houston street ferry boats are wretched-
iy circumstsnced in this respect. There
are tie longest ferry routes, with the
exception of the excursion lines to Coney
Island ana other points; and it is fearful to
contemplate the certain consequences should an
accident either by collision or by fire, occur on
bosrd one of these boats. When the horrors of
a recent disaster, by which homes are desolatd.
and anguish Unreasonable is inflicted upon many
Of our fellow citizens are fresh in The memory.
the public mind is active enough in its clamor
for reform and public officials stimulated by the
press, make rnomentsry display Of energy.
But, unhappily, these evidences OF zeal come too
To apply the remedy.
Now, here is IN opportunity for the District
Attorney and the Superintendent of Police to ex-
ercise their authority for the preservation of life.
uere ere several instances reported of gross vio-
lstion Of the law regulating our ferries. Let
these gentlemen look TO Il at once that the delin
quents arc punished, and that the lives Of our
citizens are not to be left 10 the mercy Of ava
ricious corporations
Some time 400 when a collision occurred on
the Peek slip ferry, by which two or three lives
were endangered. the HERALD called upon Mr.
Tallmadgc to enforce the law reminding him of
Lis own proclamation previously issued, aud he
then instituted an investigation into the condition
OF the ferry boat; nut there the matter stopped
Though bis own men reported sandry violations
OF Inc law W have not heard Of single prose-
cution having been entered upon.
We ask him now TO look at the report publish
a in our columns to-day; and Il, upon iavcs,iga-
ton, il is found 10 hc ccrroct-as We have no
doubt ii viii be 10 institute proceedings without
delay against every boat which is unpro,idcd
with every thing that the law declares Il shall
have on board for the purpose Of sa,ng life