The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1858-01-02
Total loss in ten wears

The loss of life during the present year
is 22l lives. In 1854 the loss of life was
ll9; and in 1856, 407--makins a total
in four years of S65 lives.
During the present year we have had
comparatively few disasters of an appal-
ling nattfre. Nearly all we have had.
occurred during two or three gales. The
hrst storm OF the season was on the LIST
of April last. when fourteen lives were
lost IN our own harbor. From that date
up to Oct. II, when gale of much Sc
verify swept over the lakes, thrYe were
but lew losses. But the great gale Of the
scason occurred On the 18th day of No
venbcr, and continued up to the oath.
IT. was accompanied by severe snow
storm, and the thermometer fell below
zero. 1t was truly a disastrous pcriod
for life and property on the lakes Our
readers are familiar with the long list of
calamties which We, from day to day, for
quite heightened period, presented in
our columns. In that gale alone, not loss
than 4O seamen pcrished. Quite n mum
Der were frozen to death. Three vessels
with their crews, have never been seen
or heard of; and even now the great
chain of lakes is lined with wrecks, the
work Of its fury.
1t is noticeable fact, however, in the
disasters of this ycar, as indeed i. has
been in those Of former seasons, that the
direct cause of the immense loss of pro-
perty on the lakes is imperfect harboragc.
lake lake Michigan, for instance. There
is not harbor into which a vessel can
run for safety, south Of the Manitou
Islands. All other harbors, from gross
neglect by the general government, arc
mere traps into which vessels arc allurcd
bnt to be dashed to pieces on sand bars,
old piers, and useless brcakwaters. Our
pro-slavcry Democratic government can
spend millions Of dollars in order o pan.
per the South, and preserve a party that
has been disgrace TO our country but
when the subject Of protecting the COM
merce of the great lakes is raised, ncr-
thern senators are possessed of sneak
ing penuriousness, disgraceful as it is in
human. If this pro-slavery party had
done nothing else to annihilate it, the
walls of tho widows and orphans of sea
men who have rerished on douglas
bars and unimprovcd harbors, during
the last few years, ought to be sufficient
to send 1t speedily into the past, accom-
panied with the frowns Of an outraged
people.
At the last session Of Congress, in spite
of this party, a few thou7and dollars were
appropriated to improve Chicago harbor.
What has been done in the matter? Sim
ply nothing. Inefficient, if not corrupt,
have allowed our harbor
to become a public cye-sore. It is dis
grace to the city. Every gale submer-
ges our piers. which become like sunkcn
rocks on which our richly laden fleets
are dashed to pieces and sunk and eve
ry change OF wind adds to bar which
threatens to make Chicago an inland
town
What we say Of Chicago harbor is true
Of almost every other harbor on the
lakes. They are generally neglected,
and allowed to go to ruin, while in every
thing else, improvement il the watch
word. Our light houses are but a mock.
cry, aud our beacons worse than useless.
On many rocky and dangerous coast,
there is nothing to warn the mariner Of
the danger which is nigh; and not a gale
occurs but is accompanied by the sad de-
tails of calamities which might have been
prevented, had VIC GOV crnment which
had an eye to the permanent welfare Of
the country Chi. Press.