The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-12-14

Anosher terrible steamboat explsio
and Iowa lsses brave men and moarniu
is carried tlD many households. We ha,
no further particulars at the time Of VI
ting this th,n we're given 10 The .eleQra
10 yesterdays daily. The number Of ii
victims of the disaster may be exaeeel
ated. We tloa't know enough to pas
Judgment upon tho cause Of the acciden
nor where culpability attaches if culpa
bility there be. The facts 10 the cas-
remain to b. developed and explained
They are contradictory as now given
Those in charge Of the boatsay that with
out steam in her boilers the explosion
took place, an may have been caused by
box Of ammr milton. On the other hsnd
the soldiers attribute it to an ius Efficiency
Of water in tho boiler which burst. Ne
may never know The cause and vet II :
pubic have right to demand that by .
rigorous Investigation the cause be dis.
covered il it be possible.
When by the dreadful railroad accidert
near Lafayette, Indiana, many Of Iowa .
brave soldier SONS were hurried without
warning into eternity, we spoke. denre.
eating the wboefale slaughter Of human
life upon the steamboat and railroad lines
OF the country. And now in all but too
immediate aud sad connection with that.
knowing none OF che plrliculars, knowing
only that our city is feverish with ex.
citement over an event which fills Il Q
community with apprehension and gloom,
q catastrophe Of which our friends and
neighbors ere the victims, We turn to the
subject agsin.
Smething must be done. Murder must
cease. Passengers by railroad and steam |
boat must, IL 1t be practicable, have some
guarantee of safety. some protection
against the criminal blnnders and neg.i- |
genee OF managers and employees cs .ha !
routes of public travel. The self-iuterest |
Of the latter proves Insult siens to in
sure a proper degree OF care. Let US
have legislation upon the subject 1t is
homicide. Say so by law, and say it en-
phatically.. When such an accident oc.
cu's, lie, guilt attach % them in charge
AZ
OF the boat or train, and upon them be
the burden of proof Of establishing their
inn pcence, their freedom from blame.
The safety Of every person who uav-
els demands this. Ii is especially de-
manded in behalf of the soldiers of the
ceuntfy l. it not enough that they 90
from home and rick life in camp, and
siege, and battle. by disease, and the bul-
lets and bayonets Of he enemy2 Shall
they be slaughtered By scores in boats
and carss For God's sake let Us have an
end to the tragedy of accidents aud death.
1t IN this case 1t was unavoidable we
grieve and are silent. But let it be
proved TO have been unavoidable as the
result OF srietest scrutiny. If negligence
be established or culpability be 6xe j, let
punishment be awarded to the gui ty ar.
ties. Bring ne lifeless body of son to D;
rents, nor of husb,nd to wife, nor #
brother to sis'er-dead; killed, not in
battle, not by the enemy, not BY the cas-
uaities Of war, but killed at ST.. Louis
killed by steamboat explosiou--,o let
the whole matter pass without examina
ton. Ii it be so, then the friends of
tho:e killed by this occcrfence may hiIe
away in their hearts a life -sorrow, and
things will assume their former course.
and tomorrow or next week or next
month the tragedy is renewed Yet 9th.
ers will suffer for f,iends similarly slain
by blunders and carelessness, and the
prime actors and agents in it all will 90
''unwhipt of justice" guilty without its
being imputed 10 them, and murderers
without being treated as criminals.
Since writing the above, We have re-
ceiv.d more authentic advices ir the 81.
Louis Democrat which WILDE found else.
whsre. 1t will be noticed that the tels.
graph report was much exaggerated
New York, Dec. l3.