The New York herald., 1869-04-04

gangways. This practice Is so ncOnslsent with the
Idea OF safety In the running OF passenger steam
boat that It partakes OF a criminal neglect on tho
part or ITS officers for the lives entrusted 10 their
care Ihs blockade prevented the inspectors cer-
tihcate DeinS SEEN II the boat possesses one
and consequently the number OF life preSeryer5
boats, &c, the law requires her to be iltteg vitb
oannc. bs given. Five boat3, however. we're
found OF their Kind, TWO OF tnem. peing Oca ed on
the Dort side OF the after saloon deck. These were
UPSIDE dIwn, without any lowering apparatus al
tached. one w:ss found on the hurricane decS with
blocks and tackle attached yet It's inaccessible l0cd
tion makes II almost worthless. and The other Two
were In quite as announcement places with no ep-
pliances for lowering. The condition OF repair
OF these boats can be Improved. Neither buckets
nor axes were seen. the fire risk OF this vessel Is
very indifferent.
The p G. Conn, hence to Sing Sing and Nyack, is
OF 440 tons burden. The United States inspectors
give her $50 life preservers. two boats, twenty
lower deck IN racks are beyond passengers reach
and those IN the saloon are old, torn and greatly
worn. Only seventyelght could be mustered
Neither OF the small boats be boasted OF. One Is
located aft Of the starboard wheel and Is IN
poor repair; 1t would not be very serviceabIe
The otner ia slowed away on the hurricane
deck without any lowering apparatus, and Should
1t ever be launched in time OF alarm IL wodid re.
qulre considerable trouble and no small degree or
ingenuity to do 1t safely The gdngways IN this
boat are also ned with freight during their trips
Patient searching failed to reveal either buckets or
axes. The fire risk OF this boat is not good.
The New Champon-an old boat with a garbled
name. 1T is alleged but newly painted-was lying at
per No. IS North river. The captain was found on
the alter guard OF the boat with paint brush in his
HGuu Wnen our inspector approached ana rcquestcu
permission to "look around" After reading the
authority shown to him he Tor second stopped his
painting and petuantly exclaimed, "Go to the laws
OF the United states and see what thus poat
should have, and then you bet We have
got It," Having had something of an experience
with steamboat captains before tnIs partlcuarly In
what their ideas consist OF when their own boats are
alluded to-the HERALD inspector declined the
source of Information suggested. and repeated his
wish that he mIght 'see for himscl,n wlen he re.
ceived point blank refusal; yet he did look around,
ana this is the resut:ETnere were no lie
mr. n \ an "
buckets were found pied together IN heap on thls
deck. OF course they we're empty There was noted
small boat, locatei aft OF the starboaru wheel
house, and another seen on the hurricane deck. All
the service the latter would be during an alarm IN
cdent To a lire or collision can b. easily imagined
The fire risk of this boat can ana should be I'M
proved. BY what authority the name of ills craft
tas we were Informed such IL the casel has been
chan zed from "Cha to ''New Chlmponu we
could not learn. Did Congress give her owners per-
mission to make this changer The United States in-
spectors' certificate could not be AS consider
ape freight was noticed on this boats deck 1t Is sup
posable She viii soon take up her position on the
line to Catskill.
The Thomas Powell, hence to Catskill, s of 925 tons
burden. This boat mas also been palnte1 up. and
one of her deck hands said she was ''a!i ready"
TO be placed on the route IL Is supposed that
Jackets are placed in each OF the staterooms and
berths but that can oay be conJectured, as permIs
sion could not be obtained TO make the inspection.
Seveltyfcur were counted on the lower deck, Ia the
SAME old inaccessible locations out OF reaca III RACKS
over head one ordinary sized wooden boat was
found on the lower deck. Perhaps the enpoye OF
the boat spoken 10 was mistaken aOous her reaIl-
ness For her future passengers sake, In case OF
accident the HERALD hopes So The IRE rlsk oi the
boat should be improved.
The Ansonia. plying to Saugerties, was found In
about Similar condition. she has been recently
painted externally and as the certificate OF the n
spectOrs coua not be found II Is impracticaoe TO
state how many Jackets, &c, she should shed
with. II was intmated board that she would
at once be put on the line or her route After
diligent searching "a smai, mum humber & OF ore eoia
found slowed away lockers where, II they remain
when the boat is ln service, might just as well be at
the bottom OF the Red sea- SO far Us the benefit tney
would be to her passengers II needed. one smali
boat was noted on deck: neither buckets nor axes
could be found. Tue ire rick OF this boat Is not TO
be commended.
The John l. Hasbrouck, hence to Poughkeepsie, of
AT tons burden. More fresh paint here Tns boat
has been running several weeks, but her certlhcae
OF inspection could not be seen, alter tne most
patient searching from stem 10 stern. No cork
Jackets could he found there any buckets or
axes where ,hey should have been--in TACT, none
could be eXhumed. For the information OF her pas
senrars we youcsafe The statement fnat the Has
brolck should be supplied with 100 life preservers,
two boats and twenty buckets. Is she thus sup
plied2 one boat was discovered on her hurricane
deck slowed away without oars, thole pms or lower
ing apparatus, rs If it would never be requrd Just
O. well, perhaps. as il would he OF very little service
| TO a number OF startled passe lger- Her security
| and provisions against lire are not good.
Ine q yanderDis plying between TINS port anu
tion calls Tor 235 e preserveis, forty-seven hre
buckets, nine axes aud two boats. The cork jack
els are presumed to be Ia the bertns oud state
rooms; some OF them could be IN better repair. Tue
| two boats are on the upper deck and OF ordinary
| size. Some OF the buckets were seen, and two or
| three OF the axes noted Those who are acquainted
with the large nnmber Of passengers that sometimes
crowd this boat and The Connecticut the sister boat
of the line may well ask '.Is she properly supplied
with life-gavIng appurtenancesr
The st. John, on the route 10 Albany ana return
about L. 100 tons burden. Her certificate requires
her TO be fitted with s07 life preservers, ninetytrec
fire buckets and four lieDoas. As 1t Is boasted That
both the 81. John and her associate boat the Drew
sensers' s it is SUBMITTED should COLI
aion occur ON the Hudson at dead OF
night between them and some craft with less upper
work, OF light character, and should panic ensue,
| how many OF the seven NOTWITHSTANDING thal
number to be carried, and II often iscoud De saved
| by the cork jackets hid away IN bertls, &C Her
boats were found to be IN fair condition. but not
very accessible Her security and provisions against
| nre eau be improved, and should be.
The Bristol hence 10 Bristol X. l., IL OF 1882 tons
burden. she has ten boats, 1l0 fire buckets twenty
foA axes and 500 life preservers rather her ceft-
cate credits her these. II need only 10 ne men
toned that her officers boast OF having accommOda-
tions ior 300 passengers and that during the oppo-
| siton on the sound last season such number was,
| II has been said. repeatedly carfed by this boat
Under these circumstances how many lives would
| these cork Jackets have saved had disaster then
occurred Four of the boats In accessible loca-
tions but the balance not so well placed. some
| buckets and few axes were seen. The boats nre
Siniar remarks IN every essential particular refer
| 90 her sister steamboat, the Providence
The CITY OF New YORK; hence TO Norwich, Conn, IL
| of $50 ions burden. This, like the other sound
steamboats,. has the cork Jackets with which sue X
supplied placed In the staferoons and berths The
ceru1cate OF the authorities says SHE has 400 ol
these eghty.ve buckets twelve axes, four life and
three other boats Two OF the boats are forward OF
| the warehouses, two slowed away amdships the
balance, being the smaller ones, In locations NOS
easily reached The buckets are not accessible.
rus boat, like her sister boats the Clty of New
London and City OF Lawrence Ofttimes carries
very large number OF passengers. Tie CITY OI New
London mas 600 life preseryers ami four boats. lhciI
fire risk Is fair.
| CONCLUSION.
Here Is a pretty revelation In the inbred love oi
our citizens for summer travel by water they n'ck
at times by the hundreds TO ae decks and saloons Of
sue above and other steamboats, that ply nom the
metropolis 70 the thousand and one resorts that arc
| properly termed our suburban towns, The owners
| Of these boats by tins traric amass fortunes
but what care they, seemingly, for the lives ent-
rusted 90 thenf All decent men heartily dcspse the
'crrmps'i Rnd "'longsaorei sharks VINO prey pecu'
larly ON seanen and fleece them Of their hart earn
| iugs. they utterly ahbor the ''wrccker," the cold
plooded, nurierous william who, by means OF false
Iohta and siynaIa beiraye "A noble vessel to certain