The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-15
dating up steam nc Harrisbuyg-The g
Loeb -up safety valve.

dating nm steam at Harrisbuyg-The
I.Ock -up safety valve.
Tx Philadelphia the best method OF guarding
against the explosion of steam boilers was for
a long period q subject of anxious considera-
ton, Some Of the most skilful experts in the
Oity examined and reported on this matter,
and after years Of careful deliberation, a
system was finally devised which, 1t is to be
hoped, will prove efficacious and protect our
citizens, as far as human foresight can protect
them, again,t the fatal disasters caused by de-
feotive boilers or careless engineers.
The work which was deemed difficult here,
for local protection, Notwithstanding the aid
given to Councils by men who really knew
something about steam boilers, the Sol0ns at
Harrisburg now propose to rush through on
high-pressure system, as piece OF profitable
State legislation.
Judging from their usual neglect of their
legitimate duties, they might have slumbered
on forever in blissful forgetfulness Of the de-
struotion of life and property caused by ex-
plosions, il scheme had not been devised
whereby corrupt legislators and the owners Of
certain patents could enrich themselves. The
subject, intensely dry and repulsive when re-
gsrded as duty, became endowed with alb
sorbing interest as soon as a jealous borer
convinced them, by the arguments to which
legislative reason is so chsrmingly. Susceptible,
that there was something in it."
AS the matter now stands. the House has
passed, or is about 20 pass, a bill which, under
an insidious pretext, will not only create new
horde of officials who are to be unduly re-
warded for their services as inspectors, but
levy an enormous tribute on the industrial
interests of the State for the enrichment of the
owners of two patents which may or may not,
for all the legislators know, be the grand
slook-up safety valve" aud 'low-water indi-
oator' which they are represented to be.
In the bill, Ossa is on Pelion piled to compel
citizens of Pennsylvania to buy these New
legislative monstrosity of the session, and the
men who support it, in its present shape,
after fully understanding its provisions, must
have reached that last and most shameless
stage Of corruption, where they cease to
Justify their deeds unto themselves.
Every owner Of steam boiler will be COM
PEELED to buy new tangled 'lock-up safety
valve" and q "low-water indicator" which
will be manufactured at an enormous profit
by the favored patentee and his legislative
partners, If this bill becomes a law and the
contemplated programme is carried out ia all
its ramifcations. To ensure this result heavy
fines and penalties are showered upon the
tuh nv na0lantfu1 ofao ho;1
who fail to pstronize the grand new legisla-
tive safety-valve company; and to make assu-
rance doubly sure, there is a sec ton settn z
forth that II the boiler of any person who fails
TO buy the high-prioed patents blows up, he
"shall be deemed guilty OF manslaughter,
and upon conviction shall be sentenced to
confinement at hard labor for period not
exceeding ten years, and shall also be oivilly
liable to any person injured for all damages to
person and property by reason of any such
explosion -
II would be a fair piece of parallel legisla-
ton, after this exhibition Of legislative rapa-
city, If the session should wind up with a law
sentencing to death every citizen of Philadel-
phia who, after the Twelfth and Sixteenth
Streets Passenger Railway is completed, rides
north and south on any other line. If decency
and justice are to be violated for the enrich
ment Of legislative oormOrants in one instance,
why not in the otherf And if one class Of
men are to be sent to prison for ten years be-
cause they will not pstronize the Legislature
in It's ''leck-up safety-valve" capacity, why
should not another class be murdered outright
for refusing or neglecting to shower its dimes
upon the legislative passenger railway pet
The only thing that surprises us is, that
the Legislature, instead Of plundering the
people pieoemeal, does not advance boldly to
It's favorite task by appropriating all the
money In the State Treasury at once to its
Unsuitable leeches, and then levying per-
petual tax for their exclusive benefit.