The New York herald., 1870-08-14

the Disaster In tue Bay.
What might have proved to be most
serious calamity occurred in the bay
on Friday evening last, caused by the
collision of heavily laden schooner with the
Coney Island steamboat NorwaR, craft
which is proverbially unfortunate, whether be-
cause she is what people call unlucky, or
because of the recklessness of her officers and
crew. At all events, she has had series OF
misfortunes, and there is evidence apparently
in this last occurrence to show that the pilot
was not free from blame, nor in a con-
dition to take care of the lives of some five or
six hundred people entrusted to him. The
sacrifice of life was at first reported to be six or
eight persons drowned and good many others
missing; but fortunately, it appears that that
was exaggerated, and that few lives, II any,
have actually been lost. In the dim twilight
it was impossible to tell how many
might not have gone overheard when the
fearful crash came, which drove the bowsprit
of the schooner, with terrific force, into the
once. The wonder is that the Trailer vessel
did not 60 down in mid-channel, instead of at
the dock. It was merciful Providence
which kept her afoat long enough to land the
terror-stricken passengers in Brooklyn.
These Coney Island boats have long been an
object of fear to all cautious people, yet they
carry crowds every day, comprised good
deal Of rough and reckless class. They are
usually crowded beyond their capacity for
safety, especially at the hour when this
calamity occurred. They are not provided
with the proper means Of escape in case OF
danger. Witness the fact that the life pre-
servers were all locked up and inaccessible to
the passengers; and we are compelled to add,
from the nature of the accident to the Nor
walk, that they are not under the control of
men with whom people can trust their lives.
Without waiting for any tedious controversy
as to who is in fault the officers of the
steamboat should at once be placed under
arrest and held to answer for their
conduct. The captain of the schooner
should of course, be also held, and submitted
to close investigation. From the facts dis
closed by those on board the Norwalk the
disaster can hardly be noted down as an un-
usual accident. There was gross carelessuess
somewhere, and we want to discover on which
side it was. We hope the investigation will
be full, fair and searching.
Too much commendation cannot be given to
Captain Leonard Kipp, of the tugboat How
ard, who gallantly came to the rescue and
towed the sinking steamboat, with her trem-
bling passengers, safe to shore, and then, re-
turning, brought in the disabled schooner,
which had also hundred or more passengers
on board. This humane conduct of Captain
Kipp stands in magnificent relief to the heart
less action of the pilot of the Hamilton ave-
nue. ferryboat, who, it is alleged, passed
within sight and sound of this terrible distress,
and paid no heed either to the cries or signals
The ferryboat was running to earn her pennies,
and she had no time to alleviate human
misery just then. In palliaton of the conduct
of the pilot it ought to be remembered that he
is an employee of the Union Ferry Company, q
corporation which never did yet realize the
Value Vi Httluau &4c Wueu COuipdreu WIFI VIC
value of dividends, as many bereaved
family knows whose relatives have been
drowned in the very docks, while the ferry
boats pursued their way coolly, without ex-
tending the least assistance to the struggling
wretches who had fallen in an attempt to reach
the boat We trust that handsome testi-
monial will be got up for Captain Kipp in
recognition of his humanity.