New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-18
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Passed at the Third Session of the FSrfy-
First Congress.
GENERAL NATURE-No. 35.l

purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o
| Representatives of the United States 0
America in Congress assembled, That n'
| license, register, or enrolment shall b.
| granted, or other papers issued, by any col
lectOr or other chief officer of the customs
| to any vessel propelled in whole or IN par
| by steam, until he shall have satisfactory
evidence that all the provisions of this ac
shall have been fully complied with; and il
| any such vessel shall be navigated without
complying with the terms of this act, the
| owner or owners thereof shall forfeit and
| paw to the United States the sum OF five hun
| bred dollars for each otfeGse, one half fol
the use of tie informer. and for which sum
the steamboat Or vessel so engaged shall be
liable. and may be seized and proceeded
against by way of libel in any district court
OF the United States having jurisdiction OF
the Offense.
SEC. ,. And be it further enacted, That
every steamer so propelled, and carrying
passengers or freight, shall be provided
with suitable pipes and valves attached to
the boiler to convey steam into the hold
and the different compartments thereof to
extinguish fire; and every stove used on
board of any such vessel shall be well and
securely fastened, so as to prevent it from
being moved or OverthrOwn; and all wood
work or other ignitible substances about
the boilers, ehimneys, cOOk-hOuses, and
stOve-pipes, exposed to ignition, shall be
thoroughly shielded by soKle incOmbustible
material, in such a manner as to leave the
air to circulate freely between such material
and woodwork or other ignitible substance;
and before granting a certificate of inspec-
ton. the inspector shall require all other
necessary provisions TO be made through
out such vessel to guard against loss or dan
ger from fire.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That
every steamer permitted by her certificate
of inspection to carry as many as fifty pas
sengers, or upward, or any steamer carry
ing passengers, and shall also carry cotton,
hay or hemp, shall be provided with good
dOubleacting steam fire-pump, or other
equivalent apparatus, for throwing Water;
said pump or other apparatus for thrG wing
water shall be kept at all times and at all
seasons of the year in good order and ready
for immediate Use, having at least two pipes
of suitable dimensions, one on each side of
the vessel, to convey the water TO TIE
upper decks; to these pipes there shall
be attached, by means of stop-cocks
or valves, both between decks and
on the upper deck, good and suit
able hose Of sufficient strength to stand a
pressure of not less than one hundred
pounds to the square inch, long enough to
reach to all parts of the vessel. and
promptly provided with nozzles, and kept
in good order and ready for immediate ser
vice. And every steamer exceeding two
hundred tons burden, and carrying passen-
gers, shall be provided with two good
tire-pumps, to be worked by
hand; each chamber of said pumps shall be
of sufficient capacity to contain not less
than one hundred cubic inches of water;
sale pumps shall be placed i'll the most suit
able parts of the vessel for efficient service,
having suitable well-itted hose to each
pump, of at least One-half the vessel in
length, kept at all times in perfect order,
and shipped up and ready for immediate
use; and on every such steamer not exceeding
two hundred tons, one of such pumps may
be dispened with, and each fire pump thus
provided for shall be supplied with water
by means of suitable pipe connected there
with, and passing through the side of the
vessel so low as to be at all times under
water when she is atioat; and no fire-pump
thus provided for shall be placed below the
over deck of any such vessel and every
steamer shall be provided with apump which
shall be of sufficient strength and suitably
arranged to test the boilers thereof. But the
capacity of one hundred cubic inches, as
herein required, shall not apply to steamers
low Ill service.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That
10 loose hay, loose cotton, or loose hemp,
amphene, nitro glycerine naptha, benzine,
,enzole, coal oil, crude or refined petroleum,
IT other like explosive burning fluids, or like
dangerous articles, shall be carried as freight
IT used as stores on any steamer carrying
passengers; nor shall baled cotton or hemp |
,e carried ON such steamers unless the bales |
re completely pressed and thoroughly COW
red with bagging or similar fabric, and Sc
ured with good rope or iron bands; and |
very bale of cotton or hemp that shall be |
hipped or carried on any passenger steamer |
Without conforming to the provisions OF this |
ection shall be subject to penalty of five |
O seizure and sale to secure the |
'ayment of such penalty; nor shall gun
'Owder be carried on any such vessel, |
kept in case of special license granted by |
as hereinafter provided; nor shall |
Ill of vitriOl, nitric or other chemical acids |
re carried ON such steamers except on the |
ecks or guards thereof, or in such other
afe part of the vessel as shall Re prescribed
y the inspectors. Refined petroleum which
will not ignite at a temperature less than
ne hundred and ten degrees of Fahrenheit
thermometer may be carried on board such
upon routes where there is no
ther practical mode of transporting it, and
nder such regulations as shall be prescribed
" the board of supervising inspectors, with
he approval of the Secretary of the Treas
Try; and oil or spirits of turpentine may be
arried On any such steamer when the same
hall be put up in good metallic vessels, or
asks or barrels well and securely bound
nth iron, and slowed in secure part
the vessel; friction matches may
lso be carried on such steamers when
rod ctrn tiorl,t nh
oxes, the covers of which shall he well
ecured by locks, screws, or other reliable
istenings, and slowed in a safe part of the
essel, at a secure distance from any fire or
eat; and all such other provisions shall be
lade on every steamer carrying passengers
+ freight to guard against and eXtinguish
re as shall be prescribed by the board of
1peryising inspectors, and approved by
ne Secretary of the Treasury: Provided,
nat the Secretary of the Treasury may
rant permission to the owner of any steam
essel for the use of any invention or
recess for the utilization of petroleum
r other mineral oils or substances in
ne production of motive power, and
e shall have power to make and en-
Drce regulations concerning the appli-
alton and use of the same for such purpose;
nd no permission shall be granted unless
pom the certificate of the supervising in
pector OF steamboats, for the district wherein
ald vessel is registered, and other salts
actory proof that the use of the same is safe
nd efficient; and upon such proof, and the
pproVal OF such certificate by the Secretary
+ the Treasury, special license for the use
+ such process or invention, as aforesaid,
hall issue under the seal of the Treasury
department.
SEC. s. And be it further enacted. That
II gunpOwder, nitro-g lycerine, camphene,
aphtha, benzine, benzOle, coal oil, crude or
etined petroleum, oil of vitriol, nitric or