The New York herald., 1871-08-01
sion the feryboat may be readily inferred: Yours
respectfully, JAMES A. WHITNEY,
IS9 Broadway, New York city, July 81, 1871.
Criminal Conduct of the Board Of United
States StcamsOat Inspectors.

Criminal Couturt of the Board q; United
States steamsoat inspectors.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
The leader liz the NEW YORK HERALD OF this date,
In relation 10 the terrible massacre on the Staten
Island feyboat has attracted universal attention.
You ask, "Was she provided with llieboats and lie.
preseryers required by the regulations OF the Board
OF Supervising Inspectors. recently issnedSn say
yes; but listen. The OLD steamboat law proved by
ITS actual working comparative failure. new
bnl was drawn up by a former board o. supervisors
and submitted to Congress. After two years. de.
liberation, during which time the steamboat owners
and the great travelling public frequently appeared
before the committees OF the Senate and Congress
TO whom the Dnl was referred, and subsequent
boards OF supervisors urged Its Immediate adoption,
1t was finally unanimously adopted. One OF
The provisions OF the law was that tne
Board OF United States Supervisors be
Immediately convened at Washington, and
that the Board should forthwith adopt such boats,
RATS, floats and life preservers would best pro-
vide against loss Of life. The Board met as execu.
tive officers to enforce law passed by the Congress
OF the United States. Inc expense Of convening the
Board OF course was great. The eleven member
have to be paid mileage, they are feased at one Of
the best hotels In Washington ana do you sup
pose they done T. They accepted the Increase OF saa-
res. The General just appointed proceeded to draw
his 50, 500 per annum and mileage and hotel bills But
excepting Ia the matter of fog horns they declared
the law should not go m effect until after their next
meeting, June /. beg your pardon, they did
authorize. under the law, the appointment OF seve.
could be drawing Salaries for Executing s the new
law, which was not TO 80 IN effect until afier Janu
life saving articles iabricate. by some OF the best In
ventive genuscs this or any other country has pro.
duced. they refused TO approve OF any OF them; in
fact utterly refused ~ carry out the law OF
Congress, notwithstanding they were convened
at great expense 10 do that very thing, eX-
cepting where It increased their pay and
allowed them TO appoint some friends to
Office, at good, fat salaries. AT trial OF life pre-
servers it was demonstrated that with the present
| ones now IN use a person weighing 1So pounds
would sink. Nothing Is 10 DO done TO remedy this
until after January l. ana .nen only a. iast as the
as TO waiting until they are inspected, TINS IA no
great faults or II they had gwen the steamers untll
really mechanically impossible for them TO get the
proper equipments until !hat time. well enough.
need do nothing until after January ]. All this was
done by q vote in the Board OF to 8. These six
they would do their duty In accordance with their
oath Of once anu the direction OF Congress But u
sudden change came over these SIX mems dreams.
Steamboat owners were gent.emen-Congress and
Inventors were FRAUDS am not IN position 10 make
any charges. but before the investigating committee
which VIII be appointed as soon as Congress con-
venes to investigate this subject facts, 10 Is said,
win be presented which Will create startling effect
throughout the whole country and viii lead to the
entire reconstruction OF the Board. .t
Now In relation to ferrybOats all the lifesaving
provisions they have are the old life preservers,
which VIII let person weighing $50 pounds sink
one wooden boat, that will accomm odate SIX per-
sons and one metallic boat, N some Instances, that
will accommodate SIX persons, and some cork
pieces to throw OF to person who may fall over
board Under the new law, unless The SIX members
in the Board Of supervisors who arc known as
''steamboat men" change their plan, the ferryboats
win have new life preservers hut IN respect to boats
and rats they will be provided as they are now,
or, in Otner words, not at all. AS lawyer would
beg 10 say TO those whose friends have beon mur-
dered injured by the Staten Island Ferry Company
that they have redress. The company are undOubt-
edy liable III that they have not complied with the
new law, and the criminal neglect or the SIX mem.
bcrs OF the Board is punishable on those members
by the laws OF the United States, any one will
prosecute or make complaint TO the United States
District Attorney. lie will he bound TO prosecute
them on their bonds. which every one has TO give
for faithful performance Of his duty. EAGLE.