The New York herald., 1871-08-01
Tho Ferry Horror.

Sixty-six killed and hundred and fifty
wounded is the latest return OF casualties by
the ferryboat explosion of Sunday. The drags
and the lines of the searchers after dead bodies
are still at work about the neighborhood OF the
disaster, and the wounded are still struggling
between life aud death in the hospitals, and
what will be the ultimate aggregate OF casual
ties remains yet question of time. As it Is,
however, the mortality by this single catas-
trophe has been unequalled by any railroad
accident or steamboat explosion in the United
States. 1t is a perfect holocaust, paralleled
only by the fearful ravages of earthquakes and
fire In South America, or the murderous deeds
Of contending factions in Paris.
Our ferryboat system has always apparently
been an excellent one. Few Of the millions Of
passengers who pass yearly between this city
and Brooklyn, Jersey or Staten Island have
felt any greater apprehension on the firm decks
Of the ferryboats than they would have felt in
their own homes. A few minor accidents only
have happened, one of which alone was con-
sidered Of sufficient magnitude to call forth
breeze OF public sentiment. and in that one
the collision OF two Fulton ferryboats at the
New York ferry house two summers ago--only
one person was killed and ten or twelve
wounded. 1t has, in fact, been somewhat
marvellous, considering the winter dangers of
heavy ice, and the summer dangers of collision
with passing steamers, and the ever present
dangers of defective boilers, sleepy engineers
and incompetent pilots, that there have be en-
80 few accidents. But the present catastrophe,
happening as 1t has on one Of the stanchest
boats Of a company that was supposed to be
unusually liberal and careful, and on a line
where there Is an immense passenger traffic
daily, Is enough to unnerve all the suburban
preston that they are tresding daily upon
volcano that may open up and destroy them
at any moment. The West6eld horror, there
fore, calls for more rigid and impartial in
vestigation than is usually accorded these ac-
cidents, not only on account of the widespread
desolation that 1t has heaped upon our own
citizens and the citizens of our nearest sub
urbs, but in justice to the immense masses Of
our population that are compelled to trust
themselves to q similar danger upon any
ferryboat that plies the East Or North River
or the waters Of the bay.
There appears to be no doubt as to several
points which will be brought up at the investi-
cation. The boiler was nine years in service,
it was patched in at least one place where it
had been defective, and the pieces of it yet
remaining on the boat show it to have been
corroded and worn away to a mere shell of
iron. And yet this boiler was overhauled
last year and passed the examination Of the
United States Inspector only last June. 1t is
asserted that the engineer was away from the
engine for fifteen minutes, when he should
not have been away at all, and If it can be
shown that through his negligence or his pro-
lOnged absence the pressure Of steam upon
this brittle boiler had risen beyond the twenty
five pounds allowed by the United States In
spector, and that the pressure was at least
that much, there can be no donbt-he must
divide the weighty responsibility of this dis
aster with the United States Inspector, who
permitted such mere eggshell Of boiler to
receive his certificate at all.
One Of the theories of defence advanced by
deputy of Mr.. Matthews, the Inspector, is
that it is not the duty of United States inspec-
tors to pass upon the trustworthiness Of local
steamers, such as ferryboats and excursion
steamers. The law Of February last and the
new regulations just issued by the Secretary
of the Treasury show very differently, how
ever, and this defence is too weak to stand.
Whether it was his duty or not, the United
States Inspector certainly passed upon this
boiler. Mr.. Matthews own defence is better,
for he boldly adheres to It that the boiler is a
good one, even above the average, and that
he gave it thorough inspection. Secretary
Boutwell, has ordered the Board of Super
vising Inspectors to make q thorough investi-
CATION into the action of Mr.. Matthews, how
ever, and his guilt or innocence in the matter
will soon be clearly established.