New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-24

1t may be thought, too, that the occa
slonal drowning of human being is
proper subject only for local item.
Macaulay, in his essay on the 'Bio
graphy of Sir William Temple, indulges
III some sarcastic remarks on the ''dignity
OF history" how historians frequently
AVOID matters of intrinsic importance as
beneath 1.-The dignity of history" while
they dwell at length on protocols, pro-
nunclamentos, international commissions,
pragmatlc sanctions and other high sound
ing matters, which, after all, make little
impress On the progress or destiny OF
nations
Somewhat in the same way, is there
not a dignity" of journalism, which
often accords to really important matters
no other notice than a local. in COM
pany with the last dog fight or the last
"drunk?"
We believe that proper animadversion
upon the folly which daily risks the safety
OF hundreds, and occasionally compasses
the extinction of human life, is well
worthy of the attention of the most ex
allied journalism.
The four different ferryboats that ply
between New Orleans proper and the
right bank Of the Mississippi receive,
each one, for freight and passage, an
average of ifty-fve dollars per day, at
low estimate. Deducting from this
amount one-half for freight and vehicles,
the remainder shows five hundred and
nifty as the number Of passengers who
cross on each boat daily; being three
thousand eight hundred and fifty per
week, and two hundred thousand seven
hundred and fifty per annum (for each
boat, remember). This shows the num-
Der Of eight hundred and three thousand
passengers annually crossing the river in
front of the city. In this calculation we
have taken no account of the boat at
Bobbs Ferry, as we do not know the
amount of its business. We have shown.
however, that not far from million of
people annually cross the Mississippi
river in front of New Orleans, and the
conclusion is unavoidable that all proper
and practical means should be taken bv
the proper authorities to provide for the |
safety OF this mass Of people in crossing |
the river as elsewhere; that accidents |
should be fewer, or, better still, that they
should not happen at all.
Nor are proper precautions superfiuous.
Any one witnessing the landing of a
ferryboat at certain hours during any fine
day will acknowledge this. Amid the
insane haste of those aboard to get off, as
if they feared the boat was about TO blow
up-many jumping when the vessel was
yet few feet from the wharf the OBJ
server must wonder that more lives are
not lost; and the marvel is all the greater.
considering the frantic folly of those
about to embark, who stand right in the
way of those about to leave the boat.
jumping and pushing in among them
while the boat is yet moving. Now, it is
easily seen that two bodies of people
at each other while there is vet
a space between the wharf and boat suf-
hclent to admit the most rotund person
will incur no small amount of danger.
True, not many get into the river COM
pared with those who escape, but why
should there be any? Had the little child
which was precipitated in the river last
Thursday evening found a watery grave,
would the bereaved parents have been
eOnsoled by the circumstance that great
many children have not been drowned?
Now the remedy for all this is of the
easiest. Let the Department of Police
orange that policeman, or even two,
'e stationed at every ferry landing, on
acn side Of the river, with instructions {
o prevent people from attempting to go
N board before the boat has landed and ,
he passengers have left it, and also to
prevent passengers from leaving the boat
until it is tied fast and still.
- "44A NV NC 4OLS DtIOIt every one
vii heartily acquiesce in and approve of
UGH arrangement. 1t should be made
be duty, too, of the police to see that
he boat is fastened close to the wharf,
nd not tied up with space of two feet :
r more between wharf and boat, thereby
making it dangerous to 60 on board, par ?
cularly on dark night. This careless
ess of the deck hand employed to tie up
ne boat is of continual occurrence. and
ne sooner it is checked the better.
One precaution more A staging, SINH
II to that which is placed where the
ehicles enter and depart, should be
lso placed where the passengers get on
nd off. This is practicable, easy of ac-
and would render accident
Imost an impossibility, especially with a
roper surveillance of the police.
Will the proper authorities earn the
ratitude of large number of our citi-
ms by taking the necessary measures in
lation to our ferry landings?
Vallandigham's new platform, built at
ovtoD Ohio ond iD+andad fOY ,,ca -,