The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-02
The BOILER QUESTION.
Interviews With United States Steam
Boiler Inspectors.
More Opinions Of Experts and
Prominent Engineers.
Commencement Of the Government
Inquiry To-Day.

There are but few citizens OF New York who do
not remember the disastrous days of the rebellion,
when each startling telegram from the front was
followed by Q long list Of dead and wounded; but
not even in that time OF narrowing expectation was
there such general excitement as on Sunday, Mon.
day and yesterday The public mind lost its balance
tn dwelling on the accommodating horrors OF that
Sabbath afternoon. Every hour brought fresh
tidings of further loss Of life and laden with tho
unutterable grief OF hundreds Of people. shadow
Of death lowered over two cities. and the public
ear caught in the means and walls Of the
victims OF the massacre. The pulse Of
the metropolis was at fever heat Even now 1t has
not resumed Its wonted regularity, nor will 1t until
awakened justice catches in her outstretched arms
human victim.
Such wholesale destruction Of life, SUCH terrible
tnniction OF EXTREMIST agony, may well excite
the forces Of the law to instant action. Those
who are now regarded by rejecting men as guilty Of
the massacre on the Westneld may, perhaps, be
proven, after full investigation, entirely blameless,
and 1t were well, therefore, to abstain from hasty
expressions regarding them; but that
SOME ONE Is RESPONSIBLE
cannot be denied or explained away. The voice OF
the pubic and the cry OF the surviving relatives OF
those writing wounded and manged dead alike
demand 1t. In the hush Of tired anliction is heard
the muttered prayer that5ustce may not be cheated
OF her due.
This is the reelection OF public opinion as yesterday
cord that the citizens were doing something more
than uterng threats So far the public is neglect
ful Not six OF those who were rescued from drown
ang by the heroic boatmen Of whitehall have as yet
thanked their saviors not single clergyman OF any
denomination except the Catholic went to cheer the
wounded or comfort The dying amid the pulpy and
dripping horrors OF the Morgue and as far as be
ascertained --..
THE GENEROSITY OF THE CITIZENS
toward the brave fellows who so noby labored to
save the lives OF the sinking men, women and chill
dren or the fated Westfed has had no illustration
further than the contribution OF one gentleman OF
the sum OF $40, sent to the HERALD. Probably the
people have not yet awakened to a sense OF their
duty toward the boatmen, but surely they Will not
longer sumber In forgetfulness As for the Chris
tan ministers, their services not now required.
The dead are Indifferent to pious counsel Several
or
THE SISTERS OF MERCY,
those noble women who are ever ready to minister
70 the AFFLICTED have rendered excellent service at
the Morgue. But IT was asked yesterday, "What has
become OF all the ladies' charitable and benevolent
societies connected with the CD urches OF the city
and are there no kind people to elp the Sisters In
their attentions to the wounded ~ Ten or twenty
ladies in the hospital to do nothing more than keep
the patients would be OF valuable service.
The search for more victims Is stopped, the bed OF
the river fronting the slip and the slip itself having
been thoroughly dragged. II there are
STILL MORE VICTIMS,
and It Is feared there are, their bodies lie In deep
water. Until nine days after the disaster they will
not noat SO that the full extent or the massacre
cannot be ascertaned until the 7tn or perhaps later
In the meantime, however the inquest will be held.
1t Is promised that nothing will be left undoue to
ascertain the cause OF the explosion, ana to nx
the responsibility where II pf5pefiy belongs Gef.
einly nothing less WIN satisfy the public The
Investigation ordered by the government will take
place to-day, and the evidence will throw light on
the t~~t
MYSTERIOUS WAYS OF STEAMBOAT INSPECTORS.
There was one additional death yesterday. that of
little child, and three bodies were identified
The scenes Iand incidents Of the day In the hospital
wards, and at the Morgue. and at the scene OF the
calamity, are fully described In the following re-
ports, while important communications concern.
Ing the responsibility Of the steamboat company and
the Inspector OF boilers are appended