Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-04-05
A Deadly BLOW at travellers Live,

February -, 1871, 40 act Of Congress 20
provide for the better security Of life on
steam vessels was approved, IepssliOg al
other acts on this subject, and consolidating
the Whole subject Of steamer traffic into ots
statute. 10 view Of The grsA, scope Of the
act IL vas showed . year from time Of
passage 70 70 'nto effect, ahd consequently
became OF full force Fsbssary rs, 1871,
Section - rsads:
That whenever damage s sustained by
any passenger OF his baggage from explosion,
ire, collision, or other cause, the master
add tho owner Of such vessel, or either OF
them sad the vessel, shall be liable to each
and ever psuol 90 Injured 10 the full
amount Of damage, IL IL happens through
any neglect or failure 70 comply with Tue
pro,isioBs Of lsv herein prescribed, OF
through known defects or I'm periecIions OF
the stsamiag Appsraiuses OF the hOll, and
any psrson sustaining loss or injury through
the esrslsssnsss, negligence, or uilful mis-
conduct Of Any captain, mate, engineer, OF
pilot, or bis neglect OF refusal TO obey the
provisions Of Law hsrsin prescribed ss t.
navigating such steamers, mAJ sus sucL
damages for sSy such iojiry caused ~
aforesaid BY any such captain, male sugi.
ueer, or pilot.
This section II is proposed to suppressed
By the adoption Of the subjoinsd, which was
decided upon in . convention Of steamboat
men held 10 Louisville, Ky, in November,
1871, az which time il Is understood fund
OF some $50 900 was raised TO carry the
amendment through. 1t reads:
SEC. 81 That wbsrs aDy loss Of LIE or
personal injury, OF loss or dAms9e TO pro.
psrIy, Is caused by explosion, hrs, collision,
or oIhSr cause, on or ~ any vessel inspected
uadsr the provisions Of this act, through
Aay usgls0G 70 comply with she rules ano
regulations hsrsia prescribed or ordered by
the Board OF Supervising Inspectors, Or
through negligence or misconduct OF tue
master, captain, nate, engineer, or pilot OF
suoh vessel, ths o~oer or owners OF tht
same shall be liable III damages to the ex-
tsat aud not beyond the value OF SAID yesse
immediately preceding such loss, injury, OF
dsmAgs, aud OF The freight then peHdIng
aud Ins vessel aud freight, or any par
thereof, may be hold by lien 10 addIIiJna
security aud Ia case said loss or iujpry OF
damage should Do proven TO have beet
caused through negligence or misconduct o
of tue aforesaid Uihcsri, or suy OF them
such master, oApEAn, IN ate, engineer, OF
pilot - may be guilty OF such negligence
or misconduct shall, 10 addition TO thel
criminal responsibility, be also ansWerabl'
in civil suits 10 the persOus having suffered
loss, injury, or damage, including III
owner or oWners, TO an equal amOuut q
Aforesaid, TO Wit, TO the extent Of the vAln
of the vssisi aud ireighE Ai aforesaid pro
vIdsd, that tbs claims Of persons havInl
directly suffered loD, injury, or dansg
shall nave prscedenoe sgsinsI such officer y
officers before shose Of Ens o ~uer or orners
AID 1t the liAoiItJ OF the owner OF owners
together with the additional liability Of suci
othcer, 10 case Of their negligence or mis-
conduct, be insutheisnt TO 'sdj dsE each snt
every properly adj idicAisd claim, this LA
b lily shall ceAse NiIh the acceptance, 10 I
proper court OF admirably, of bond O
bonds, with good and sufficient suretiss, 20 a
amount ooe1Iensivs with his or their liAoili
~, sAid bonds TO remain 10 court ~ seourit
until the aggregate amount OF this haoilt
herein prescribed shall DO paid into aud b
distri DuIsd pro rata Among the claimants b
said court; AL Alao provided, that DoIhin
in this section be in any way coustruoted 9
to Afscs AaJ policy of insurance.
Nos let us imagine such another horrif!
ing calamity a. the westheId explosion az
sss hos sufferers would be left under III
lA~ as IL Is aud 80 IL is proposed 10 b
Under the Law ~ nov OF force the on
limit to tas liability Of the owners aud o
fears tor damages will Do their ability
pay. II vsrdlcts to she aggregate amour
Of . half milli1u Of dollars are renders
tbsu ouusu aud officers must pay th'
Amouai IL their fortunes equal it, aud II NJ
equal they must liquidAIe the damages I
they Geodro 80 far ~ their fortunes r
Uadsr the proposed Amsuduent the liAb'li
is no, to sxtend further than the value
he vessel. That value may be bat s7j
900, aaI the damage Of $500 900 is TO
levied on, Of thA. and tina, only, with sue
assistance a, may be possible BY holding Il
officers and owners liable Ia . like amount
90 that on the most favorable view the
can be but twice the value Of the vess
made AmsnAble. Where the aggregate
vN'dic,s sIcseds this there ia 10 be p-
Il. S'isiOO among sufferers, so that vii
reeslguros We have supposed IL . una
not ,h.ysrdiot for $40 900 he i, to reesiv
900 only. bat bis PrO-r"ia share of 9;
into Lag. II Ich injustice should be p
law as {. IL would eoAtmsn feel that d
10, them rsdoubls ths,!a e.'ily upon The
Il -ill not touch them An'e, anu 70
World. M'-N'
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