Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-05-10
The New Steamboat Bill.

Many Of our exchanges have something
to say about the new steamboat bill now be-
fore congress, and ell seem to think that
congress will aft the matter thoroughly and
report bill that will insure safety in the
travel as nearly IS possible. We have no
doubt that ii will, but the bill as now bsfore
the Senate, alters the old rules and reguiA-
tions in regard to the manufacture and
management of boats but little. The Ex-
ecutive Committee Of convention OF steam
boat owners, recently called upon the Secre-
tary of the Treasury for q conference
in relation to this very bill !
now before Congress. In the course OF the
interview one, aud perhaps the most i'm
portaut and interesting statement
made, was concerning the fire.
auency of steamboat accidents, loss OF
fife, property, eto., by steamboat nAvigs-
ton, wherein il was asserted that fifteen
years ago the steamboats, of the country
carried so per cent. more freight than now,
while the loss of life and property by ac-
cidsnt Was q great deal less than now.
| THIS is accounted for in rather a novel man
neP
AT was claimed that the materials which
went into the construction of stesm ma
chinery was then far superior in quality TO
that now used, and greater degree OF vigi-
lance was exercised by engineers than now.
The reason for the relaxation of viRilence
IL. Z
appliances now attached to engines and
boilers to prevent explosions the effect of
which is to render engineers less wAtchful.
Ii was also stated that there is q deteriora-
ton OF 10 to 10 per cent. in the quality of
the iron and other material going into the
construction of steam machinery, pArticu-
arly boilers, compared with that formerly
used
The Absurdity aud extrsxAgAnce Of
these statements are almost too apparent to
need comment, - mnch less, refutRtion,
As regards any deterioration OF material
/ there never was time when the manu-
J iacture Of all the component parts Of
steam eugineg-of every piece uaed
shout them no thorough and
perfect as at the present day.
Boiler plates are not only made from the
best Of material, but are put together With
. precision and strength until recently an
= known to mechanics. For instance, 10 old
times the rIvet holes we're inscourstely
made, the riVets themselves rudely fashioned
aud insecurity headed, comparatively speak
iuR II each end of each hole through con
ioining plates WAS filled and covered By th'
rivet head, that was al the mechanic knew
s- shout the matter The consequences of suei
insecure "botch- work have been seen time
10 githout number upon exploded boilers
" whics we're ripped open along the rryet
IS polas,-sud Jas; such was tho resu!s 10 to,
vast maj orjty Of cases. Nowadays, the hole
p are drilled and finished { fl carefully, on,
!" directly over another IN the "laps;'' rivet
IS sre accurately fitted aud headed home
with such unerriDz accuracy that the work
- man kao,ss when the function is Perfeo;;sr
], tests are afforded TO detect any possible N
perfection, The fact that people are no
blown sky bish much oftener,is uudoub;edl !,
y owing could she truth BE- bsoaght forth -
10 the superior excellence Of nOdern-inad'
and inspected boilers