Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-12
Largest Circulation in the District
Reading Matter on Every Page
The Star Nv Mail
steamboat Disasters.

renew IN the PUBIC press the agitation OF the
question how to provide greater security for
steamboat passengers. In the case of the Wa
waset, the appalling loss of life in the placid
waters of the Potomac at midday, and at no
great distance from the shore, raises a general
enquiry whether the same fatal defects NAV
not be lurking in passenger river steamers
everywhere. The New York Star calls atten-
ton to the careless management of the Brook
lyn ferries, and suggests danger even in that
short passage. kind Providence, it says has
permitted the boats to be guided safely, and
with few accidents, across one of the swiftest
currents in the world, but some day boiler
will burst, boat will sink a fire break ont, and
the crowded cabins will be tiled with frightened
men, suffering women and helpless children
The editor then asks
''W Where will they find the life preservers?
Tucked alott in the narrow passage leading from
cabin TO cabin, where no one could by any pos
sibility get at them
The New York Express also comments sharply
upon the absurdity OF placing life preseryers in
positions where they unavailable las is usual
ly the case.
The Commercial saws:
s.The disaster on the Potomac only brings
out with renewed emphasis the utter reckless
ness which Is displayed on the average excursion
stear'er These gaily-deched crafts are gene
rally crowded to overlooking and IN case of panic
no one has, or can have, the slightest control
over the sbrieking women and children. There
Is no adequate provision for extnguishing fires
or saving passengers. There are perhaps, life
preservers enough for quarter of the people,
slowed away where nobody can get them, and
there are two or three boats slung up as if for
ornament rather than use. The consequence
IL, II a serious accident occurs, the loss of a
score or more of lives is almost inevitable.
Boats go down our bay almost every day during
the summer, filled with joyous pleasure seekers,
who are no more secure than those who went
down the Potomac on the Wawaset."
The Boston GlObs referring to our suggestion
that light RATS would prove much more service
able In saving life than boats says:
"Such RATS are much better than boats,
which are difficult to launch and more likely TO
capsize, and they have the advantage over life
preseryers that they do not require to be sought
out and properly adjusted by passengers. These
llte- preservers make q great show on our steam
ers, but they would be practically useless to a
great many people, even if in the excitement OF
disaster they were able to reach them"
We may add in this connection that RATS ca
pable of sustaining larger number of people
than the same number of boats can be con-
structed so as 70 occupy even less space on a
steamer than the humbug "lfe-boats" that
make such deceptive show. These RATS can
be launched at a moments notice, and no mat
ter how carelessly hastily tumbled into the
water are sure 10 light right side up and ready
for use. There is no such thing as capsizing
them. Passengers canleap from the deck upon
them, or climb upon them from the water
rably suited for the work that nothing but the
obstinate old-fOgy spirit that seems to rule in
the line of opposing all new ideas and modern
Improvements in the way of water travel,
could stand in the track OF their adoption.
1t is well said by the Boston Advertiser that il
Is almost incredible, after the repeated warn
ings we have had, that no effort is made and
persisted in to bring about a reform in the con-
struction and the management of steam-vessels. |
Hundreds of thousands of lives are entrusted to |
them every day, and vet we go on building |
steamers that are certain to burn to the waters
edge whenever they take fire, the small boats |
are still so arranged that fatal delay in launch
ing them is inevitable, the crews are not trained
to the use Of them, life-preservers are put out |
Of sight, captains neglect to use the lead,-in /
fact all things remain as they were. We are a |
longsufering people. Efforts at requiring re-
forms are but half made. and are opposed by /
the ship-owners and soon forgotten by the peo-
pie. Ii we cannot take passage by a safe boat
We take an unsafe one, and trust to luck. The
directors Of lines reckon on this popular care
lessness. They have been careless themselves.
and what wonder that their employees are care
less too? On land the railroads are constant
ly making improvements. Safety platforms,
brakes, car-heaters, switches and other appli-
ances are getting to be almost universal, and
the telegraph and automatic signals are used to
prevent collisions. We should be puzzled IL we
were asked to point out an Improvement in |
steamboat construction or management intro
cueed within the last twenty years. In fact
water transportation is not so safe now as IL WAS
score of years ago.