The New York herald., 1875-08-23
OvERCROWDING STEAMERS.
UNITED STATES INSPECTORS DETERMINED II
SUPPRESS THE PRACTICE-THE RocKAwAI

UNITED STATES INSPECTORS DETERMINED II
SUPPRESS THE PRACTIcE-THE RocKAwA4
BOATS ovERHAULED.
SO great has been the negligence Of steamboat man.
ayers and so numerous late have been the accidents
which have happened 10 excursionsts up the Hudson
and down the Bay that Mr.. Addison Low, Supervising
Inspector Of steamers yesterday sent special agent
upon every excursion steamer plying between
here and Rockaway Beach Mr. Low began
his Investigations in the best possible field,
for it will be remembered that numerous
plants have recently been made to the effect that
these boats usually greatly overcrowded, and thai
they have been regularly carrying hundreds of pas
sengers than the law sanctions All these reports
have been corroborated not only by the passengers
route but also by several painful accidents that have
occurred
Mr.. Low took with him yesterday Messrs. Alexander
Caldwell assistant local inspector of boilers; Jerry
simonson inspector of hulls; J. b, Webb assistant
inspector OF huls; Mr. L. Brainard of Albany another
inspector Of hulls; Mr. James ". Anderson the New
York Custom House. and Mr. G. W. Thatcher employed
in Mr. Lows private Office.
GOING DOWN.
The gentlemen mentioned above detailed to all
the different steamers which yesterday made trips to
Rockaway the names Of which follows;-Tho
Neversnk, the William Cook the Nellie White, tht
Amcrcus and the General sedgwick.
Previous TO going upon these different boats each
of the inspectors was furnished with a con
corning number of passengers every steamer by
law permitted to carry and also ordered report
10 Captain Low the number actually carried by each
vessel Captain Low went down to Rockaway in tho
Neversnk and upon his arrival there reported
TO his aids as their respective steamboats,
rived that the Nevcrsnk did not have more than Tho
regular number of passengers and each of the in
spcctors reported the concerning the boats upon
which they had iourneyed Captain Low said to tho
writer, who accompanied him yeserday:-"The great
trouble is on the down but the return trips.
don't put these steamboat people any trouble,
but am determined that boat comes here 10
Rockaway returns back to New York. with more
than her allowance of passengers
THE RETURN
The General Sedgwick the Americus and the Nellie
White lay side by side the lower landing and the rush
of people bound homeward tremendous. An in
spector counted the number going board the Sedg
wick, and soon the illegal number had walked
up deck he ordered the gangpank to be pulled in,
and also informed the Captain that he must steam di-
rectly Brooklyn and stop at othor
landing. Had not the Inspector been there
the Sedgwick would have takon an additional
number of passengers board and would have also
made all her regular landings The inspector on the
Amercus did the thing, did also the inspectors
board the Nellie White and the Ncversnk. After
these steamers had gone there only one boat lott
the William Cook-to carry the remainder of people
Hotel and the people left behind by the other steamers
made grand rush for her decks. In size she is
than twice large any Of the other boats and
accommodate great many more passengers Captain
Low and the HERALD reporter returned in this bout.
The former stood at the foot of the gang plank before
the vessel started personally counting the passengers
who came on board.
After the regular number on board Captain Low
ordered the gang plank to be pulled in and hundreds
left standing the pier Supposing that thu
William Cook would certainly make her regular landing
at the pier little distance above, this crowd t must
have numbered 1,00O made rush for that place, and
its constituents INDUCED in superb foot along the
beach The in vain, however, for tho
steamer did not stop as advertised and she made no
pause whatever until she reached Brooklyn.
Thus about l, 900 people were left behind many of
whom poor that they did not have enough
money pay the faro the railroad and certainly
enough to pay for their lodging night. OF course
this crowd indignant at the managers of the steam
who sold them their tickets, and who after pledgng
their word, did not furnish sufficient boats to bring
them in safety back to their homes. Mr.. r. Cornell
White, the lessee or the steamers, on board tho
William Cook, and doubt the words that reached hI
from those hundreds left behind anything but
pleasant to hear.
In the table below the first column Of figures repre-
sents the number Of people the respective boats al
lowed carry by law, and the second column repre-
! sents the number each had its last and conse-
! qucntly heaviest, return trip