The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-03

LESSONS DRAWN FROM THE DROWNING OF MIRA
ROSE YOUNG AND CAPTAIN ROBERT c. BELL


To THE EDITOR or rHs HERsLp:-
As the HERALD is the leading advocate ana ssamusc1
or justice and humanity and ever foremos, In ~ e.
posture Of wrongs and neglect or duties by public ON
Gals soci, the publication through ia widely circu
lated columns Of few thoughts sad event
the death OF Mrs Rose Young by drowning. the
shocking which the body after being discovered
was allowed TO remain in the water for twenty.foui
hours solely the plea that The statute is wordet
that the body Of person found dead not be 70
moved without . Coroner's order Alter carefully
reading the law conslrue u prohibiting ths
removal OF a dead person from tho water or tn
thronged street = moro suitable place IN the imme
date vicinity. II humane citizen has not tho powo
do this OF simple dcccncy then we live under
odious law, which should be at once repealed " v,
would citizens from having their best feeling
shocked by frequent barbarous along river
border.
wish now to direct the attention or tho reader TO
similar 10 that referred to above which occurred
last August, and which | Witnessed / aliude to thu
death OF Captain Robert G. BeIlviIle, or Trenton, N
j. on tho departure OF the steamer Bristol for Fall
River ! was hopes that some action in this cass
would be taken the part OF those whose duty It Is
attcnd TO these things and expected that the press
that engine OF power 10 protect the rights Of tho peo
plcwould have expressed itself fcarlcssv thaB
IL did in condemnation OF the cruel neglect OF duty
tho part OF the officials associated with this line Of
steamers II so happened that was witness Of the
sad accident which resulted in tho drowning OF Cap
tain Believile. whose name did not know at the
timc had accompanied friend TO the steamer, and
in this way became cosnizln Of the
uTTER DISREGARD FOR HUMAN ILrE
demonstrated on that occasion. II is said OF US, 40
Americans. that do not value human life. This as
inn ft,llv horn nv tho fac in hat in
stance, as there was not boat lowered life pro-
server or buoy OF any kind thrown from the steamer
by any officer, did those tho pier mako effort
TO save fellow creature from watery grave. So
lcitel and appealed TO tLoso officers the pier 10
make effort to rescue tho drowning man. met
with rebuff right and lett What was tho reply there
is here to- repeat rs tho man went under the
wheel and instantly drowned Ny appeal thon
was iL Gods name 10 secure tho body speedily
possible. l. as a physician, would takc and was
anxious to resort to measures TO rcsuscitas the
drowned man, as there might DO vital spark found
In that franc when touched by tho electric cur.
rent from gavanc battery II Is ut this point
compelled 10 repeat tho auson 10 the, sal
and grevous spectacle presented OF allowing the body
10 DO tied TO feat for two hours before permit
could DO procured 10 have II removed from the water
IL lett to be gazcd NJ by promiscuous and gaping
crowd wha ssn upon ,ns enc
the nineteenth century and on tho eve OF tho ccic
braton o the mpeti0n OF the nundrcdh year OF our
national liberty and IN the midst OF our boasting ovci
our superior republican form OF government Truly
the met men Of tho Dark .., Ages . would sn n,
HAT BEyoRE LIFE.
Ihave word TO submit for model policeman.
All his efforts IN this case appeared 10 be directed
simply 10 securing the gcntlcmans hat which was noat
ing on the water. After securing the hat no acted
sf all his duties were at an end, and not thought
to be gwen to the owner oil tho nat struggling ol
life in the bed OF the river Not the slightest effort
did he make toward rescuing the body Beyond 90
curing the gcnemans hat no was OF no more use thas
OF tho pieces Of timer which made up the struc-
turc OF the pier.
now turned my attention to the officers en-
ployes OF the steamboat company. had noticed
person IN human shape, with piece Of gold lacc en-
crcling his cap, who i've minutes previous to the
steamer leaving the picr had under his commands
dozen or more men, who dashng IN every direc
tion with handbarrows, putting freight on
board, acting as il they had just escaped iron
and even the lives OF all those VINO happened
TO their path, and exhibiting the same ndiner
those the pier AZ tor tho one struggling for
life under the surface OF tue water. This man, with
the gold lace his cap had but TO give the command,
or not as much ns an ordcr put 20 SIMPLY raise ms ~
jump 10 the rescue with the speed OF the locomotive
which carries the Sunday HERALD to its thousands q
readers IN distant cites and villages, 10 DO served
damp from the press their break tables vii
venture TO say that H. by accident bale OF goods had
happened To- fall overheard this man would quickly
have gwen tho order TO save it All hands would have
obcycd the ordor promptly and implements would
have bcen speedily brought 10 bear aud the merchaR
Ii the gentcman's pocketbook had fallen into the
water nlled with grccnbacks an golden eagles, doubt
less would have seen dozen outstrctched arna
and fingers formed into graphing hooks 10 secure 10
contents and II need be- some ono 10 plunge hendlon1
TO The bed OF tue river and bring up ts trcasurc q
nlthy lucre But what the conduct OF the oniceI
Of the steamer In this case Of drowning human The
cry Of imam overheard at once rcsoundcd from
every quarter OF that floating palace. The captain was
appealed TO 10 stop tho revolving wheels, already N
motion, but no was
IN ri ina 4 aR uot ~
gdcd Enthusiastically and quickly from the sip with her
bow directed to her destination via Newport Not
life prcservcr or rope Was thrown from ths
steamer 10 rescue tho drowning man. The
agonlzed wife, who was . passenger on the
boat Wild with anxiety Tor the rescue OF believes
husband vainly struggling lcr lie. II was In compii
with the most urgent appeals OF the vile and
other passengers united with indignant remembrance
that the captain consented 10 stop the steamer and
NIT the grief stricken wife 10 be transferred 10 ths
police ThIs IS the statement o those who wers
passengers and eye witnesses board the Bristol
Gould the Captain have had but pang OF III,
crushed and distracted wife oil that still cIInglnt
for life, he would immediately have stopped the boat
And IL prompt proper efforts had been made tina
precious lite IN all PROBABILITY could have been saved
Even II did not succeed IN rcsuscitating the mas
We would have mad the satisfaction Vt feeling aud say
ing 1--WE have done duty" which, with PAIN, an
Obliged TO say not done because We cannot do ~
would, let us not do nothing The best method o.
acquiring The ability to do what we would Is TO do whs
VIC can N
RgsrscirAroS or the pRowxED.
MIR. Editor, must ask your indulgence aud permits.
sion extend my article beyond the limits usually
allowed to communications feel Il my duty to make
some suggestions ON the measures 10 adopted 4
prevent accidents Of drowning. In the first place,
should have placed along the river front, at convenient
distances. station houses supplied and fully equipped
With all that u requisite for rvsusctang persons anal
being submerged IN the water. In tho second place
there should gwen number OF policemen insructes
IN every way aud in tho most approved modes which
sci-ncc suggest touching the rescue Of person
falling IN the water. And think u ~ the duty .
every citizen 70 inform himself ~ some measure whs
10 proper 10 do in cmeracnscs like the hau
been speaking OIL know that many life IL sscri
need ~ these cases by improper treatment. IL IL
expected that the services Of physician can bU pro
cured all Of these OCCASIONS mako these suggcs
lions because what Is done must be done quickly
We must under all circumstances, do all IN pows
save lie, whether the person be high or los
among us.
STATISTICS or DROWNING.
will state the statistics Of death by drowning In the
vicinity OF city For the year 1874 there were 1871;
from January l. 1875, up to August period OF
months there occurred l34 deaths by drowning.
Whom come 10 estimate II Tor the whole or the United
states, 10 would amount TO thousands annually. ID
not this enough 10 make each Of cndcavor TO