The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-01-25
HOUSE.

The House proceeded to the considers.
tion of the bill amending the laws con.
cerning commerce and navigation and
the regulation of steam vessels.
Mr.. Townsend moved TO strike out
the section which provides ths. when.
ever damage is sustained by any passsn-
ger on steam vessel, through fire, ex.
plosion or other causes, such casualty oc.
curing without the fault or knowledge
of the owner OF the vessel, said owner
shall only be liable to the extent OF his
interest in such vessel. Mr.. Townsend
said that under that section he might be
roasted alive in q Hudson river steam
boat owned by Vanderbilt, who was
worth bis millions, and yet that gentle
man could only be held liable to the ex.
sent of the value of the hull OF the ves-
tel.
Mr.. Beebe offered an amendment pro.
viding that any person sustaining loss
through the carelessness or will
full misconduct of a mate. engineer or
pilot, might sue the owner OF the vessel
for damages. BE said that according TO
the provisions of the bill the owner Of
the vessel was held responsible only to
the extent of the value of the hull,
while it allowed the agents of the owner
to be sued for an unlimited amount. He
was surprised that the gentleman who
had charge ofthe bill Reagan should
bring in bill which was so confessedly in
the interest of property. 1t was time
something was done in the interest OF
human life.
Mr.. Reagan denied that he was rep
resentative of property instead of the
people, but he was opposed to demsgog-
cry, and he trusted he would be opposed
to it till he went to his grave.
After some further discussion, the
amendment proposed by Mr.. Beebe was
rejected. Yeas, 81; nays, l62.
Mr.@Field moved to amend the para
graph by inserting the words ION in
dictment and conviction OF such careless
ness" etc. Agreed to.
Mr.. Hooker moved TO strike out Of the
paragraph the words "but If such explo-
sion, etc shall occur without the fault,
privity, or knowledge of the owner or
owners, his or their total liability shall
not exceed the value of his or their IN
terest in such vessel.
A long discussion ensued on this pro.
position, which was finally rejected.
Mr.. Hookers amendment was rejected.
Mr.. Townsend, of New York, moved
to strike out the whole paragraph in re-
| lation to the liabilities of the owners
Lost, yeas "a; nays 1877. The paragraph
as amended is as follows:
SEC. 4493. Whenever damage is sus.
tsined by any passenger, in person OF
property from explosion, fire, collision OF
other cause to which his negligence does
not contribute. The master and owner
of such vessel or either OF them, and the
vessel shall be liable to each and every
person go injured to full amour,
Of damage. If 1t appears through
any neglect or failure to comply with the
provisions of this bill, or through defect;
or imperfections of the stesming sp'
parstus or OF the weasel which could have
been detected and provided against by
reasonable care. But il such explosion,
fire, collision or casualty shall occur
without negligence, fault, privity OF
knowledge of tine owner or owners, the
total liabilities OF such owners, respect.
lively, shall in no case exceed an amount
equal TO the amount or value OF bis or
their interests In the vessel a. the
commencement of the voyage or trip, and
any person sustaining loss or injury a:
aforesaid, without guilt or negligence on
! his part, through the csrelessness, negli'
gence or wIllful misconduct of any mas
ter, mate, engineer or pilot, or his neg
lect or refusal TO obey the laws governing
the navigation Of such steamers, may sue
such master, mate, engineer or pilot
and recover damages for any
such injury caused by any such
master, mate, engineer or pilot, ard
such officer, on indictmeni
and conviction of such careessness
negligence, wilful neglect or refusal, may
also be imprisoned not exceeding three
years.
Mr.. Lockwood moved an amendment
TO the section fxIng the salaries Of steam
boat inspectors, classifying them from
Sl,7OO year at New York and New
Orleans down to 500 at Puget's Sound
Apslschicola, Oswego, ctr.
Pending discussion, the House ad.
journed.