Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-06-30
THE LATEST HORROR.

~NNAN~SN-NS-
singly, and recently have so trodden upon
each others heels as to give much encour-
agement to those cheerful individuals who
delight to find in the troables of the pres
ent indications of the near approach of
those latter days in which the world is to
90 to eternal ruin. The loss of the
training ship Atalanta with her freight of
Youth: the terrible destruction consequent
upon the late oil fires; the tornadoes of
the West and the wrecks they left in their
path the disastrous confagrations in the
great timber regions; the sinking of the
Narragansett on Long Island Sound the
Santa Cruz horror, and now the burning
of the Seawanahaka, are bountiful texts
in point for the grewsome prophets This
latest horror is aggravated by the fact that
the catastrophe took place in the very har-
Dor of New York, in the presence of hun
dreds of people and with ample aid on every
hand. But so swift were the flames that
even rescue was difficult, and no effort
could be made to stay the fire. The fact
that SO many as fifty lives were lost within
few rods of shore, upon comparatively
placid harbor, in broad day light, and with
scores of boats near at hand, gives point
to the remarks in which we INDUCED yes
terday with regard to the necessity of
more general practice of the art of swim
ming. It is perfectly evident that most. if
not all, of those adults who lost their lives
at this disaster had time to divest them
selves of heavy wraps, spring overheard,
and maintain themselves until the rescuers
arrived-many of whom were on the spot
in from five to ten minutes-or else strike
out for and reach the shore, which was but
a short distance away, if they had but
known how to swim. The stories of Charles
Abel, the fireman, who, confident of his
own natatorial powers, yielded his life pre-
server to another, and of Moires, the
porter, who, by like ability, saved the
woman who appealed TO him, speak vol
umes on this subject. Indeed it would
seem to justify the proposition that there
should be some requirement by which
swimming should be made part of the
education of both men and women, wher-
ever the means for its practice are availa'
Bile. There is as much reason in it, and
more, than in enforced calesthenic, mill
tary and gymnastic exercises.
The Brooklyn Eagle, remarking upon
the Narragansett disaster, insists that
"women lean too much upon men. They
'should be taught to row, to swim, and to
edo hundred other things which at pres
sent women are considered too delicate to
"learn, and the thought is one that ought
"to be more and more pressed upon atten-
&c ton until a lady's education shall no
"more be considered finished until she is
prepared, like man, to rely upon herself
sin emergencies Of danger. Knowing how
% to meet them will not harm her any more
" than knowing how to swim will harm
''woman who makes voyage where there
twill be no occasion to put the art to use"
Returning to this latest steamboat dis
aster the conduct of Captain Smith, who
piloted the Seawanahaka, and stood at his
post at the peril of his life places his name
among the roll OF modern heroes. In sick
ening contrast to his brave actions and
those OF several Of his men, is the inhuman
conduct of some of the rescuers, who came
upon the scene and coolly bargained with
save them at so much per head, while
others swooped down upon the poor burned
wretchos struggling in the water and
robbed them, unheeding their cries for
mercy. We almost lose faith in humanity
when the record afirms that there are such
fends born OF woman. From present ad
vices it is difficult to arrive at the original
cause of the disaster. There seems to have
been an explosion Of some kind, followed
immediately by flames from amidships and
the burning of the steamer, which was
consumed ike fax. 1t is probable that
coal oil was used in the fire-room, as is not
unfrequently done, aud that can OF it ex-
ploded. In no other way can we now ac-
count for the sudden burst of dense fame
and smoke from that apartment. 1t is
certain that the fre-extinguishing appli
ances were not sufficient, for there seems
to have been no application OF streams to
the flames, nor any effort to check the fire,
until the boat could be beached. 1t is not
unlikely an Investigation will develop the
fact that the steamer was not properly
armed with pumps, hose and extinguishers,
and that there was an objectionable cause
for the fire; and it IS just as unlikely that
any one will be held responsible.