St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-07-09

which a succession of accidents of a
similar character, always seem to fol-
low each other in rapid succession.
During the last sixteen days the Mar
ragansett was destroyed, the Anchoria
and Queen cOllided within one hundred
and fifty miles of Sandy Hook, and the
Adelaide was sunk off Leroy street III
the Hudson. the Seawanhaka was burn
ed. and on the East river, the Long
Branch, laden with happy Sunday
school children, had her stern stove in
and was obliged TO promptly land her
passengers to prevent worse disaster.
Truly there appears to be malignant
influence moving on the face OF the Wa
tiers. The destruction of the Seawan-
haka was an especially sad event. The
steamer was a general favorite on ac-
count of her graceful model and great
speed; and she was used to carry pas
sengers to and fro between New YORK
and the many charming villages, re-
sorts, and Summer homes along the
southern shore of Long Island Sound.
Yet-she took FIRE, almost immediately
on leaving her pier, and IN SIX minutes
she lay a blazing wreck on Randall's
Island, while her passengers, to the
number of hundreds, were either but
feting the waters of He'll Gate, or meet
ing a horrible death in the roaring
flames. 1t was a sad spectacle. but,
unfortunately, it suggests too many
terrible possibilities OF the near future
to permit us to draw a veil over the
scene and forget it. What If 1t had
been one of the numerous excursion
steamers about New York, that go Ia
den with thousands instead of hundreds
of messengers? That is the thought
that will always come uppermOst when
we hear of such an event; and one De
gins to think of the prOprlety OF invent
ing some sort of a life-preserver arm,
to which all passengers shall De I'M
tiated the moment they step on inc
deck of a steamer. CalmnesS ana SER
possession are necessary; ana when eN-
ervbOdv has been taught TO take 10 the
water with confidence, we may turn
our steamboat accidents into a bathlng
Dastime Rut at present there Is not
mucb entertainment In these events.
II is not pleasant when you walk
down the streets to find them blocked
ND bv large squads of police officers,
with thrOngs of idle men on the corners,
talking in a mysterious and subdued
tone upon some things which no fellow
seems to very thoroughly understand. |
1t looks too much like sedition or riot, !
and that is never a very agreeable sub !
IecJ, for contemplation. But it is what
we have been witnessing for several |
DAYS. in New York, this week, and the /
strike of the Second avenue car drivers |
has been the cause. Men cannot live |
on air, even in the dog days; and so
they will rebel, and though they gen
orally get the worst of the rebellion in /
The long run, they have the satisfaction |
IF the infection of some damage on
hose whom they conceive to be their /
1ppressors. The labor problem is be /
continually more and more /
as wOrkiugmen show a
to combine. and there will |
be no solution for the question until /
general cooperation takes the place of
Working men can never |
control the price of labor while a con
siderable proportion of their comrades |
are without an income. 1t is strange
that they do not discover this fact. and /
see that cooperative labor system is !
rheir only recourse.
lacks on the higher departments of our
public school system. made in this /
state, was seen in Brooklyn. a few days
ago, where twenty-seven thousand dol !
lars was withheld from the apprOpria- |
ton for the support Of the High School. /
This is one OF the most dangerous, be
cause most covert. attempts yet made |
to cripple our public school system. |
To lower the standard of the schools |
would he the most certain means of /
destroying their influence and utility |
in the vurn nNunity: and all true friends /
of popular education must be ON the |
alert to meet the new changes. The |
is made. of course. in the /
name of economy; but it is a false plea, /
though one very well calculated to cap /
ture the unwaTy. 1t is a movement /
only meant for the qualification of the /
opponents of the public schools, and it /
S yelled under false pretenses.