National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-02-05
THE STEAM MARINE OF THE LAKES


Captain HARRY WHITAKER veteran
mariner and steamboat commander on the
great lakes, has kindly furnished us from
memory with some interesting statistics re-
lating to the early navigation of those
waters The first steamer wasp put upon the
Upper Lakes in 1917, and from that time up
to the fall of 1887 Twenty years. sixty
seven steamboats, were built and put afloat
to carry passengers and freight. During
that period many millions of passengers
were carried, involving loss Of only eight
| lives-six on the Peacock and two on the
Oliver Perry. The names of the steamboats,
that were brought into service during the
| twenty years referred to were the Walk-in-
the-Water, Superior, Chippewa, Pioneer,
Niagara Henry Clay, Enterprise, William
Penn, Red jacket, Ohio, Daniel Webster,
New York, Governor Marcy, Monroe, Uncle
Sam, General Porter, Sandusky, United
States, Sheldon Thompson, Delaware, Michi-
gan, Newberry, North America, Barcelona,
Commodore Perry, Anthony Wayne, To-
ledo, General Brady, Jack Downing, jack
SON. Bunker Hill, Pennsylvania, Constella-
ton, Fulton, Cleveland, Eclipse, jefferson,
Madison, New England, Columbus, Illinois,
Chesapeake, Vermillion, Wisconsin, New
Orleans, Mazeppa, p eacock, Indian Queen,
! St. Clair, Great Western Crescent City,
Louisiana, Albany, London, Chautauque
Rochester, Thames, Canada, Goderich, Ar
row, Buffalo, Charles Townsend, Mcconnell
| I1.A I'r;a IOl\ and Woobin,,tnn
From 1887 to 1851 the follow ing boats
were built and put in service Constitu.
ton Missouri, Keystone State, A. D.
Patchin, Griffith, Washington ED, Empire
State, Empire, Sultana, Oregon, America
Baltic, Buckeye State, Indiana, Lexington
Lady Elgin, Alabama, Baltimore, Heller
Strong, Detroit, Saratoga, Southerner
Champion, Julia Palmer, Dart, Arctic Pa
clic, Atlantic, Ocean, Caspian, Sam Ward
T. X, Collins, Mayaower, May Queen
Morning Star, NOrtherner, North Star
Saginaw, Diamond Pearl, Huron, Ply
mouth Rock, Western World, Northern In
diana, Southern Michigan, Western Metrop
! oils, City of Buffalo, st. Lawrence Missis
: sippi Erie, Ben Franklin, Globe, Boston
: Ohio, Garden City, Golden Gate, Milwaukee
q Michigan Nile, Troy General Harrison
5 Griffith ed, Fashion, Reindeer Forester
Iowa, Illinois l2d), and Michigan (2d)-7C
During the first twenty years of steam
lake navigation, with sixty-seyen steam
boats in service, only eight lives were lost
= while from 1887 to 1852 six hundred live
were lost. Previous to that date no Law
+ had been enacted TO protect life on steam
p vessels. In 1852 or $50 law passed Con
! gress, intended to provide for the protec
: ton of life on board of steamboats, carry
- ing passengers This law provided tina
: the President shall appoint ten Supervisor
/ Inspectors of Steamboats,, by and with tn
p, consent of the Senate. Each of these {
be selected for his knowledge, skill an
practical experience in the uses Of stcar
for navigation, and to be a competent iudg
of the character and qualities Of steaI
= vessels and of all parts Of the maGhiner
V employed in steaming, The most impoI
o tant service of this Board is to make rule
that will prevent collision s, explosions, O
y the loss of life by fire. The law has bee
d in force for more than twenty.seven year
u and 50 far as we can ascertain the Boar
," has made and enforced no rule which hc
., prevented fearful accidents and loss
-, life.
't In this connection and in view of Il
d statistics before us, we are led to the COZ
clusiop that the benefits Of this law Ia,
N not been fully realized, Whether the la
e is faulty or the appointments have not 81
B. cured proper qualifications in the membe
l. of the board, we will not pretend to decid
IL. but it is evident that the loss Of life Ii
ID rather increased than diminished in rat
m since the law was passed. This has bee
r especially the case on the lakes. as appeo
ID from the statistics furnished. During Il
i first eight years following the passage
"a the law to protect life and property by
= board of inspectors, 1900 lives were lost