Daily Republican., 1880-06-15
HEpUBAIUAn 1ICKET.
Criminal Negligence.

Sound accident, the more are we con
WINGED Of the great necessity OF havinl
steamboat horou3hly inspected
every day before she starts upon he
trips. 1t is horrible to read OF tn
care!essness exhibited by the officer
and crews Of both the Narragansett ant
the stonipgton. Here were boats tina
every day carried from 800 to 600 pas
sengers exposed all the time to just
such an accident as happened on Fri
day night. According to the admis'
sions Of the captains the crews were re
oruited from the longshoremen or wharf
bummers which are to be found loa6ng
about every steamboat landing and
along the wharves and water courses
of our large cities. They make no pre-
tensions to skill in handling steam
boat but they are out Of job and can
be hired cheap. Thus they are placed
in positions where the lives Of all on
board are dependent upon one who has
probably no sense OF moral obligation
nor no regard for human life. We in.
sist that it should be made criminal
offence to employ men and place them
in such important positions without
having first been examined and drilled
to see if they are efficient in the peculiar
art of river and sound steamboatipg.
The employment of such incompetent
wharf rats as drove the Narragansett
and her load Of human freight into the
jaws Of destruction on Friday night, is
one of the grave charges for which the
owners and officers should be called 10
answer if there is any law to meet the
case, and il there is NO law there should
be no time lost in making such law
not only in New York hut in Delaware
and in every State where there are nav
igable waters.
1t is blood curdling to read of steam
er putting out to sea with three hun
dred passengers on board and the
plugs that SHOULD have tesn in the
life boats missipg-holes having been
bored to let the accommodating rain water
of When these boats were lowered
ON Friday night, some of them
filed with water and turned over.
Mrs. Dix lost her three children
and servant while holding on to one of
these boats that rolled over in the water
and could not be righted, because the
plugs were missing. For other boats
plugs were made Of the cork of life pre-
servers. The davits to which the boats
were hung were rusty and would not
work properly. There were no oars in
some Of the boats at least, and the ropes
were tangled and out Of order. In one
ease the passengers carried the boat out
Of danger Of suction by the sinking ves-
sci, only by padding with their hats
and piece of board they had picked
up. The life preservers in great
number eff cases we're useless, because
they were without straps and buckles.
All this is monstrous to read about
Every boat carrying passengers should
be made to continually observe the
same regulations for the preservation
of human life in case of accident, that
are made obligatory and are followed
on the great ocean steamers. Every
part of the life saving machinery of a
vessel should be inspected every day.
II there are holes in a life boat the
plugs should bs chained 10 a small
staple close by. If the davits are rusty
they should be oiled. II the ropes are
tangled they should be Strengthened
out. None but competent men Of good
character should be employed
in any capacity on vessel end the
crew should be frequently aud thre-
fully drilled in the dulles hey are ex-
pected to perform. 1t would b. e'ter
that such precautions should be taken
every year Without any necessity for
their uss arising than that for The
want OF them there should as much
as one life be lost.
Every steamboat has had at scrne
time or other every thing provided
that human Imagination could suggest
for the protection Of the lives Of it's
passengers but what signifies all tbi. If
there ia not 10 BIZ a regular inspection
Of the apparatus, to see that it Is con-
stantly and all the time order. One
rusted bolt may be the means of send
ing hundreds Of men, women and child ,
rem into burning vortex or into q
watefy grave. Il is OF no use 70 pro-
vide life boats I" ,seamerB and then
lose the pluar w, speak earnestly
upon this ma!t"l for Wilmington is
maratime city oonnected with regular :.
steam boat lines and with almost daily 2
excursions gong and returning. Wee