The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1881-11-01
THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1. 1881.
Steamboat Accidents.


81 don't care what happens on nv
boat II have the fight sort of a crowd
aboard,' said the captain Of q river
steamer to our reporter the other day.
ais there q difference In crowds ?"
"a great difference l never leave
the wharf until look my crowds over
and find out what can depend on. Il
fnd it all right we put on steam and
work right up to card-time if it's weak
lot we 90 slow and are behind from the
start"
"Please define the case little clear
er."
"Well,' the right sort of. a crowd is
about half and half as to sex, and only
here and there child. The wrong sort
Of crowd is an overplus OF women and
children. Let me illustrate: Coming
down the river one day raft ahead OF
us swung around across the channel and
we struck it, got caught in the elbow,
and we're lifted square on the bank.
had the wrong GRO wd that day. Women
and children shrieked and rushed here
and there, and all made dash for the
port side and came near capsizing the
boat While there was no real danger,
women were frantic, children terrified,
and myself pulled back several females
who we're bound to GO overheard on the
channel sile in thirty feet OF water. The
incident was mere nothing, yet score
of women had to lie down after the panic
to quiet their nerves.
Within another week we were making
a landing up the river and the engine
stuck The result was that we went
into dock at the rate Of twelve miles an
hour We struck the wharf glancing
blow, picked up woodscow and beach
ed her, snd stopped only after my boat
had run her how IA feet upon the hank
Of the slip. That time had 200 pas
sengers and they we're the right sort. |
stood where could see the whole crowd,
and while every one knew what was 60
ing to happen, not man or woman
chsnged position. Those sitting grip
ped their chairs, and those standing up
braced for the shock, and not hand was
bruised"
"It's all in keeping COOL" said anoth-
er captain as he sat down for chat.
"As q rule, the man with the most in
telligence and the most to lose by acci-
dent is the coolest. have seen rousta-
bouts who had seemingly nothing to lose
snatch ife-rreservers or run to the yawls
at the first warning of danger, and you
will see something Of the sort whenever
you see an accident Do you remember
when the Alaska burst her steam drum
just as she had got out OF the mouth of
the river? Well, the lower deck, s'air-
ways, cabins and staterooms were filed
wi b steam in ten seconds, and hot water
; flew lively for minute, and yet the only
lives lost we're those where individuals
jumped overheard in panic. That was
a plucky crowd of passengers. Not a
man shouted and only one woman utter
4 ed a scream. When the steam blew away
and the boat stopped her wheels nearly
every passenger had life-preserver
buckled on, but there was no confusion.
A panic among the passengers would
have sent half OF them overheard.
"Never board a steamer with your
eyes shut. First locate the stairways so
that you can readily apd them in the
dark Next look to the ife:preservers
Some of them are corded up forward,
others piled away under the berths in the
state rooms, and others are stored aft
Locate them go that il an accident occurs
you will know just where to go.'
What should passenger do in case
OF fire ?" repeated another captain.
'.Well, there is only one answer to that.
He should wait. We read of great
many steamers burning up, but five are
saved where one is burned. A steamer
on voyage is being watched at every
point, and the moment fire breaks out
lit is located The hose hangs in the
most convenient place, the water is all
around US, and powerful streams can be
got ready in twenty seconds, Passen-
gers should wait fer results, and meke
no move until certain that the fire is be-
yond control Just as long as the pas
sengers keep cooitne crew will run any
risk and keep up 10 their work. Let wo-
men begin to scream and men to rush,
and new perils will instantly be added to
the situation. The chances are altogeth-
er in favor of putting out the fire, and
no man should think of distractiDg the
attention of the crew by shouting or
4 ders or advice or obslructing their path
way.
4 Suppose one yof cur river steamers
having on board $50 passengers should
catch FIRE in going up or down? There
are three chances to one that the fire can
be extinguished in from two TO five min
utes. From five to ten minutes the chan
ces are even. After that she can be iun
ashore anywhere in the river in three
minutes. Let the passengers sit quiet
for the 6rst five minutes, provide them
selves with life-preservers during the
next five, and even if every soul has to
Jump overheard in the middle OF Lake
St Clair not one need be drowned. A
cork life-preserver made secure under
the arms will float man weighing 200
pounds from lake to lake without his
giving kick. Il went overheard in
Lake Huron with my wife from a burn
ing schooner, and wefloated thirty hours
in heavy sea before we were picked up.
| was washed overheard in Lake Erie in
gale, and an empty barrel which went
over with me held me up for nine hours.
I'll guarantee to drive the length of
Lake Erie with no other float than an
arm-chsir.
"Scores of persons have fallen over
hoard in the quiet waters Of tbe-Detroit
River and been drowned through the
stupidity of fellow-passengers. If you
are present when such an accident oc.
ours throw life preserver, If it is close
at hand, as near the victim as-you can