, 1881-10-02

sis +hnt ~ o1 me law. Upon the hypothe
Liable for alt the damage done and Il The e'oe nen
any VI the uruinance.'' pe'A
,e.nses 5;i he be prosecuted for criminal care
don'f 1'nt f,ss Is somstinx N DON'T care to
:. Do you regard the ordinance as legal ?''
VI course 10. The ordinance IS lcra
itoin tie very fact that it Is reasonable in It;
pauy1s,nhns. raeenah There is nothing illegal or un
out one f II tet,', It, ai tue vessemen will find
c,t,, Nelt,n said Mr. Julius S. GrlnucIl, the
sHy-Attorney, it strikes me that The pro,
to ,s'o!i Ei4 1of punishment @ in the ordinance are
to tI tto,I n"sns. lhe only sections which relate
~ tneh are Nos. 9s; and 9Ss IF the Municipal
zoe: 1t provides fur 4 fine Of SO tor tic
I1aplalti doing the damage to bridge
ttniousn cafelesness, and 81 fire where
hrdtsisno hlsn Is aohe rhroqgh the carelesness Of a
sponslble than the higher officer. 1 I'M not
SURPRISED at this accluent l have been ex:
peetthg So @S0'nethn. Of this sort for some time
Rast, L,,,,:l ahe .,o vesselen have been openly
run tI vessel into bridge at fuli tilt and test
H. and they'll get the w Worst rst'e Of 'ons it.
IAefc is no question Of the legality Of the
oroll!ance IN at least two cases the Su-
ih not SURG but that there is third decis-
lon. The Captain ought to have been yanEed
! w then and there lie and his vessel ar,
ii;n, iiaole tor every doiar's worth of damage
taal was done ana the pcnaities.''
OTHER COLLISIONS.
~ Un1y fy tew days ago TIE TRIBUNE told
now ltalsted street bridge was nearly knock
| cd INTO TIC river by tue propeller Sturucca.
oonn after that it mentioned the demolition
OF state street bridge, as result of which it
is i SUI open. Then came the accident at
IaEc street bridge, and HOW comes this dis
aster to the Clark street structurc-one OF
TomoTrow it vii proeaSiy pr ali en':if {ti ft5y Sow
! S1lne S:; vessel has run into and upset
d!cate two things, the .teyillsI1 malignancy
OF the Eesse-'nen and the imbcciiity Or stu.
llttity OF the city authorities. The TEMPER Of
me yessel-ntn Is very well known Ii will
DC ,i;t,.l ifmi;e.noered, per how, wen the ordinance
IN the morning, and from Ilalf-past to half
] PAST Il III the evening, became il law, they an
no'inced their intention of disregurdiny it,
ana tt sad they would run their vessels plump
to keep then SHUT: This threat they appear
to liave carried out pretty cffertuaIy
ut Lake and Clark streets. Tile trouble
with these people is that, owing to lung
years OF tolerance on the part of the people,
paramount OF the Chicago River; that they,
rev Thousand III number, arc to have every
thing their OWN way, while the citizens gen-
orally, several hundred thousand IN number,
are to be annoyed, and inconyenencett. and
!ormented simply for their accommodation
1t takes more trouble TO discipline and keep
IN order this little band Of 1awless vessel,
men than it does to control the entire Grim
TIA 3ha affairs Of Chicago. It IS wonder that
they have not risen before now and cleaned
out the whole set. 1t takes very little to stir
into. activity the irritation ot tens of thou
sands OF people who are detained from their
homes or their business
THROUGH THE CRIMINAL LAwLEsSEss
OF these fellows, and when indignation Of
tllls sort does get aroused it is apt u be pretty
strong and thorough III its manifestation,
But, while the conduct Of these yessel-men
IS deserving of all dennnciAtiou, that Of the
city authorities Is equally blameworthy. 1t
was and is In their power to stop this thing.
It is their duty, the moment vessel runs
into bridge, first to arrest the Captain, en-
Elneer, the crew, and every person on board
the vessel. have them brought to the Police
Court, have them fined severely. hive their
cases followed up sharply if they take an ap-
peal, have them sent TO the BrideWell If
they haven't the money, Squeeze the fine out
Of them ii they have it BY every process
known to tile law, libel their vessels for Tho
damage done, tic them up to the docks, CUT
short their voyages, break up their charter
parties, destroy their trade, force them to |
give heavy and burdensome bonds- teach !
them, i'll Il word. that the lives, the property, |
OF people are not to be lnterfeled with tor !
their convenience or for their insane wiitns, |
\ little application of this sort Of justice !
would very soon bring: them to terms, and |
minority, that they are subject, like Others, |
to tie lnw, and that while they are allowed !
the use ot their own property and are allowed
to transact their own business, they must not
do It III such way as to interfere with others.
This used to he tile way Of managing things t
IN other days and III other administrations |
Then the Tesselmen tried 10 run rampant, |
and to shove their way down the river IT.
sardlcss Of bridges and regardless of the
rights Of their fcllow-citizens; but they were |
what 1t was to dance attendance at the Police
Courts, to give heavy bonds, to be beset by
teNatious suits, and they stopped and found
that, Oil the whole, they could transact their
business !
WITHOUT BECOMING A PUBLIC NUISANCE.
perhaps, but poorer performance,
md these vesseimen have again conceived
:he idea that they are the owners OF the city.
BUT the moment that tile present lAdmins-
Il its hands, the moment it begins to enforce
the law. then the nuisance will cease again.
The present law, however. is grossly i'll
!dequate. Take case like that Of ycstcr-
he extent Of Il few hundred dollars, and i
'uggy was broken. For these things the
'essel is responsible, and will doubtless be
nade to pay. But damage was done be-
ond that. Seventy-five Thousand people
i've OIL the North Side. Large numbers of
hem, especially Saturdays, come over into
he South Division OIL business or OIL pleas
re. During the greater part Of the day
hey had 10 leave the cars at kinzie street |
nd walk !lalf a mile across the river. Dur
ng portion Of the day the bridge was
ttcrly impossible, and they were compelled
, walk around through tile LII Sale street
annel. Their loss in time, and consequent
! in money. due to this reckless steamer, is
itficut Of computation, and yet the steamer
uEht to pay it. The North Side Street Rail-
'ay Company was Il heavy loser yesterday,
wing to this broken bridge. The steamer
ught to pay its damages also. If this were
nee done, and if all the damages, contingent,
lferell1ial, aud remote, were heaped upon
le steamer, probably it would be the last
me that the Captain OF that particular craft
ould try to force his way up or down the
,rcatn in violation OF tue laws Of the city. !
Mayor Harrison seems to be obliyious OF
is duty aud ignorant Of the law. This is | {
OF the first time THE TRIBUNE will instruct I
i'm in both. His duty is to give immediate
rect1oNs for the arrest of everybody on that :
Gamer, for the prompt trial of every one,
II the Immediate ibcIing Of the vessel, for |
e swift collection Of all the damages done, ,
+ the punishment Of the offenders By every r
cans iii his power, and for 4 declaration Oh | -