Omaha daily bee., 1884-04-10
CRIMINAL CARELESSNESS.

Further revelations about the terrible
disaster at Halifax tend to refute the
first impression that no blame was to be
ascribed to any one for the dreadful affair.
Serious charges are now made against
both captain and owners. If they are
true, the accident is not to be ascribed
to the unavoidable hazards of travel by
sea, but added to the long list of sicken-
ing casualties which the carelessness or
incompetency of commanders have
caused. 1t would have been some salts
faction to think that, narrowing as the
disaster is, it could not have been prevent
ed by any human foresight.
The Steinman, it seems, was built with
air-tight compartments, like most other
ocean steamers. Yet, as soon as a hole
was made in her hull she sank instantly.
This is explained in a way that makes
the owners. to a great measure at least,
responsible for tho lives lost. The yes
sell was very heavily laden with freight,
and in order to give more
room in her hold, the alright
compartments were taken out. In other
words, the owners sacrificed the safety
of their passengers to the few dollars
which they received for carrying an
extra amount of freight. If this prac-
tice is general among steamship com.
panies, the thousands of passengers who
weekly trust their lives upon the ocean
deserve to know it.
Captain Schoonhoyen, of the Stein
man, is charged with criminal reckless.
ness in the management of his vessel.
He had twice before entered Halifax
harbor. He ought to have known the
rocks and shoals and lights which were
were in his way. Instead, he mistook
Sambro Island lighthouse for Chebucto
head, and ran his vessel straight on the
rocks at the latter place. For two day.
he had been unable to take any observa.
tions on account of the fog. Neverthe'
less he pushed right on and took
no precautions to discover his where.
abouts. The keeper of the lighthouse
says he plainly saw the Steinman coming
on towards the rocks at full speed. Yet
tie captain seems to have been unable OIL
too careless to see where the ship wa.
going.
When the Steinman first struck sht
was uninjured, Between the first blow
and that which broke a hole in her bot
tom an hour and a halt elapsed. A
heavy sea was running, but it seems very
strange that in 80 long a time, no intelli
gent effort could be made TO rave tn,
passengers. The survivors say that tn
widest confusion prevailed. 1t wal
every man for himself. Four boats wer'
lowered, but by some incomprehensibl'
stupidity they were not cut away from
the steamer, and when she sank, thre'
of them went down with her. TIL,
fourth foated and in it the seven VIII,
survived of the 100 souls on boart
escaped to tell the tale. The fact tina
the captain was brave enough to stand by
his ship until all others had left it doe,
not palliate his criminal incompetency
Mere courage is q very poor substitut.
for care and intelligence.
The recklessness with which ~transpor.
tation companies risk human lives fol
money is appalling. The indifference
with which they put the gravest trust.
into the hands of incompetent and ignor
ant men has been alone responsible fol
many such a calamity as that Of Sambre
island. How many Steinman's without
compartments and how many Captain
Schoonhavens without brains there maj
be, no one can tell. But there will mo-
be very much security against such yes
sells and such officers until the owners
responsible for both are made to suffer
Risking human lives in unsafe ships OF
with unsafe men ought to be made nj
less a curse than murder. The owner.
can be made to feel some of the RESPONSE
bility which rests upon them.