The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-09
ROASTS THE CHIEF.
"sEABo ARD HOT AFTER THE
STEAM VESSEL INSPECTOR.
4 Bitter Fight Against J. 4. Damonf.
Who Ras for Twenty-One Years
m~nt-harges Of Gross Inc3mpe-
tenc,->teamshipQ Queen sail. Thfs
Morning With q Large List of
Passengers.

For many years the New York SEA-
board. pro5ao bly, Ehs most influential -aA-
Tlns Journal published ia The UEised
States. has maintained a cgrta- 1ght
against ) 4. DQnont, for twenty-oze
years supervising Inspector general Of
steam vessels Seaboard claims that
az lsst the of1ci2i IL 70 be removed and
II It's issue q June - comes oft with the
following oitfsr article:
The dangerous mIsIna IA cement % the
IiEed states steam boat inspection sery-
lie. a4s notorious as K IS dsplorabie mas
at Ast been iOrctcly brought 70 the a.
tentloa o. the president and il Is said
ne has decided Upon the removal Of the
present Supervising inspector general ot
steam vessels having become convinced
that sAch removal la4sL prsce6- PRESSING
and vital reforms.
Secretary u the Treasury Gage II is
said. has been measuring up tals chief.
and cprE.2 pairing MS alleged 'qUaltlca Ions
WITH these tl2t should be poszesssaf~ by
such al Official, the result of which BODIES
oin.nous tor the present incumbent. Sec
Rotary Gage IS not a nan 70 Re Influenced
by sIio talk or the pressure of .ntT suing
and powerful friends OF tie SUPERVISING
insPector geueE&l-'fTieadS wko are such
because recipients and oeneaciarleS Of the
favorS Of TIE suPeTs sing inspector gen
eFaL Such friends have +petiticT.ed' tor
this man : retention and may again. IN
being useful 10 steamboat owners IL does
not follow that the supervising inspector
general is useful 10 the steamboa using
public. Secretary Gage IS just the Aiad OF
IA man 10 think OF that
Preceding his appointment as super
SiSiUs Inspector general or steam vessels.
the present official was:
4 At The helm o. the schooner Noah
Brown, when the latter ran into and
sank a Hudson river steamer, resulting IL
the drowning OF many Of her passeng rs.
=. Before The mast On whales for
cruise.
IS y pilot o. small tughoat.
- A custom house inspector
These are. the claims to competency
upon which this man has aged 10 re-
tain his present office for nearly twenty
one years. as consequence Of which tue
deficiency and degradation OF the service
Il CON plete.
ITO specify and explain all OF the serious
charges that have been made against tha
saptr7vis.ng Inspector general OF steam
space Of several issues Of Sea board The
fact remains that the service Is and Ions,
has been a disgrace to the government
and a possible danger instead OF a pro;ec-
ton 10 the Tnar1ne~using public Bills
have been repeatedly introduced in con
gTess see King TO reform or reorganize the
steamboat inspection service bat the bills
nave died and the service been permitted
to degenerate.
Associations Of steamboat owners and
Officers have repeatedly specified the OBJ
JeciiOnable and dangerous features OF
steam boat inspection Hlisnanage ment but
although these features still exist, the as
sociations OF late have become strangely
silent as 10 the need OF reform. whether
II is Tzvors received. or injuries fpared
that have caused the suppress sion Of this
agitation for reform We know not but the
president and Secretary GAGE have proba-
bly, both learned that 10 institute reforms
several important changes in the person
nei are necessary, conspicuously that Of
the chief and the appointment OF men &C
GtsH.TfFi ms ~
and engineering who can and will lift ;ha
steamboat inspection service out Of its
present dissraced and demoralized coEdi-
lion -
This Is probably the most severe attack
OF any that have recently appeared,