The suburban citizen., 1902-06-28
MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOATS,.
Innamlnable Character of the Craft Stir
Used on tho Great River.

InnamInable Character OF the Craft STIR
Used on tho Great River.
The burning Of the steamer Sunrise
at her landing in front of the city
serves again to call attention to the
infammable character Of the craft thai
are universally used for river traffic
1t is true that no lives were lost as
result of the destruction of the Sun
rise, but number of people had
narrow escape, and it Is certain thai
had the fire occurred when the boat
was running there would have been
loss Of life just as there was in tho
recent City of Pittsburg disaster.
The trouble, of course, is not due tc
any carelessness on the Sunrise or on
any OF the other river craft which have
been destroyed by fire. 1t is more
than probable that both the Sunrise
and the City of Pittsburg were well
equipped in the way of tire-hghting
apparatus and were probably in all
respects up-to-date boats of their kind
The real secret of the disasters is to be
found in the construction of all river
boats. These vessels are made entirely
Of wood with light wooden upper
works, which, dried by the sun and
wind as well as by the heat from theiI
own engines and boilers, become little
better than vast tinder boxes. If such
vessels catch fire it is practically
hopeless case from the first.
These river craft have changed but
little in construction or materials in
the past fifty years. In many respects,
of course, they are admirably suited
to the trade in which they are engaged,
and active competition from the rail.
roads makes it essential that cheapness
OF materials in the construction OF
these boats should be considered. Al
the same time common prudence, as
@ell as business sense ought to die.
tate the advisability of experimenting
with materials less inflammable than
those which commonly enter into the
construction Of the average river
! steamer. 1t Is true that passenger
business is not what il used to be, but
1t is also true that the number of pas.
sengers using the boats is still large,
and it is now on the increase. The
comfort Of passengers is undoubtedly
well cared for on river boats, but the
principal consideration is their safety.
River steamers do not, as rule,
carry enough lifeboats, nor are the ap-
pliances for lowering such boats what
they should be- More and better ar.
ranged boats would undoubtedly mini
mize the danger TO life, but what is
needed, above all, is change to some
less infammable material than wood
for the construction of boats. Vessels
have been constructed with light steel
hulls that have given satisfaction. and
there is no reason why light steel con.
struction should not replace wood in
the cabins and living quarters of river
steamers. Even if il should be deemed
best to keep to wood for hulls and
main decks of boats, the upper works
which are now the source of the most
danger, could be constructed of light
steel
II is true that even steel ships oc.
raslonally burn at sea, but at the same
time 1t is a fact that they burn much
more slowly than steamboats,, and gen.
orally give ample time to save passen.
gers and crew and often even to reach
port from long distances at sea. While
1t is not to be hoped that a freproof
boat can he built, there ought to be
something done to make river craft
less !nflammable than they now are.
Moreover, all passenger vessels should
be compelled to carry sufficient
number of lifeboats and RATS, so kept
as to be easily lowered into the water
at the shortest possible notice.-New
Orleans Picayune.