Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-16
The Root Of the Evil.

The full measure Of the Slocum horror
will perhaps never be known. All late re-
ports indicate that the number Of dead far
exceeds the first estimates, and there are
many scores missing whose bodies may not
be recovered. while other scores are burned
beyond recognition.
The New York newspapers today dwell
insistently upon many features of the
catastrophe which point to bad judgment.
inadequate provision against disaster. mis-
management, imperfect inspection and
other like avoidable causes contributing to
the frightful total of deaths. Criticism Of
Captain Van Schaick. who stood at his post
to the last and was badly burned in an eff
fort to beach his steamer, centers in the
fact that he did not run her aground i'm
mediately after the fire was discovered.
Strangely. the reports Of the disaster differ
as to just where the flames broke forth. 1t
seems clear. however, that they were dis
covered in season to permit a Bleaching of
the vessel Immediately at Sunken Meadows
or elsewhere instead of at North Erother
Island. fully mile beyond the point Of first
danger. But much allowance may be made
for the commanders state of mind in the
emergency. and even though he Numbered
1t must be assumed that he did what he
conceived at the time to be best.
But no excuse whatever can be granted if,
as charged, the life preservers on board
We're old and rotten and filed with granu-
lated instead of sheet cork. IT is claimed
on all sides that these appliances were in
most cases utterly useless from this cause.
the powdered cork running out of the rents
which were made when they We're wrenched
loose from their fastenings. The federal in
spectors disclaim responsibility. averring
that their duty ends with the mere count
ing Of the preservers. This question must
be settled by the courts. to which an appeal
for decision as to accountability should
forthwith be made in terms of criminal
charges.
But after all. in these days Of improved
construction methods. there Is no excuse
for permitting tinder-boxes to ply upon the
rivers in the excursion business. One Of
the steamboat company officers declares
that there was nothing inflammable on the
Slocum but the woodwork. a statement
which opens a wide field Of inquiry OF
course. it is conceded that even small fires
will cause panics and that there was per-
haps no way to avert the frightful rush to
the boats sides. But what Of the terrible
risk Of allowing many hundreds of people,
including very small children, to assemble
on board wooden boat with only two po-
licemen in attendance to preserve order? In
such times the boats crew will be franti-
cally a work at fire hose and in no posi-
ton to fight against the rising tide Of
fear.
These boat excursions are essentially dan
gerous. and will continue so as long as the
law permits the assemblage of thousand
and more people upon single craft, es-
pecially one built of wood and guarded by
a mere handful of officers. In any case no
life Is safe on an excursion boat If the in
spection methods are as perfunctory as
those followed in the case Of the Slocum
seem to have been. A thorough overhaul
ing of the laws and the practices under
them is imperatively demanded in the in
terest of humanity.