The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-17
President Roosevelt Takes Act
ion on SlOcum Disaster.
Orders Dismiss Of the Govern
ment Inspectors.
IN STRONG LANGUAGE
He Condemns All in Any Way
Responsible.
New Laws Recon- mmOnded by In
Vestigating Commission.

Washington, Oct. 1.-THE report OF
the United States commission of in
vestigation upon the disaster to the
steamer General S1ocum, appointed
June % by the then secretary OF COM
merce and labor. Mr.. Cortelyou, has
been made public. In connection with
the finding of the commission, Presi-
dent Roosevelt, to whom the report
was submitted, has written a letter to
Secretary Victor H. Metcalf of the de-
partment of commerce and labor, brief
ly summarizing the report and direct-
ing him to carry into effect the recom-
mendations of the commission.
The president also directs that Rob-
ert S. Rode, supervising inspector ok
the Second district steamboat inspec-
tion service, and James A. Dumone
and Thomas F. Barrett, local inspoc-
tors in charge of the port OF News
York, be discharged from the service
the commission holding them directly
responsible for the laxity of the steam
boat inspection to which the Slocun
disaster was directly attributablos
Commissioner Uhler dissents to thae
portion of the report which places re-
sponsibility on the supervising inspec-
tor of the Second district, Robert 3
Rode. In the course of his letter the
president says:
can of course only take two formSt
One, that of legal proceedings against
those either within or without the SER
vice, and two, removal from ONCE OF
| those within the service. 1t appears
| that the department of justice has al
ready secured indictments against the
master and captain of the Slocum ana
against the managing directors OF the
Knickerbocker Steamboat company, tO
which company the Slocum belonged
for misconduct, negligence ana mat
4 .euHw1 nnFA
for aiding and abetting therein by the
| managing directors.
! Furthermore the department of jus
tice has secured indictments against
Henry I1undberg and John w. Fleming.
! the assistant inspector Of the steamboat
inspection. service, who actually inspect
ed the SloeuTn. for fraud, misconduct
and inattention to duty. Lundberg has
been dropped from the service.
! I'm addition, the department. OF jus-
tice has secured indictments of the
manager and three employees OF the
Nonpareil Cork works of Camden, y.
J., for putting upon the market com
pressed cork blocks for use in making
| life preservers, each of which blocks
contained in its center piece of bar
iron weighing several ounces. This last
| offense was SO heinous in character that
| it is difficult to comment upon ii with
proper self restraint
1T appears that the national legis-
Iature has never enacted a law provid-
ing in set terms for the punishment or
this particular species of infamy, doubt
| less because it never entered the head
/ of any man that so gross an infamy
coudl be perpetrated. l suggest that you
report this whole matter to congress-
transmitting these two reports. ana az
| that time calling special attention 10
the need of imposing an adequate PEN
atty for the making or selling of defec-
tive life saving appliances
According to this report 1t appears
that in addition to the assistant in
spectors who are now on trial. the
supervising inspector of the Second dls-
trict. Mr.. Rode. and the two local in
spectors of the port of New York, Mr.,
Dumont and Mr.. Barrett. should all
three be removed for laxity and neglect
in performing their duties. Laxfty ana
neglect. where the consequences may be
so terrible as they have proved to be in
this case, cannot be passed over even
where there has been good conduct in
other respects on the part OF the men
Implicated. Accordingly these officials
named will be removed from the SER
vice. -.
the proposal of the commission that there
ouRhly to investigate the laws which ara
su5posed to provide for the safety of pas
sengers on steamboats,, especially on ex-
cursion boats, where the prime causes e
highly infiammable character OF the SUI
perstructures."
cum was last Inspected by Henry Lund-
berg and John w. Fleming May >, and
/
at the time of the disaster was issued
May 6 by James A Dumont and Barrett
The commission sharply criticises the fra
fighting apparatus The commission says
in connection with the steamboat inspcc-
tion service at New York that the local
inspectors were interpreting their duties
in several respects in manner not just
flied by the statutes; that the require
ments as to the testing of fire hose on
passenger steamers were diSregardecs
that the assistant inspectors made nC
pressure test of fire hose except such
was incidental in the use of such hose Tor
testing boilers: that they uniformly
ported the hose 'in good condition." that
the local inspectors accepted the reports
of their assistants without personal
knowledge and that the rule which re-
quires that a vessels equipment shall be
inspected jointly by inspectors was not
enforced.
mendations for laws regulating the con-
struction of vessels and to give adequate
authority to the department of commerce.
and labor, and to Increase its power 10
enforce regulations as to safety appl-
ances, etc Legislation will be asked
along the lines suggested