Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-04
WESTERN MEN TO INSPECT.
President Declares Red Tape Shall Not
Prevent Public Safety.

A dispatch from New York last night
says: Following Supervising General Uhler' S
attempt to delay the reinspection of steam
ers in this port, ordered by Secretary Cor
telyou, a dispatch received last night from
Louisville, KY, announced that the Secre-
tary of the Department of Commerce and
Labor had instructed Capt. j. e. Abraham
and Capt. ]. ]. Dunn, steamboat inspectors
stationed there, to proceed at once to New
York and assist in reinspection OF all
passenger steamboas at this port.
The order to reinspect all the steamboats,
in this port was issued. by Mr.. Cortelyou
two days ago. Instead Of at once opeyllis
the order, Supervising Inspector General
Uhler went to Washington to try 70 avert
the consequences of such relnspection. II
is understood that he asked secretary Cor-
telyou that his reinspeetion OF poats pe
made by the local inspectors, they beins
more familiar with the work, and tnat, De-
cause of pressure of work In getting the
summer excursion feet into commission, the
reinspection be deferred. Both OF these re-
quests were refused and the supervising IN
spector general was informed that the oroer
for reinspection was issued to be obeyeo'
and that the red tape surrounding the oe-
partment was not to prevent actlon.
President Roosevelt himself is responsible
for this firm stand, and is determined that
everything possible shall be done to sat
isfv the popular demand for thorough IN
spection of hulls and equipment ana the
LAYING up of some of the floating fire traps
of the harbor, as well as the demand Tor
the punishment of those whose criminal
negligence and incapacity caused the Slo-
cum horror.
Secretary Cortelyous order. backed by
the President had not yesterday afternoon
made much impression on the local board
of inspectors. Uhler refused to say any
thing about when the order would De
obeyed, although it is understood that prob
ably the reinspection will begin Monday as
soon as the inspectors from Louisville ar
rive. James A. Dumont, chief Inspector OF
hulls in this district repeated yesterday,
in regard to Secretary Cortelyou's order,
that the work of the steamboat inspectors
was governed by sundry acts of Congress,
and that there was no law empowering the
Secretary of Commerce and Labor to issue
such an order. Another inspector said it
would seem as though there was no law
compelling the inspectors to obey the order.
While no inspector will refuse to make
such a reinspection, they say that the
steamboat owners can refuse reinspec-
ton of their boats, since the law insists on
only one inspection yearly. If the owners
refuse to submit to a reinspection, local
inspectors Relieve that they have no legal
right to insist on one.
Miss NJ. c. Hall, the bookkeeper of the
Knickerbocker Steamboat Company, who is
wanted to testify before the federal grand
jury, is still missing, Marshal HenkePs men
being unable all day to subpoena her. The
federal grand Jury will continue its inveSti-
cation next Wednesday.
The Knickerbocker Steamboat Company,
owner of the Grand Republic, three days
ago sent a letter to the steamship fnspec-
ton Office requesting reinspection Of the
Grand Republic. This was refused, the
inspector saying that, in view of the recent
order of Secretary Corteiyou, 1t would be
tantamount to INSTRUMENTATION on the part
of the local inspectors to reinspect the
vessel.
At the office Of the inspectors in the
VUylf e..
to the affair was refused yesterday, and at
the Office of the Knickerbocker company
President Barnaby said that such a request
had been made, but that mo satisfactory
answer has as vet been received"