New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-17
MANY WORSE BOATS HERE
Inspector General UhIer Considered
the Slocum Safe.
IFRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU

iFROM THE TRIBUNE REAC.t
Washington, June 16.-CseOrgs ChIer Supervfs-
ing inspector general of the United States
steamboat inspection service. declares that 50
far as the Department OF Commerce knows az
present every safeguard that the law requires
was thrown around the passengers OF the i'll
fated steamer General SIocuIn. and no provision
or appliance for safety that could have been
forced on the owners Of the vessel under t,.
present federal statutes was lacking Mr. Uhle-
said this afternoon:
II Is cruel TO attack the inspection service
until the Facts are known and negligence ly Ill 3.
uyPa' tIAyAI Is SHOWN 50 far we have been
able 70 learn up 20 this moment. the Socul
Ws,s provided with every piece of apparatus Tor
HSht4Hs are and every appliance for t-- S.vi0,
thar could be required. She had NOR -r-.. t-a
hundred life preseTvers over and above m. re-
CURED Der she was en- Led mon ~, ~ ~ ~.
inspector Harry LUudbere. VINO made tn. -
animation In May, testihes that he found tr-ri
IN good condition and easy of access. One 5s
'ha unjust statements have seen printed is Cd
t4le erect tH1t some one picked uo q life pre-
server marked Edwin Forrest ana .f.7 mad,
turther remark that the Forrest was an orl
ooat that was IN use on the Delaware River
forty years ago. leaving the impression OF
course. that that life preserver was from that
ancient craft There was a G1rt named The
Edwin Forrest and il did DIV ON tra Dai9v-a~,
KlFer l0rty years ago. But there was another
Edwin Forrest that was running % my kUoWl-
euGe' up 10 three years ago Therefore. even
AZ GGiRptoSI-s Ihat a NE presenter ON the SlOcum
dld bear the name Edwin Forrest which ia
eNSIeiIe4E unlikely. II would not prove that the
equipment was out or date and useless. \ good
he preServer With proper care win last for
many wears. Mr.. Lundberg. who made the last
Inspection, IS a Brooklyn man. perfectly com
petent and when he entered the service p9s sad
a splendid examination
or course, whenever anything like this awful
calamity occurs, il is very easy 10 say the in
spection service is at fault The record Of tho
years viii show. I think. that the steamboat
H-sl5ecturS are generally pretty competent and
perform Their duties well. Last year, for in
stance. the steamboats, OF the United States
carried nearly 100000 coo passengers and ont
or that enormous number only .q2 I7s- their
HNeS- About 146 of these were accidental
drowuingS. where passengers fell from the gang
L1hN or over the rails. and whom no precau-
there were probably fifty suicides - Won see
thtl the boats We're pretty safe after 011 The
SeTlllo9ats carried many more people than the
railroads yet the railroads killed and MANNED
d hUndredfo!d more victims
SAFER THAN MANY BOATS
am as familiar with the New-York waters
as any one can well be who has spent years
upon them as 4 practical steamboat man and
IN spite of the terrible accident that befe1I the
SIocuA am ready TO say that il was as safe
ana SAFER than many boats that ply the Sound
ana the East and North rivers IL was q good
ue~I SAFER. n my estimation than Fall River
oo''tS, which have such large wooden houses
upon thelr decks. The SlOCUm had comparative
~ little woodwork above decks TO catch on fire.
dad IL been built as many of the steamboats,
are. with larger cabins the loss OF life might
have been much greater
Inc investigation that we are making win
snow whether the officers and crew of the SI0-
cum used all the appliances st their command.
me pumps on board We're certainly large enough
70 cope with any ordinary fire. and II used
promptly should have put out the flames or at
any rate Kept them under control until the pas
sengers were got off safely But perhaps there
We're reasons why they could not work the
pumps. Perhaps the panicstriCken women and
children rushing in great crowds over the decks
prevented the few men on board from handling
the apparatus. One account that I read said
that 4 number OF the men We're taken of their
feet and literally swept overheard with the fren-
zted mob OF women and little ones
IL is not In my province to find fault with the
present laws regulating the inspection OF yes
sells, and am not willing. therefore. to make
any criticism The last Congress failed pass
a bill that was presented by the department
which called for certain notifications Of the
present laws. giving the Secretary more power
than he has at present and making certain
changes In the course OF procedure relating 70
building boats. The measure was passed by the
Senate and secured the approval of the House
Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
Then II went 20 conference and failed to pass.
do not know, OF course, why it did not pass.
but II said thar influential interests feared
that it would give the Secretary too much power.