New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-20
LIGHT CROWDS on BOATS.
Passengers on Steamers Inspect Life
PreSerTerS.

Since the General Slocum disaster life saving
apparatus on ferry and excursion steamers
about New-York is being inspected II never
has been before. The new inspectors-both men
ard women passengers-are self appointed and
unpaid but they ars tfreless in their investiga-
tons and pay no attention TO orders from deck
hands and mates that they cease their prying.
Life preservers come IN for particular atten-
rion Wherever one shows IN the ceiling racks
and wherever one can be found tucked away
under the seats It is poked and jabbed by cane
and umbrella ends and dug at by thumbnalls
one man reported TO The Tribune yesterday
that he had poked holes in three rotten life pre-
servers on & certain boat and that he had re-
ported their condition 10 the steamers captain.
The latter said they would be replaced at once
Brand new life preservers have appeared on
several OF the Staten Island ferries For several
DAYS the deck hands have been busy scrubbing
I'D the old ones, which are sadly discolored by
smoke and dust The Staten Island trip takes
the ferryboats a considerable distance from
shore, and the SlocuIn disaster mas 4Heoe many
people nervous.
on one of the Coney Island boats yesterday
a father spent the hours which IT took the
steamer 20 sail from the Battery to the island
instructing his family In the adjustment Of life
preservers. They were on the upper deck. ana
a crowd gathered to watch the lesson The
man took q life preserver from under one OF
the deck benches and showed how II could be
adjusted quickly that II would not sip
Until the youngest of the family a girl OF seven
learned the trick. he was not satisfied deck
hand came up and tried 10 take the life pre-
server away. The father sent him about his
business with e threat that there would be
trouble IL he persisted
Not alone are the life preservers receiving
attention from the passenger inspectors. Inc
ufeboats come IN for their share The methods
OF tying the boats TO the davits are closely ex-
ahmed some even going SO far as TO try the
knots II a nfeboat were found wired down, as
ft Is said those on the General Slocum We're.
there would doubtless be an immediate protest
20 the captain Some steamers on which the
wires TO ropes. and there mas been general
loosening Of canvas boat covers.
The eject of the Siocum disaster was ap-
uarent IN the decided falling or in the numbers
of Sunday passengers yesterday. On the corre-
spending Sunday IN June last year II was al
Fattery pier while yesterday at no time was
there as much OF a crowd there as Is the rule on
an ordinary midsummer weekday. the Coney
Island boats Dreamland and ST johns made
three trips EACH but at no time CID they carry
their permitted number.
trips from the Battery pier at $50 a m. with
only about fifty passengers. she was 10 nave
made a second trip at lad O'Clock. but this
was abandoned. and the last trip Tor the day
was made at o'clock with less than hunoFea
nassenrers The boats TO Long Branch carried
fair numbers -,
The Grand Republic, sister boat TO the SlocuIn
took an excursion party up the Hudson River 10
Nswburp She took on only between four hum
ared and Ave hundred at the Battery pier. She
dred-and-twenty-nin taking on about two
hundred additional people. The management
mad expscted TO carry at least eightes1l hundred
The .stsaruer- - zlicsnsedSfor 39oa