Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-17
PREPARING NEW LAW
To Govern Small Motor
Pleasure Boats.
DRAFTNOW BEING MADE
PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY
METCALF INTERESTED.
Measure to Lessen the Dangers OF
Navigation RecomIaended-Reg-
ulations Governing Regattas.

Navigation Recom1aended-Reg-
ulations Governing Regattas.
The tragedy enacted on the river front
Saturday and the overturning Of two boats
which were occupied by participants In the
regatta will doubtless be long remembered
by the people Of this city. It Is expected
the authorities and those who have charge
OF river sports will make an effort to pre-
vent trouble Of similar character In the
future. Opinion differs as to the cause OF
the overturning Of the launch Recreation.
which resulted in the drowning OF the ten
persons who had been aboard the small
craft. At the inquest which was held Mon
day the testimony tended to show that the
swift and unsteady current from the mill
race caused the launch to topple over and
throw It's passengers overheard. AS stated
in The Star Of Monday only one witness
suggested that the boat was overcrowded.
while the owners of the craft and those who
knew Of its capacity declared that there
was no overcrowding. The members of the
coroner's jury evidently did not seriously
consider the statement of the one witness
In reaching a conclusion for the verdict
stamped the affair as accidental and ''un-
avoidable.
People who are familiar with the move
ments Of the small craft on the river de-
clare that there Is often overcrowding
aboard the launches and small power boats
and express surprise that more fatal acci-
dents have not occurred.
Views Of Secretary Metcalf.
Victor H. Metcalf Secretary Of the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor, will
leave Washington this afternoon for his
home In Oakland, Cal, to Join Mrs Met
calf for a vacation Of months duration.
Mr.. Metcaf has arranged with Assistant
Secretary Murray to draft certain rules
and regulations governing the use Of power
boats that can be presented to Congress
when 1t opens in the fall, so that they can
be enacted into legislation.
The tragedy on the Potomac Saturday af-
ternoon has impressed deeply upon the au-
thorities the laxity Of the laws regulating
the running of small power craft, and 1t is
the wish Of Secretary Metcalf that such
legislation be framed as will tend to taking
the operation Of power craft from unframed
hands.
1t is the belief of the Secretary that all
power craft should come under the super
vision Of the steamboat inspectors and that
owners of such craft should be controlled
by certain laws and regulations. At pres
ent there is no law to prevent a ten-year-
old child from taking power launch below
fifteen tons burden out into a stream with
guests of his own selection. Whether he
not enter into the question. and there is
no one to say him nay when he runs his
boat into the most dangerous places or
tries to operate 1t under the most exacting
conditions
BY the time Secretary Metcalf returns
the draft of the proposed legislation Will
be ready, and he says he will present it to
Congress for action at the earliest possible
moment
President Roosevelt, who Is also very
fond of sports of all kinds, Is in thorough
accord with Secretary Metcalf and II is
believed that from their efforts some suit
able regulation governing small power
craft Will be enacted shortly after the
opening Of Congress In the fall.
The Demand for Engines.
Almost every boy or man who owns a
small boat" remarked a boatman to a Star
reporter. "wantsLto put in a gasoline en-
CINE. Such engines are in some boats that
are not mt for use, and there ought to be
some way of having the government in
Spect them and pass upon their fitness to
be upon the river While it may be areued
tnat the owners of such craft may have the
right to take the chances of getting drown
ed. 1t may also be argued that unsuspectine
friends are likely to be invited aboard the
craft at any time. In the case of Saturday
the ladies had no reason to think that an
ACCIDENT would occur, and even IL the
iaunch recreation had been unsafe they
would have been in ignorance of IT. The
Danger OF death from such boats Is so great
that too much care cannot be taken and ~
the owners of the boats do not exercise
proper care the government officers should
step IN and take a hand"
lnese small gasoline and electric motor
poats on the river are very numerous and
steamboat captains 1t is declared ara
greatly annoyed by them. Prior to the
1atal accident on the river about two weeks
ago considerable time was lost by the big
steamers on their trips up the river In
avoiding collisions. In most Of the hoo
the young people seem to be wholly uncon-
sclous OF the rights of others, and several
narrow escapes have been reported. In
some of the cases. it is said. the occupants
OF the small boats were under the influence
OF liquor. which made the conditions even
more serious. Captains of river steamers
mink there should be more care exercised
by those who have charge of these small
boats. and In cases where the persons In
charge of the engines are known to be
under the influence Of liquor there should
be a penalty provided
Examinations as to Proficiency.
These amateur engineers" said river
captain. Ought to be compelled to undergo
an examination and procure a license which
would put them under government super
vision. The time is coming when some
thing Of this kind will have to be done. and
| it might just as we'll be done now as to
wait until a number of lives have been sac
rifced. This thing of waiting till the stable
has been robbed before locking the door
does not pay. Lock the door first and
escape fatalities Is a better rule"
In conversation with Star reporter this
morning Major Sylvester, superintendent of
police. said he is familiar with the law gov
erning the river. and cited an instance in
which he addressed to Mr.. John Hadley
Doyle. president of the Potomac River Re-
gatta Association. two years ago. a letter re-
garding a request that the police boat Vigi-
liant be used for the purpose Of assisting
the association to keep the river clear.
Law Governing Regattas.
Major Sylvester sent him a copy of the
law governing regattas on the Potomac
river an act passed March 10. 1895, which
provides:
I'm order to provide for the safety of
| passengers on excursion steamers yachts,
oarsmen and all craft. whether as observ-
| ers or participants, taking part In regattas,
amateur or professional that may here
| after be held in navigable waters, the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury (this has since been
| changed to Secretary Of Commerce and
Labor be and he Is hereby authorized and