New-York tribune., 1905-02-11
SAFETY ON STEAMBOATS,.
Mayor Suggests Statute Amend-
meRts to n. Y. COngressmen.

Mayor Mcclellan made public yesterday N. a.,
lowing letter he had addressed 70 the New-York
Congressman regarding amendments TO the stst,.rs.
70 give more protection to passengers on steam
boats Ia Inland waters:
In this connection. I ask Jour consideration 81
an amendment to Sections 81 and 2s9 inCJgssvsi
OF the Revised Statutes OF the United States whte6
permit; under certain conditions owners Of vessels
20 limit their liability for damages the vsI,ts
OF their interest in the vessel her freight hsSs
statutes. modelled on the maritime law OF ing
land. We're. when passed in 1851. professedIy de-
ejsn cr i',s, ,, a 70 encoarase american for
~ b a hey were Supplemented IA
tended their operation 70 the owners OF even eana
therefore suggest that Section f2ss be amendaa
oy the addition Of the following
any steamer OF vessel Of any charaeSer % oasTs ?;
passengers on any bay. harbOT. lake. river. s6En5
titled TO avail himself itself or themselves ~ ~.
OF TINS and the seven preceding sections Of
this act n the loss OF me- personal injuries OF loss
or damage be caused by or contributed 10 by the
creW oT ~ the IasS of pro5er ol t. dns oers e, Or
vessel, by the omission to comply with all or an,
This amendment. you wiz observe. does not con-
hict with the settled policy Of Congress the
its enactment would. think, increase the vigi-
lance Of owners Of vessels affected by il 20 SAFE
/ also think that an effective way could be de-
vised under United States statutes BY which nuuc-
ipaties. without any conflict Of Jurisdiction wita
the federal authorities, could find protection for s
But the penalties for infraction neglect OF the
federal regulations by owners and operators u~
vessels would have TO be made more stringent Tne
imposition OF fine VIII hardly change the objss-
ttOnabe conditions
Let there be a statute which would provide that
proof before competent tribunal that any
owner or operator had violated the laws uegiegt
ed to conform to the regulations prescribed for the
protection OF human life on such vessels he shoud
not only be fined now provided, but that. in ad-
dition thereto, the imposition o. the fine should
work iDso facto revocation OF the vessels r.
cense and its disqualification 10 be licensed for
specified time.
Under such law could not be required to
wait until some disaster had shown the long
tin1ed neglect by federal officials OF the duty I'm
posed on them by law. ANY citizen any Officer
OF the Fire Police Health departments of the
CITY should if justified by his Observation.
mako a complaint. A finding that the law had BEEN
violated would put the vessel out Of commission
for one two three years, as might be prescribed
and where a higher moral sense might not alOH-
induce the owner TO obey the law, sehshness would
do
You will doubtless understand hat have IN
mind the disaster the General Slccum tn Jun@
last. in which more than a thousand people lost
their lives.
To make impossible recurrence OF q disaster
like that Of the SOcum would be great achieve.
ment in itself and give to the people sense Ot
security that would be a public blessing