Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-22

boats oftentimes are overburdened Is
that trle?''
Section AGA of the Revised Statutes -
he replied. provides that the local in
spector shall insert in the certificate of
inspection the number of passengers that
the vessel is allowed to carry. and if it
carries more than that 1t Is subject to "A
fine of 500, the forfeiture of all the
passage money and $40 for every person
carried over the allowance. AS to the
inspection of the boat and its equipment
L have described that to you. Every pre-
caution possible is taken and the check
We have on the local inspectors makes 1t
almost impossible for them to neglect any
part of their duties"
How do you provide for the allot-
ment?''
Every foot of passenger deck space is
measured off. the house or any other
thing that takes up space being eliminat-
ed. After We get the passenger space of
the vessel, particularly If she is an ex-
cursion boat we allow generally about
nine feet to each passenger Some boats
will stand up better under heavier loads
than others and that's where the judg-
ment of the inspector comes in. He is
supreme in this question. The three
things he takes into consideration are
OF the boat and the character of water
over which she runs
How do YOU keep check on the pas
SengerS boat?
Our inspectors and inspectors in the
Offices of collectors Of customs look after
this jointly. During the excursion season
and on Saturdays and Sundays inspec-
tors are stationed at the Sangways of
every steamer. The inspectors have
counters In their hands and register each
person who goes aboard the boat. When
the cOYpnlomcnt nf that 10
he refuses to allow any more to go
aboard. And, strange to say, those most
anxious to violate this rule are the very
people for whose safety it was made.
few months after the Slocum disaster
by a crowd of excursionists in New York
because he insisted on enforcing the law.
III is hard to realize that the effect of
that terrible lesson wore off quickly.
AS an additional safeguard we fire.
quently have the passengers counted
when they leave the steamer. Since the
law has been riSidly enforced the cap
tains of the vessels have their own men
to do the counting in addition to the in
Spectors There is disposition among all
steamship owners to obey this law for
the fine is such heavy one. Frequently
there is disparity between the count Of
the inspectors and the boats men. Every
case of this kind is carefully investigated
and the decision not rendered until both
sides have had a full hearing. Such II
case is before me now.
There is "a difference of 600 passengers
on d certain Hudson river boat between
the count OF the inspectors of this office
and the collector of Gust ms Office and
the men belonging to the boat. The COM
pany owning this boat makes every eff
fort to obey the law. and j. has appea led
to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor
from the fine imposed The papers have
been before me for some time, and l
have reports from all concerned. Each
counter insists that his count is correct
and 1t is up to me to make-a recommend
alton to the Secretary.
81 wish to say a word in regard to the
report that the life-preservers on the
steamer Slocum were defective. That re-
port is not entirely correct Those life
preservers which were made of granu-
lated cork We're i'm good condition and
would have fulfilled their mission had not
the passengers. in their frenzy, torn them
to pieces i'm getting them out of the racks
allowing their contents to run out. AL
though granulated cork makes a good
life-preserver when the Jackets are kept
intact. We have stopped its use. and only