The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-07-28
OPPOSED SEiMAN'S ACT.
OWNERS OF EASTLAND WE'RE
UNWILLING TO COMPLY
WITH NAVIGATION
LAW,
Secretary Redheld Gives Out Cores
pondcnce With General Manager of
the St Joseph Chicago Steamship
Company Concerning Passenger

Company Concerning Passenger
Service.
Syracuse. n. Y. July 25.-william
c. Redfield. secretary of the depart
ment of commerce, who is in Syra-
cuse. tonight made public correspond
ence between the st. Joseph Chicago
Steamship company, owners of the
Easterland, and the department Of
commerce relating to the new sea-
mans act.
Secretary Redfeld believes that un-
der the seaman's act the passenger
carrying capacity of the Eastland
could have been reduced from 2,57O
to 1902. The steamship company op-
posed the seaman's bill. The CORES
pondence comprises four letters.
In the first letter w. II. Hull, gen.
eral manager of the steamship COM
pany, registers a protest under date
of June rs. 1915, against the seaman's
bill being made effective on Novem-
ber 4.
II am confident" he writes, that
the disastrous effect of this bill to
American steamship lines are already
apparent to every one and believe
that an opportunity should be given
to have this act modified or entirely
cancelled"
To this Secretary Redheld replied
June 2S:
1T Is a little difficult to see how
your request can be carried out with
out involving me in q fiat breach Of
my oath Of office. which is to enforce
the law. Power is not given to me to
say what laws shall be obeyed and
what shall not be obeyed. What
Is 1t specifically in the law to which
you object?"
On June 30 Mr.. Hull wrote:
Replying to that portion Of your
letter of June 2s In which you ask,
What Is it specifically in the law to
which you object?' can answer this
In no better way than to state the
effect 1t would have in the operation
of our steamship Eastland.
This boat is operating this season
from June IL to September 8, inclu-
sive; is licensed to carry 2,57O people;
Is equipped with fIfe preservers for
that number Of people and has life
RATS and lifeboat capacity under the
last inspection for I'll people.
"ln order 20 keep her .maximum
carrying capacity at the present fig
ure We would have to increase her
equipment In life RATS and life boats
66 2-3 per cent. This is a physical
impossibility. II 1t were possible to
put this amount of equipment on the
Eastland the weight that would be
added to her upper deck would make
the boat difficult to handle.
III our life saving equipment Is al
lowed to remain as ii Is at present our
carrying capacity would be decreased
40 per cent, or 1923. You can see
that a daily reduction Of 40 per cent.
In carrying capacity would amount to
considerable during the season in
operating revenue.
"The requirements of the seaman's
bill relating to certified life boat
men and able seamen would increase
the number of our crew and would
AFFORD an opportunity to able seamen
to fix an arbitrary wage and tie up
the boat without provocation. Even
III our traffic would stand an increase
In the passenger rate. and it certainly
Will not, the increased operating ex-
penses and the fact that we would
be at the mercy Of the so-called able
seamen would render it impracticable
Tor us to operate. In addition to
that' there Is no reason for an in
crease in life saving equipment on
this run.
THE boat in question Is construct
ed Of steel throughout. Her run be-
tween Chicago and st. Joseph Is ap-
proximately 60 miles, which she will
make on an average Of three hours
and ten minutes. She is at no time
in excess of one hour and 33 minutes
from shore, and at all times or her
run Is within ten to GO minutes of all
steamers. Assistance in case of trou-
BILE could readily be secured from
other steamers and the ports Of Chi
cago. Michigan City. Milwaukee, ST..
Joseph and South Haven.
II sincerely believe 1t will be inn
possible to operate this boat under
the seaman's law and make expenses.
ThlS Will nnfnrnllu affact Tho .tn,E