prescribed by the inspectors. Refined petroleum, which will not ignite at a temperature less than one hundred and ten degrees of Fahrenheit thermometer, may be carried on board such steamers upon routes where there is no other practicable mode of transporting it, and under such regulations as shall be prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce; and oil or spirits of turpentine may be carried on such steamers when put up in good metallic vessels or casks or barrels well and securely bound with iron and stowed in a secure part of the vessel; and friction matches may be carried on such steamers when securely packed in strong, tight chests or boxes, the covers of which shall be well secured by locks, screws, or other reliable fastenings, and stowed in a safe part of the vessel at a secure distance from any fire or heat. All such other provisions shall be made on every steamer carrying passengers or freight, to guard against and extinguish fire, as shall be prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors and approved by the Secretary of ComAutomobiles, merce. Nothing in the foregoing or following sections Feb. 20, 1901 (31 of this Act shall prohibit the transportation by steam Feb. 18. 1905 (33 Vessels of gasoline or any of the products of petro transportation of. Stat., 799). Stat., 720). May 28, 1906 (34 Stat., 204). Stat., 650). leum when carried by motor vehicles (commonly known as automobiles) using the same as a source of motive power: Provided, however, That all fire, if any, in such vehicles or automobiles be extinguished immediately after entering the said vessel, and that the same be not relighted until immediately before said vehicle shall leave the vessel: Provided further, That any owner, master, agent, or other person having charge of passenger steam vessels shall have the right to refuse to transport automobile vehicles the tanks of which contain gasoline, naphtha, or other dangerous burning fluids. Provided, however, That nothing in the provisions of this Title shall prohibit the transportation by vessels not carrying passengers for hire, of gasoline or any of the products of petroleum for use as a source of motive power Jan. 24, 1913 (37 for the motor boats or launches of such vessels: Provided further, That nothing in the foregoing or following sections of this Act shall prohibit the use, by steam vessels carrying passengers for hire, of lifeboats equipped with gasoline motors, and tanks containing gasoline for the operation of said motor-driven lifeboats: Provided, however, That no gasoline shall be carried other than that in the tanks of the lifeboats: Provided further, That the use of such lifeboats equipped with gasoline motors shall be under such regulations as shall be prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce. Penalty for unlawfully carrying Every bale of cotton or hemp that shall be shipped or cotton or hemp. carried on any passenger-steamer, without conforming to the provisions of the preceding section, shall be subject to R. S., 4473. a penalty of five dollars, and shall be liable to seizure and sale to secure the payment of such penalty. of petroleum in Petroleum fuel. as Oct. 18, 1888 (25 Stat., 564). The Secretary of Commerce may grant permission to License for use the owner of any steam-vessel, to use any invention or the production of process for the utilization of petroleum or other mineral. S., 4474oils or substances in the production of motive-power, and may make and enforce regulations concerning the application and use of the same for such purpose. But no such permission shall be granted, unless upon the certificate of the supervising inspector of steamboats for the district wherein such vessel is registered, and other satisfactory proof that the use of the same is safe and efficient; and upon such proof, and the approval of such certificate by the Secretary of Commerce, a special license for the use of such process or invention shall issue under the seal of the Department of Commerce. Provided, however, That the Secretary of Commerce may permit the use of petroleum as fuel on steamers not carrying passengers, without the certificate of the Supervising Inspector of the district where the vessel is to be used, subject to such conditions and safeguards as the Secretary of Commerce in his judgment shall provide. For a violation of any of the conditions imposed by the Violation of regSecretary of Commerce a penalty of five hundred dollars shall be imposed, which penalty shall be a lien upon the vessel, but a bond may, as provided in other cases, be given to secure the satisfaction of the judgment. All gunpowder, nitro-glycerine, camphene, naphtha, benzine, benzole, coal-oil, crude or refined petroleum, oil ticles. of vitriol, nitric or other chemical acids, oil or spirits of R. S., 4475. turpentine, friction-matches, and all other articles of like character, when packed or put up for shipment, shall be securely packed and put up separately from each other and from all other articles; and the package, box, cask, or other vessel containing the same shall be distinctly marked on the outside, with the name or description of the article contained therein. ulations. Mode of pack ing dangerous ar unlawfully shipticles. Every person who packs or puts up, or causes to be Punishment for packed or put up for shipment, any gunpowder, nitro-ping dangerous arglycerine, camphene, naphtha, benzine, benzole, coal-oil, R. S., 4476. crude or refined petroleum, oil of vitriol, nitric or other chemical acids, oil or spirits of turpentine, frictionmatches, or other articles of like character otherwise than as directed by the preceding section, or who knowingly ships or attempts to ship the same, or delivers the same to any such vessel as stores, unless duly packed and marked, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and punished by fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding eighteen months, or both; one-half of the fine to go to the informer, and the articles. to be liable to seizure and forfeiture. 1 See sections 4278-4280 and 5353-5355, pages 203, 204, and 205. Watchmen on passenger steam ers. R. S., 4477. Penalty for failure to keep watchmen. R. S., 4478. Fire extin guishers. Wire tiller ropes, bell pulls, ger steamers. R. S., 4480. Every steamer carrying passengers during the nighttime shall keep a suitable number of watchmen in the cabins, and on each deck, to guard against fire or other dangers, and to give alarm in case of accident or disaster. For any neglect to keep the watchmen required by the preceding section, the license of the officer in charge of the vessel for the time being shall be revoked; and every owner of such vessel who neglects or refuses to furnish the number of men necessary to keep watch as required, shall be fined one thousand dollars. The board of supervising inspectors may require steamers carrying either passengers or freight to be provided with such number and kind of good and efficient portable fireextinguishers as, in the judgment of the board, may be necessary to protect them from fire when such steamers are moored or lying at a wharf without steam to work the pumps. Every steamer carrying passengers shall be provided etc., for passen with such tiller ropes, tiller rods, or chains for the purpose of steering and navigating the vessel, and such bell-pulls Mar. 3, 1905 (33 for signalizing the engineer from the pilot house, and such tubes or other arrangement to repeat back the signal to the pilot house, as may be prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors, with the approval of the Secre tary of Commerce. Stat., 1028). steamers. R. S., 4481. Boats for river Every steam-vessel navigating rivers only, except ferry-boats, freight-boats, canal-boats, and towing-boats, of less than fifty tons, shall have at least one good substantial boat with lines attached, and properly supplied with oars, and kept in good condition at all times, and ready for immediate use; and in addition thereto, every such vessel carrying passengers shall have one or more metallic life-boats, fire-proof, and in all respects good and substantial boats, of such dimensions and arrangements as the board of supervising inspectors by their regulations shall prescribe, which boats shall be carried in the most convenient manner to be brought into immediate use in case of accident. But where the character of the navigation is such that, in the opinion of the supervising inspector, the metallic life-boats can be dispensed with, he may exempt any such vessel from carrying the same; or may require a substitute therefor, at his discretion. Life-preservers Every such steam-vessel carrying passengers shall also carrying passen- be provided with a good life-preserver, made of suitable for river steamers gers. Fire buckets, axes, etc., for river material, for every cabin passenger for which she will have accommodation, and also a good life-preserver or float for each deck or other class passenger which the inspector's certificate shall allow her to carry, including the officers and crew; which life-preservers or floats shall be kept in convenient and accessible places on such vessel in readiness for immediate use in case of accident. Every such steam vessel carrying passengers shall keep steamers carrying such fire buckets, axes, and water barrels as shall be prescribed by the regulations established by the board of passengers. R. S., 4483. Stat., 1028). supervising inspectors, with the approval of the Secre- Mar. 3, 1905 (33 tary of Commerce. The buckets and barrels shall be kept in convenient places and filled with water, to be in readiness in case of fire, and the axes shall be kept in good order and ready for immediate use. Tanks of suitable dimensions and arrangement, or buckets in sufficient number, may be substituted for barrels. gangways on river passengers on R. S., 4484. Every such steam-vessel carrying passengers on the Stairways and main-deck shall be provided with permanent stairways steamers carrying and other sufficient means, convenient to the passengers, main deck. for their escape to the upper deck, in case of the vessel sinking or of other accident endangering life; and in the stowage of freight upon such deck, where passengers are carried, gangways or passages, sufficiently large to allow persons to pass freely through them, shall be left open both fore and aft of the vessel, and also to and along the guards on each side. Accomm odation of deck pas R. S., 4485. The captain or mate of every such steam-vessel carrying passengers upon the main-deck shall assign to all deck-sengers. passengers, when taking passage, the space on deck they may occupy during the voyage, and such space shall not thereafter be occupied by freight, nor overcrowded by other persons, nor shall freight be stowed about the boilers or machinery, in such a manner as to obstruct or prevent the engineer from readily attending to his duties. For every violation of the provisions of the two preced- Penalty for not preced-providing proper ing sections the owners of the vessel shall be punished accommodaby a fine of three hundred dollars. tions. R. S., 4486. to be anchored is unsafe. On any steamers navigating rivers only, when, from, River steamers darkness, fog, or other cause, the pilot or [on] watch when navigation shall be of opinion that the navigation is unsafe, or, R. S., 4487. from accident to or derangement of the machinery of the boat, the chief engineer shall be of the opinion that the further navigation of the vessel is unsafe, the vessel shall be brought to anchor, or moored as soon as it can prudently be done: Provided, That if the person in command shall, after being so admonished by either of such officers, elect to pursue such voyage, he may do the same; but in such case both he and the owners of such steamer shall be answerable for all damages which shall arise to the person of any passenger, or his baggage, from such causes in so pursuing the voyage, and no degree of care or diligence shall in such case be held to justify or excuse the person in command, or the owners. 1 on ocean, lake, Every steamer navigating the ocean, or any lake, bay, Lifeboats, etc., or sound of the United States, shall be provided with such and sound steamnumbers of lifeboats, floats, rafts, life-preservers, line-R. S., 4488. 1 Amended by section 5 of the act of Congress approved June 9, 1910, which provides that every vessel propelled by machinery and not more than 65 feet in length, except tugboats and towboats propelled by steam, and also all vessels propelled by machinery other than by steam more than 65 feet in length shall carry either life-preservers, or life belts, or buoyant cushions, or ring buoys or other device, to be prescribed by the Secretary of Commerce, sufficient to sustain afloat every person on board and so placed as to be readily accessible. All motor boats (as defined in the act) carrying passengers for hire shall carry one life-preserver of the sort prescribed by the regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors for every passenger carried. (See p. 210.) Stat., 1012). Mar. 2, 1889 (25 carrying projectiles, and the means of propelling them, and Apr. 11, 1892 (27 drags, as will best secure the safety of all persons on board Mar. 3, 1905 (33 such vessel in case of disaster; and every sea-going vessel Stat., 16). Stat., 1024). Penalty for failure to provide lifeboats, etc. R. S., 4489. Stat., 1012). carrying passengers, and every such vessel navigating any of the northern or northwestern lakes, shall have the lifeboats required by law, provided with suitable boatdisengaging apparatus, so arranged as to allow such boats to be safely launched while such vessels are under speed or otherwise, and so as to allow such disengaging apparatus to be operated by one person, disengaging both ends of the boat simultaneously from the tackles by which it may be lowered to the water. And the board of supervising inspectors shall fix and determine, by their rules and regulations, the character of lifeboats, floats, rafts, life-preservers, line-carrying projectiles, and the means of propelling them, and drags that shall be used on such vessels, and also the character and capacity of pumps or other appliances for freeing the steamer from water in case of heavy leakage, the capacity of such pumps or appliances being suited to the navigation in which the steamer is employed. Every vessel subject to the provisions of this title shall, while in operation, carry one lifepreserver for each and every person allowed to be carried on said vessel by the certificate of inspection, including each member of the crew: Provided, however, That upon such vessels and under such conditions as are specified in section forty-four hundred and eighty-two floats may be substituted for life-preservers. Any person who willfully and knowingly manufactures or sells, or offers for sale, or has in his possession with intent to sell, life-preservers containing metal or other nonbuoyant material, for the purpose of increasing the weight thereof, or more metal or other such material than is reasonably necessary for the construction thereof, or who shall so manufacture, sell, offer for sale, or possess with intent to sell any other articles commonly used for preservation of life or the prevention of fire on board vessels subject to the provisions of this title, which articles shall be so defective as to be inefficient to accomplish the purposes for which they are respectively intended and designed, shall upon conviction, be fined not more than two thousand dollars, and may, in addition thereto, in the discretion of the court, be imprisoned not exceeding five years. 1 The owner of any such steamer who neglects or refuses to provide such life-boats, floats, rafts, life-preservers, Mar. 2, 1889 (25 line-carrying projectiles, and the means of propelling them, drags, pumps, or appliances, as are, under the provisions of the preceding section, required by the board of supervising inspectors, and approved by the Secretary of Commerce, shall be fined one thousand dollars. 1 Amended by section 7 of the act of June 9, 1910. (See p. 210.) |