The Harry Watkins Diary, Volume 11 [July 22, 1853–June 12, 1854]

13 August 1853

Sat. (Saturday) 13th Wonder how much longer this steaming weather will continue—there are a great many deaths by coup de Soliel [sic Soleil] —down town [sic downtown] A.M. but was glad to get back home again—writing till 5. P.M. then, with, George, went over to Williamsburgh [sic Williamsburg] and took a bath, visited the Odeon before we returned—removeAt h Coming home the boat that we were oremovern was run into and considerably damaged about the bulwarks—removenobody nobody hurt—The accident was sheer carelessness on the part of the Pilot of the boat that removeran into came in contact withexpand_less us. There is a great recklessness of human life manifested removeby on steamboats and railroads, scarcely a day passing without the record of some dreadful accident—scarcely one of which might not have been avoided with theexpand_less slightest show

of caution on the part of those in command. Strange laws are made—though not always carried into effect—to shield us from the desperadoes [sic desperadoes'] knife or pistol, but there are thousands actually humbugged out of existense [sic existence] —quacked to death—blown up in a race and in removewvarious other accidental ways—with such perfect impunity that one might almost suppose such crimes to be actually legalised! True we are rather sensitive on the subject when one of the victims is taken from our own household, and, perhaps, in the hight [sic height] of our indignation, call it murder! when this is not the case we merely read the account in the morning papers headed "Another dreadful accident," and, in the exuberance of our sympathy, exclaim, "what a pity"—"Tis a great shame"—"There should be a law to stop such things"—but the next moment forget remove…slip all about it in the all absorbing [sic all-absorbing] removetquestion of "who's to be the next removequestion President"—Ah, well! if the surplus population must be got rid of these, I suppose, are among the most removedesirable objects effectualexpand_less means of accomplishing that desirable object