Evening Star Newspaper, April 28, 1940, Page 35

An inspector of the Naviga- tion Inspection Service board=- ing a motorboat in the Poto- mac River to check up on its required equipment. In circle, all set for fair weather. A trim motor. cruis- er on a test run after the win- ter lay-up. —Star Staff Photo. Ekplosions Avoided by Equipment Education Starts In New Campaign Under Bureau By William J. Wheatley. She was as pretty a motor yacht as you ever saw, in her gleaming white hull and buff superstructure, gliding down the Chesapeake Bay on a glassy, unruffied surface. From within her cabin and wheelhouse came the voices and laughter of a party enjoying the Mfe on the water and looking forward to a voyage ‘of pleasure as the sun moved higher in the heavens. Her motor was pur- ring rhymthically, as it should, for she was just off the marine rail- way and on her maiden voyage. Then the motor suddenly stopped. ‘Willing helpers promptly turned to the engine compartment, and after preliminary examination it was found that her gas line was stopped up. The gas line was “bro- ken” in an effort to clear the stop- page, and a little stream of the vital fluid dripped down into the bottom or bilges. The line was cleared. It was connected, and then, without thinking, the mechanic laid a wrench down without looking, and certainly without thinking, on an electric storage battery. There was a sputter of sparks as the short cir- cuit was made, a burst of flame and & loud explosion, when all hands dived for the water, as what was| once a fine motor cruiser went up in flame and smoke. All suffered severe burns, with days in the hospital, ending*what started out to be a cruise of joy. Fortunately, there was no loss of life in this case, but every summer throughout the United States there are lives lost by just such care- lessness, for Comdr. Richard S.| Field, U. S. Navy, retired, director of the United States Bureau of Ma- rine Inspection and Navigation, says that “more lives are lost by fire or | gasoline explosion upon motor boats each year than are similarly lost on our entire merchant marine and Navy combined.” Limited Inspections. Right at this season of the year thousands of motor-boat owners are painting their vessels, trimming them up for appearances, to make them attractive while on the bays, rivers and inlets in this vicinity and | throughout the United States. Some | of them are taking those precau- tions against fires and explosions which will mark the difference be- tween a day of pleasure and trag- edy for them and their friends. The law requires certain things to be done, but the Government has not undertaken complete inspection of motor boats for several reasons. One is that it does not want to be con- tinuously harassing owners and op- erators by frequent inspections to guard their lives, and furthermore to provide an inspection force dur- ing the open season of the year would require a small army of men for inspectors. But it does inspect these motor craft for life preservers, fire ex- tinguishers, lights, fog horns and whistles. It does not inspect to see that precautions are taken against fire and gasoline explosions, the equipment of boats with little appliances which would prevent these explosions, and most of them cost only a few cents. Whereas an explosion which many times can be blamed on the lack of them may cost thousands of dollars in the com- plete destruction of the vessel, to say ;:)thing of the loss of life and maim- g. But Comdr. Field has concerned himself about these annual losses of life and property, and this year has taken steps to do something about it. It does not consist of a campeign of harassment of inspec- tion by Government officials, but rather a campaign of education. Lists to Check. Believing the many motorboat op- erators do not understand the dan- ger lurking in the fuel which they have aboard for propulsion, he has had prepared a list of things to be done, so that the owner may check his own boat, provide safety for himself and his guest. After check- ing the list the owner may post it for the observation of his guests, but if he prefers not to do that, the bureau is providing a certificate which may be framed and posted in a conspicuous place on the vessel. It is titled, “Safe Operation Certifi- cate.” It reads: “To my guests, law-enforcement | sufficie! officers and others concerned; As owner of the motorboat (space for 4 4 the Potomac near Fort Washington. name of craft), I have, in the inter- ests of safety, placed this vessel and its equipment in such condition that I can faithfully and honestly answer all questions contained in form 1509, issued by the Bureau of Marine In- spection and Navigation, Depart- ment of Commerce, in the affirma- tive. I have also provided the equip- ment uired by law and same is in quantity to comply with the applicable rules issued by the Secretary of Commerce, by vir- tue of which I am privileged to dis- play this certificate.” Then follow spaces for the date and signature of the owner. The form is addressed to motor- boat owners, copies will be sent in a short time to all registered motor- boat owners throughout the coun- try and it says: “This form is de- signed to promote safety and should be filled out annually and re- tained for future reference, The questions are so worded that a neg- ative answer will indicate an unsat- isfactory condition. Inspect your boat and its equipment and remedy any unsafe conditions at once, avoid the needless accident—an un- sound motorboat or one that is im- properly equipped is a menace to life and property. Observe the in- Deaf Pianist and Composer By Horace Knowles. The man at the ivory keyboard ran off a glissando. He turned around and grinned. “They laughed when I sat down at the piano,” he said. “And when I got up, they were still laughing.” His listeners smiled. He impro- vised on one of the latest numbers, then struck an arpeggio. Suddenly, hé stopped playing and poked at a treble note with his index finger. Tentatively, he tried it again. “Out of tune,” he announced. “How do you know?” he was asked. “You can’t hear it.” “That’s true—I can’t. I suppose you can call it bone conduction, tonal vibration or something of the sort. At any rate, that key is out of tune, isn’t it?” It was. The man at the piano, Walter Regan, is stone deaf.. And he was absorbing the music through his fingertips. Moreover, Mr. Regan not only plays, but he composes. Three of his numbers are included in as many recently released radio broadcast series issued by the United States Office of Education’s Radio Division for national production. But that isn't all. For Mr. Regan, as a script writer for the division’s staff, himself wrote the entire 15 scripts, notwithstanding the fact that he has never heard a radio broadcast. It may be paradoxical that one who is stone deaf is engaged in pro- ducing sound of some sort and also making a vocation of it. He is accomplished at sound effects in radio, his colleagues say. His sound cues call for just the right back- ground for every script sequence. The same thing applies to music cues. Twenty-two years ago, Mr. Regan, now 39, was playing football for his New England prep school. In a particularly hard scrimmage he was badly injured about the spine. Com- plications déveloped, from which he emerged totally czaf, auditory nerves completely destroyed. This type of deafness is total, and no hearing ajd devices can benefit. “For a while,” Mr. Regan said, “I felt about as forlorn and useless as & Finnish delegate at a Nazi con- THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., APRIL 28, 1940—PART TWO. —Star Staff Photo. structions on the reverse side also; do not endanger lives and safety of your friends and family.” Fitting-Out Queries. Questions on fitting out are: Hull: Are the hull and underwater fittings in good condition? (Exam- ine hull for rot, loose fastenings, split planks, etc.; search and caulk, pay and putty all seams. Avoid excess caulking when planking is dried out. Examine all underwater fittings including sea cocks, toilet outlets, stufing boxes, etc., and re- new any defective or badly dete- riorated parts.) Fuel tanks, piping, etc.: Are fuel! tanks tight, in good condition, and properly secured to prevent move- ment? Are filling pipes and sound- ing holes arranged so that vapors or possible overflow when filling will not enter the inside of the boat? Are such pipes tightly attached to the tank and to the deck fitting? Do filling pipes extend nearly to the bottom of the tank? Is the fuel tank vent pipe solidly attached to the top of the tank? Does it ter- minate in the open air, clear of openings in the vessel's hull, cabins, etc? Is the entire fuel system, in- cluding piping and fittings, tight and in good condition? Can the ventfon. People all around me were talking, laughing, dancing—enjoy- ing themselves with entertainment perceived through the ear. That was all so much ‘nothing’ to me. “Then came the business of ad- Justing one’s self to circumstances. First of all, there was lip-reading. That's a boon to the deaf person which I can't stress too strongly. Without it all your friends would get writer's cramp from trying to converse with you. For arbther thing, there’s always the danger of wrap- ping yourself in your own little so- cial shell and becoming a recluse among the multitude. I've seen that happen to several deaf people I know.” After a year’s study of lip read- ing Mr. Regan found work as & copy reader with a New Yorl® news- paper, served as sports editor of a Brockton (Mass.) paper and in 1928 went to Los Angeles to write a sports column for the Evening Ex- press. It was there he got into the radio field, doing script writing for a station in which the paper had an interest. But what about playing and com- posing music? ¢ “Oh, that?” said Mr. Regan. “Well, when I was 7 years old I studied piano for three months and have been toying around with music ever since. I couldn’t very well get away from it. One of my brothers sings and another is an organist. “I can turn my mind on anything in the musical instrument line at will, anything from one vivolin or a single voice to a full symphony or- chestra. In fact, when I'm writing radio script sequences that call for & music background I generally have music ‘playing’ in my- head while hammering out the dialogue on the typewriter. The same thing applies in the case of sound effects. If a sequence demands & storm | background with - accompanying thunder that thunder is rolling iA- termittently gs I write. I suppose it’s all very Yo there it 18" . Turning to the piano, he began playing & rather.sad and platntivi melody. After several bars he in- quired while still playing: “Enow what An inspector of the Navi- gation Inspection Service checking a fire-extinguisher on a motor boat in the Wash- ington Harbor. fuel supply be shut off at the tank from the outside of the compart- ment in which tank is located? Are all drain openings in fuel tanks, ‘Farewell to the Piano’” He cut the plece short with a final pianis- simo chord.” “Beethoven, you know, was afflicted with progressive deaf- ness which uitimately cut short his career. I've often wondered why.” But why not? “I should imagine this man of great musical genius would have a parspective of music that would en- able him to aurally visualize at least his own compositions. It seems to me he did compose after he became stone deaf. At least, some of his biographers say so. They also say that as deafness became more ad- vanced he was inclined to bang the piano or clgvichord keyboard in order to hear his oyn music. “In that case it must have been pretty bad for his listeners. It is true that deaf people are inclined you, but|’ 13 Inspector Hayward {inspecting the running light:t on a Washington motor cruiser. fuel pipings, etc., fitted with solid plugs? Engine and accessories: Are all carburetors flited with back-fire flame arresters? Are they fitted with drip pan underneath to prevent gasoline from dripping into bilges? Is exhaust pipe in good condition and arranged so as not to scorch or ignite adjacent woodwork? Electrical system: Is the entire electrical system in good condition? Are marine type electrical appli- ances and fittings installed in spaces likely to contain explosive mixtures, such as gasoline engine compart- ments? Are electric storage bat- teries located in a well-ventilated space. Are they protected to pre- vent metallic objects being dropped on the batteries, shorting them, and causing sparks. Ventilation: Are all inclosed parts of the vessel provided with means for proper ventilation? Is the ven- tilating system for spaces, syzh as engine rooms and those containing gasoline machinety, asranged to circulate air in the lower part or bilge? Equipment: Is all equipment, such as life preservers, buoyant cushions, running lights, fire-fighting equip- ment, etc,, i» good condition? Are Uses Sense of Touch to Help to speak too loudly for their sur- roundings, but that is excusable. They cannot gauge the amount of sound about them. They do not hear it. The normal person lnstaffily modulates his voice according to the degree of sound in conflict, Well, I've discovered a good substitute for this ability.” ‘What was it? “If there are people about you,” said Mr. Regan, “and they suddenly look up at you while you are con- versing with a friend, you know your voice is carrying beyond the required distance. You figuratively lift your foot from the vocal throttle. On the other hand, if your friend bends toward you with an alert and an- xious look, or cocks one ear, you know you aren’t speaking loud enough, and 50 you ‘step on the gas.’ “Here’s another thing I'd like to i 7 Beethovens) ‘Waltdr Regan, deaf composer, at the plano—Star Staf Photo: 110 per cent underweight —Star Staff Photo. all fire “extinguishers fully charged and ready for instant use? Are they provided with suitable hangers to prevent their being damaged throygh movement of the vessel or other- wise? (Attach tag to -each extin- guisher showing the’ date of re- charge.) Recharge carbon dioxide extinguishers which are m~=~ than iarge foam-type extinguishers Laally, follew manufacturer's i ictions; test carbon tetrachloride va.inguish- ers frequently and keep same full— fluid may be discharged in clean dry can and returned to extinguisher. Is the vessel equipped with proper ground tackle? Is same in good condition? (A heavy and light an- chor with cable for each should be carried) Is vessel provided with a hand pump of ample capacity for removing water from bilges? Is all equipment located in a permanent place, readily accessible, in case of an emergency? Is equipment, re- quired by law, sufficient in quantity and in accordance with the gppli- cable rules issued by the Secretary of Commerce? e General safety precautinns: When getting the vessel ready for a trip, be sure that all cempartmeats are properly' aired out and, until this is fil}l you about,” Mr. Regan' con- ued. “You know, unless you've heard a certain noise at least onde, you do not know exactly® what that sound is like. If I were born deaf. of course, I'd have no conception of sound, and You'd never be, able to explain it to me, any, more than you'd be able to descrite a copr to a person born blind. = But, once you've heard a certaiiy sound, you'll be able to reeognize that sound when you hear it again. . “Hence, when I see something happen that I know from experience causes a sound, I hear that sound Jjust as acutely as if I were not deaf. If, for example, I see a dish fall from the table and break on the floor, I'll ‘hear’ the noise of breaking crockery. What do you want fo cal {t—sound insight?” s Musical co itions? Was it “thought sound?” “Oh, that? Well, let’s not get involved. Did you ever whistle a random melody, not knowing whether it was something you re- membered, or an entirely original composition? In my case, I dorf't whistle, I simply turn on the ‘mental phonograph.’” It may be a string trio—or just a piano, or two pianos, or a violin choir, or a pipe organ— or, if you insist, the Washington Symphony Orchestra complete with harpist. The musical number may be anything from Rimsky-Korsakov to ‘Swanee River.’ Or it may be an improvisation or an ‘original.’ If it's an original and if it ‘sounds’ all right, I'll sit down and dash off the melody on a sheet of manuscript paper. Then, I'll play it over, or perhaps I'll put it away and forget it for a couple of weeks. If, later on, I play it again and it still ‘sounds’ all right, I'll make a piano score.” Mr. Regan chuckled as he told how he hit on the march melody later incorporated in the “Fire Laddies,” theme of the six “Fire Department” broadcasts, scripts of whith are now being distributed all over the coun- try by the Office of Education. “I was returning from Baltimore by train,” he recalled. “The par- ticular car in which I was seated had a flat wheel. Of course, I felt the yibration, & rl buzip-bump, In Do time at &I T '\ (o AU SUNDAY STAW, WASHINGTON D G, APRI % mo-PAT TWO. c% Mot-oat Owners Must Learn Government Rules for Safe Operation At top, a Washington motorboat owner displaying his life- preservers for the inspection of an officer of the Navigation In- spection Service. Above, many of the motorboat operators are glad to see the inspectors, for it gives them further assurance that they are fully equipped to handle accidents. A local boat owner is shown expressing his appreciation of the inspector’s word of approval. | accomplished, do not permit the en- gine to be started, or allow smoking, the use of matches, cigarette light- ers, or other operations which may | constitute a source of vapor ignition. While the vessel is being aired out, check all equipment and see that it is in good condition and that all such equipment which is required Ay law is in compliance with the applicable rules issued by the Secre- | tary of Commerce. Only safety matches should be used on board. A good seaman is cautious. Be alert to sudden changes in weather. A black squall (thundershower) al- ways can be dangerous. Be prepared f for the worst. If caught in exposed waters take every possible precau- tion in advance. Advise your guests, | especially the non-swimmers, where the life preservers or buoyant cush- fons are to be found. Restrict smok- ing to certain parts of the vessel. Safety precautions during fueling operations: Before taking on fuel, see that the vessel is properly moored and that all ports and doors adjacent to the fuel tank vent and fill pipes are closed. This is necessary because gasoline vapors are heavier than air and will seek the lowest part of the cabin, engine room, etc, and present a serious hazard. Coal fires should be banked, other fires should be extinguished i and galley closed. While refueling, prohibit smoking, the use of matches, cigarette lighters, opera- tion of stoves, refrigerators, or ma- chlnery‘\the pulling of switches or any such act likely to cause the ig- nition of peu;oleum vapars. To guard against “static spark, place nozzle of filling hose or can in con- Overcome Handicap - had ‘turned on’ what might have been the Marine Band. brassy blare and thumping drums and all. And, by the time the train slackened speed outside Washington, I had the whole march melody memorized right down to the final trio. When I got home I put it on paper, and fhere you are. “I have a particular pet violin strain,” Mr. Regan went on, “that’s a sure sure for sleeplessness. When- ever I start to roll and toss after bedtime, that violin begins to play softly, persistently, and then I'm aslecp. I think it’s an original. Any- way, I qave it on paper. The title is ‘Slumberland.’” Are there times when he felt deaf- ness to be a handicap? “Of course!” Mr. Regan replied. “Hor example, when you want to put in a phone call in a hurry, and there's no friend available to do it for yoy. In that case, I generally | 80 to the nearest hotel and hire a bellboy to do the phoning. It's pretty expensive, though, and some of the results of such phone ‘con- pversations’ are strange to behold. v;'But deafness is not an unmixed evil. - “For one thing, you don’t have to listen to all the bunk that’s going on around you. And besides, some of my Office of Education co- workers declare it's a fine thing I can’t hear my own programs. High- 1y complimentary, in reverse.” In addition to six “Fire Depart- ment” scripts, part of a broad series of educational programs under gen- eral title of “Municipal Govern- ment,” Mr. Regan, whose work with the Office of Education began in 1937, has written six half-hour broadcests on the “Police Depart- ment” and three on “Publi¢ Admin- istration.” The %office, through its script exchange, is distributing the scripts nationally for production on local radio stations. Mr. Regan wrote the theme music for the entire series. “The scripts combine drama and comedy with genuine education,” said Director Willlam D. Boutwell of the Office of Education’s radio di- vision. “They advocate the theory that city government is a business which . should be the business of every citisen.” —Star Staff Photos. tact with fill pipe before starting to fill and maintain continuous con- tact until finished. After fueling operations are completed, close fill- ing pipe and wipe up any gasoline which may have spilled. Open up all ports and doors which may have been closed and air out properly be- fore striking matches, starting ma- chinery, etc. Refueling of the ves- sel should be accomplished in day- light hours. Then there is attached “A prudent operator’s catechism,” which shoulc contain the following prohibitions: Do not overload the boat, take chances with fire and explosion, tol- erate an installation which lack: modern safeguards, allow gas or of! | in the bilge, operate near swimmers in the water, allow rubbish to ac- cumulate, make temporary repairs except in emergencies, use gasoline stoves, use kapok-filled life pre- servers to sit upon, as such action compresses the filler and destroys efficiency, fail to provide life belts for children, be afraid of a boat— respect it, forget your wake can damage others, fail to reduce speed through mooring fields, fail to take precautions against fouling other boats when anchoring, lie at anchor with short cable, allow ample scope. But while there are penalties at- tached to motor vessels for not carrying certain equipment, such as fire extinguishers, life preservers, fog horns, whistles and bells, the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation is concerned in its edu- cational campaign at this time with urging owners to take those precau- tions against serious loss of life and property, as well as injury. To cover these there is no law, except the nat- ural one of self-preservation, which many motorboat owners have been found by experience to have over- looked. There is a small corps of motor- boat inspectors who patrol the rivers and harbors, with authority to board motor boats under way to ascertain that they carry the required equip- ment. There must be a life pre- server for each person on board the vessel at the time, including babies, and no piece of equipment is au- thorized to take care of two persons. Failure to have any of the required equipment aboard is punishable by a fine not to exceed $100, which is assessed against the vessel and its owner, regardless of who is operat- ing it at the time. In the case of fire extinguishers, they must be filled. Life preservers must be in good condition. Those of the cork type, with rotten canvas covering will not pass. Bells and horns are required to be produced, but in daytime inspections, the lights are never asked for. But after sunset they had better be lighted and in the required position. If there is one piece of equipment not in conformity with the law, the inspector merely makes note of it, explains the nature of the violation to the operator and leaves. But a few days later the owner of the vessel will receive a letter from the collector of customs calling for the payment of the fine. If the fine is not forthcoming then action to col- lect is started in the United States District Court for the area in which the violation occurs. In this latest movement the Bu- reau of Marine Inspection and Navigation is concerned with those things which cause loss of life and over which it does not have any Jjurisdiction, fires and explosions caused by carelessness, lack of proper construction along safety lines, and lack of knowledge of the danger of the fuel used, gasoline. Gasoline vapors are heavier- than air and go down. In unventilated spaces, these fumes accumulate, and a spark from a starting motor, a loose connection on a spark plug, or the spark from a match, or in the case mentioned at the begin- ning, a spark from an electric stor- age battery may mark the differ- ence between a Sunday of pleasure on the water and death or weeks or months spent in a hospital.