The Express.
London, England, 1850-12-02 00:00:00

THE FATAL BOILER EXPLOSION.

BRADFORD, SATITiIDAY.
The inquest on the bodies of the persons killed by
the terrific and destructive explosion at the mills of Mesas.
Wand and Co., Bradford, Yorkshire, was held yesterday
afternoon, another of the injured parties having died eine*
the paragraph respecting the event appeared in the Doily
News of yesterday. The name of the third patty killed
it Margaret O'Donnell, a girl aged 17. At the inquest the
following evidence was adduced :
Mr. Edward Wand deposed that he was one of the
owners of the Britannia Mills. Deceased, John Hall, wee
an engine tender for them, and had been for five years.
The decered Mary Navas and Margaret O'Donnell were
also ;it their employ as maehiae comber,. Thomas Vat-
ley, who was bud at the infirmary, was assistant stelae to
the deceased Hall. On Wednesday afternoon, one of their
boilers exploded. About a minute before the explosion
witness had spoken to the deceased Hall, and inquired why
the engine was not at its usual speed. Deceased said he
had one boiler off, but it would be ready directly. De-
ceased Hall was then on the coal heap opposite' the boiler. Did
not sea Thos. Verley. They had five boilers set in a row,
the backs of which ran parallel with the combing shed.
The five boilers were connected together, and had two
safety valves. if the communicating pipe were cut oft the
boiler, it would be cut off from the safety valve. Bought
the jboiler at Wakefield; it was a good boiler. lied it
repaired with the Bowling Company's plates, by Messrs.
Holdsworth and Reistrick. They tilled up the valves and
all the connexions to it; it was considered one of the beat
boilen in the yard. Witness had not got to the counting-
house when the explosion took place. More than one-half
of the combing shed is broken down by the explosion, and
ore-half of the broiler was thrown into the preparing shed.
The boiler wet represented to weigh more than six tour.
The windows on the opposite tide of the shed were many of
them broken. The deceased, Hall, was found laid on the
coals; he con living at the tins, he was found. The two
women were found in the combing shed ; one of them, Mary
Navin, was dead; the other, Margaret O'Donnell, was
removed to the infirmary ; Thomas Yarley, stoker, was
found in the firing-place, near to the boiler,.
W. Busfeild deposed that he wes an overlocker in the
employ of the Meters. Wands, and had bees so employed
for the last sixteen years. Was close to the woolconabing
shed at the time the explt -ion took place. He heard a loud
crack, and saw the roof broken in. Witness was not hurt.
Deceased Hell had the management of the engine, with the
sasistance of another engine tender. He had tapped the
boiler on that day. The reason why be had tapped the
boiler was because the float wire had broken off.
James Feeniley, a mechanic, proved that he had mended
the flan wire at about 11 o'clock on Wednesday, at the re-
quest of the deceased John Hall.
Joseph Mnff deposed that he was an engine tender
of twenty years' experience. Had not seen the boiler
before the explosion, but had examined it since, and
found that it had been red.hot at the take-up
part. The want of sufficient water was the cause of its
being so het. The water had only been 2 ft. 8 in. from
the gutter plate, and when the valve opened, the steam and
water would rush into the boiler, and generate more steam.
and there being no safety valve, and the man-hole lid being
pressed down, would cause the explosion. Witness could me
no deficiency in the boiler ; had due caution been used, or
had there been a safety valve to the boiler, the explosion
would not have taken place. Witness considered that the
deceased Hall was the sole cause of the explosion; had known
Undimmed Hall many years; he need to fire for Nicodemus
Sharp, who was late in the employ of the Messrs. Wand ; he
was note competent engine tender.
The witness was eras examined by Mr. Wilson upon
point which appeared to be merely a difference of opinion
amongst practical men as to certain mune producing certain
effects. _ . _

The coroner and jury now adiout ned to the, infirmary in
order to take the dep.sition of Thomas Varley, the stoker,
wbo assisted the deceased Hall.
Thomas Vevey deposed that he was employed by Mean.
Weed, and on Wednesday morning, the boiler which had
exploded bed been tapped in consequence of the wire belong-
ing to the float having broken off. The boiler was too bot.
Could not go in. Turned some water in to cool it. After-
wards went to get the float repaired; then opened the valve
and let the water run in : es soon as the water began to run
into the boiler, the demised Hell put the fire under the
boiler; this would be about half past 3 o'clock. Put the
man-hole down es soon as the water began to run into the
boiler ; and in half en hear opened the steam valve ; the
water came into the boiler all the time. Deceased John Hall
then went up to the top to open the valve. Witness went
with him, and as soon as the valve was opened, the boiler
cracked. Just at that time, Mr. Edward Wand came and
inquired why the engine was running as slow. Deceased
John Hall told him that one of the boilers bad been tapped,
and that it would be all right soon. After muter had gone
away, the dammed John Hall went up again, and told wit-
ness to open the boiler door, and the boiler exploded di-
rectly, end knocked witness down.
The coroner and jury new nursed to the public house,
end milled upon Mr. Wilson to give evidenes as to the cause
He implosion.
Mr. Robert Wilson deposed as follows:—I examined the
aqiedled boiler or Messrs. Wand's. I consider the boiler to
bone been 111_ good working order. I have heard the evidence
of Menus Varley. I attribute the ezploeion to hare arisen
km a scarcity of water in the boiler when the explosion
took plus. I believe there could be little or no water in
the hider. There Whiten a small quantity of water,which
hate been converted wholly into steam, but not
realleiel to
prisms as the other boilers were working at. The
are being very intense in its heat at the time, which appears
from the evidence of Varley united the boiler to be very
bet where exposed to the fire, yet, with one exception
me
lt', wen the plates ea heated as to produce the red
of iron. The heated plates would cause the
slam generated from the small portion of water to be so
masiborged with heat as to give it a capacity for a great
= arof water to be presented to it, though at the same
t ((Meg any indication of that presence due to its
hest ; but the capacity being such for water would give the
Cirdue to the heat whatever water was presented ; and
eessiary quantity must have been admitted in a great
degree whenever the connecting or stop valve was opened
between that boiler and the others, either by the water
from the other boiler, or by the sudden relief of pressure in
the boiler which had exploded—this deficiency of presence
arising, as before stated, from the deficiency of water. The
heated plates which were not red would also take up the
slias water; the other plates would not. Had the boiler
ha a safety valve, it would not have relieved the pressure,
it being so instantaneously brought on; if water had flown
into the boiler in the manner described by Vale', the steam
would not have been so surcharged. I cannot account in
the want of water ; probably the pump, were out of order.
By the Coroner—ln modern boilers It is usual to have •
water gauge, which thews the height of water outside. I
should recommend all zoillowners to have a safety valve to
every boiler.
The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the death of
the perdu named had been aced by the expleeion of a
steam-agine boiler, each explosion having been produced by
the imprudent opening of the stop-valve by the deemed en-
gineman John Hall, he being ignorant of the consequences
of so doing. The jury exonerated Messrs. Wand from ell
blame, and recommended the fixing of a safety valve to each
boiler, and the adoption of Mr. WElon's boiler ;reenter, se
the beet meant of preventing similar accidents in suture.

larin of • PRISONER nox THE MODEL-
Passim PZIVIONTILLI.—Last night one of the prisoners in
the ohm estabilameat made his amps from his all. The
mar etas Edam seen is Hackett, who was at the cow
riradiff.z.6,B 4 =Lyon committed for trisl from
art fa a most daring robbery
ia leohaWeet. and who 'Nomads made his escape from
the Wk.* amid in the rear of the mart, where he
wee esnibei. He was not again op.
entil, ea the owning of the Epsom Derby.
y, he was taken on Ladea-bridge by John Storey, 414
City polies, who, in hie emilleavolun to effect his capture,
ate, it will be remembered, searly killed by Radom. For
this Meese Haokett was tried and sentenced is transporta-
I that lm fifteen pus. Prom Monate he was sat to the
PalMetkey, Nom whines, is esseasenee ei hie to
to
temps, be wee 'sleeved to the Medi Pisa,
es lam stare plass el miasmal, ad frai Of* it
wee then& it would be impamille for kint my& BM
kowevee,-Miao Ism night, with only kis shin nal
cm, dorrii...: thee the primers were being analeled he
le set ea et the ahem willest atiteeties
=Lb prosemt a many.
LONDONDIMAY AND ENNIO:ELLIN RAILWAY.—
We endeneleml net the sontrator he the seeds& between
Btralsome sod Nowlemaeletreas elesay tasloamaleshelt pm* la
elliseas Mame M tbe eall dot he
the realredladget, warlt t le be of maser, WA OM
have ben Auk xestaivii—,Downy