Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1840-02-06

iy to break. ifthrre had been chains o.
should have been more likely to reach th'
shore. ! never had any apprehensinns al
the Lexingion's taking FIRE, nor did con-
slider her any more likely to take fire thar
any other boat.
EIGHTH DAY.
Frederick Hampstead called.-Lives IT,
Brooklyn in Front street, near Jackson an
an enaineer-have been acting in that capacity
seven or eight years in several boats was en-
gineer OF the David Brown. which run between
here and Charleston. We burnt coal on board
Of that boat with a natural draft we had NJ
blowers. We burnt anthracite coal; her fur
naces were not made in the same manner as
that on board Of the Lexington. The David
Brown had three furnaces, they were cut up iu
the front Of the boilers, and the legs were down
below the fire bars there was chock of cas'
iron put in front Of the furnace door to keel
the coal from coming out il was four inche.
square, and about Is or l9nchcs long. con
sidered the David Browns fittings for the fur
mace as safer than those of the Lexington
The reason think them safer is because the,
did not use any blowers. ] consider blower,
as dangerous. unless they are put up sufficient
If the sheet iron and bridge work is strone
enough ii is uOi dangerous. Have been an en-
Pineer on board the Lexington one trip. tha
was the trip but one before she was lost. J
was afraid Of fire, because my brother told me
that the boat had been on fire the trip before
he told Inc TO look out for fire along side o
the boilers, and ! should be troubled with ih'
blowers. There were two blowers, both Of lhe
same size, they were Of the size as testified Ia
by Mr.. Secoi. Understand they pnt on new
h.f. eha lnct tt,n bifl
made the blowers make mole revolutions. !
heard my brother give the order for them
When was in her we had a COOL deal Of diff
Guilty with the blowers, aud my brother told
me they were also troublesome to him. and
had been ever since they had used them. The
wood was slowed along side Of the boiler, ant
was on FIRE several times during the trip WA,
in her When the blowers was in full opera
ton, the Goals in small pieces would come on
Of the furnace doors if they were open, and il
was them that set the wood on fire. ] have
heard my brother say he considered her dan
gerons boat. aud cautioned me before ] wen
up to look out for fire said he could not
stand it long, the work was so hard. ] con
slider the more revolutions the blowers make
the more danger there is of fire. The reason J
went in her the trip which did, was because
my brother was sick. The brick work on the
corner of the bridge wall fell down several
times as my brother told me. lconsidered the
blower was the cause Of their falling down
think il was the wind for when the furnace j.
full Of coal the wind must go somewhere, and it
forced the wall out. ] did not sleep any ali
night because of my brothers caution there
was no difficulty ia extnguishng the FIRE
there was a tank in front of the boiler. which
would hold five or six pals of water. which wa,
placed there for that purpose. and also 10 cool
off the slice bar which they clear the cnkers
with.
l would consider myself safe on board of the
boat after the blowers was altered, provided
was then to keep "A good look out. The boile,
of the David Brown Was built expressly foi
burning coal she was never on fire never
heard Of a boat whose boiler was made for
burning coal on fire. Should consider tho
boiler on board the Lexington WAS as safe a.
any other after her alterations for burning
coal, with the exception Of the blower. Or
our return trip we dad not use the blower, be
cause the wheel was broke. We had from II
to IL inches, and up TO II inches steam com
ing down withou, the blower. ! don't ihins
SO mach steam can be made with a blower a
without; the reason of ii. think, is hecaus
il blows the heat clear through into the smok
pipe. | have seen tho blaze out Of the top u
a smoke pipe 5 or g feet high. Have seen III
sinoae pipe red hot to wuhln about Ieet o
the promenade deck. The chimney was re
hot most oi the time on the trip was in bcr
Have never had any difficulty with any of III
company; don't know any OF them excer
Can't C0mstock. Was last in the employ o
Mr.. S.cor. When | went on boafd there va
joiner at work on bo,rd ! asked my bro,hc
what he was doing there, and my brother san
the boat had been on fire and he was repalrin,
the damage he was repairing the easing O
sk..p fni he llph
on TO the boiler hatch. There were two ell
ciueers to the boat, aud they generally tax
watch aud watch. f. IEMPSTEAD.
Charles b. Smith, calied.-Lives in Nor
wich, Connecticut, was a fireman on board G
the Lexington on the 18th Of January. Th
first time | heard the alarm of fiIe, was abou
about half past o'clock in the evening.
was in my room asleep, on the guard; ther
was uau came in and told me the boat WI
on fre his name WAS Henry Reed. he was
coal HEAVIER, he did say where the fire wa
but said the boat was all on fire. got out I
MY birth. the door Of The room was open. d
rer,ly opposite the steam chimney, and ! sa
the pronensde deck and part of the casin
around the chimney on fre-havc seen al
conversed with some of the owners and pr,
prielors of The company; they rendered ~
such assistance as needed they did not as
me what should probably testify upon III
iury-wen, Immediately into the crank roo
and pu, on the hose, opened the cocks an
tried TO yet to The end Of the hose, to play q
the fire, but the fire and smoke prevented m
The>bose was lying alongside of the bulhhea
alongside Of rle mir pump. | went all Of Il
shaft to get breath, then | tried 10 get Il
buckets down that hung over tho shaft, whic
the fre prevented me from doing then we
oft with the intention Of getting into the boa
when got all saw Captain Chlis standlr
on the rail by tie crane OF the boat on Il
rlarboard side. and heard him sing out for Il
Engineer. The Engineer answered, the Ca
tain asked him if he could stop the engine (;
replied it was impossible, AZ the fire prevente
and then got 10 where Captain Chllds sto
aud saw The bow tackle Of the buat cut ava
with the boat full of passengers the bows
the boat filed with water. and she swung rou
on her stern tack!". Captain Chlds sung q
hold on to The boat. he slipped down on 10 I
feuder outside OF the bulwark, slipped RE