Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-12-30


There is some interest la the Suggestions
made below bya scientific man ia relation 10
steamboat disasters. As men become fsmil.
lar with steam engines the loss OF lite and
property by them will be diminished. We
copy from the N, v. Tribune.
T. ID. w~AKEMas, Esq. Cor. Sec. Of the An.
Institute;
SIR-As the American Institute has biih-
erto eyinced a lsudsble anxiety To ascertain
the causes ut the numerous accidents which
have occurred on board steam vessels. With a
view Ca di1usr such information among the
travelling portion of the community a. should
tend to lessen their frequency; and presume
the same p.disewoithy motives still influence
its peoerrsiings: ! take the liberty OF address
lngrg pa especiing the cause Of the late ~Tcck
OF th, stes mboat Atlantic. ! hoped that some
one among the survivors, who hbd charge oi
the steam engine, would have given the pub
lie a iull ststemenl Of the facts in ~Telstion to
the bursting of The ''sieaR chest OF "sieam.
pipe" for the published accounts OF the disss.
Ter men,ion both without stating any circum.
stsRccs which can enable even a person &c
quainted with such matters todetcrmine what
part gave way. This. however, j. not rery
lmpoTtant M solving tie question. Wat
scos the primary cause 81 f1 diSastcTlH T9
tins, perhaps, nilety.nine out OF every but
ared would reply, The furious srorpf. The
this certainly ~ not . satlsfcai,r q. Sssordinsry
ha--,s~ herself erpergn-nslorm until her
"'y on eocongf -; aud nearly or quito
~ Nv powsYEoSs,S ssout New York aud the
Seatins.S their regular trips during
'he frat ~ssat hours which elapsed between
The e.ptosion and ihe final destruction IL The
'sssei' Nor was the bursting OF ,hr steam
hrs, OF steam pipe the primGrV cans of the
wreck, for that. of itself, p~nSlaced 40 iniury
% the vessei-she was jn,t as sound al.
.et the explosion as before titus, a. able Ia
the force Of the storm a. she would
Iase been u the engine had stopped Tor want
i coat 10 feed the 6res.
The primary oanse, then. OF the disaster. OF
mt winch gave opportunity fT ell the othc.
'Kisiing, or subsequent Gauss In al, was. be.
'"Dd oil controversy, avery grestand impfo-
psSDessure Of steam. Ia may EFrhsps o.
that the ''steam chest was weak and in
suiihcIent-tbat IL was iasRBfcieHt to with.
The pressure TO which II was subjected
y proved by the event; bat that il was bsak
- not shown, nor eau IL reasonably b. So in
erred IL was probably as strong az That part
- usually made by the saline makers. aud ONLY
happened TO b. weaker than The boilers we've
II the time Of the explosion.
A simple statement at tie case hen i. that
'n improper pressure of steam caused an *.
piosIon which disabled the engine. The en.
sins being ~useiess aud the anchor, issuf6cie a
Tie vessel was Al the mercy Of the wind. The
"iud drove the vessel upon a rocky shore
where SIZE went 10 pieces and The passengers
were drowned. This event adds s%noi,ef
To the many we have heretofore had oil
Use iHPortsce Of %buildiug and managing steam
engines tu such way as To make ass1lrgas,
aoS6fy sure aad take a bond Of Fafs' for tbei,
'AfE amt regular Performance Of the work Ia
nhich they sre applied. and especially when
Ia. wYik y 81 such character th,i even : |
,iight failure nasy place hundreds of valuable
l.es va jeopardy. Had q key, or rim. or boil
.sised 30 the engines Of he Great Wr.frrnr
iHflnS TIC sevefc gale which she encountered
90 nef outward voyage in s ptember last. pro.
ably not q SOIL would have survived 10 ,ell
stc taie 81 h~eIboss. twill sdi, materially. 10
.e ~leiy OF TIE travelling community whsn
'seh 'DfeieI Is sble 90 iulonu himscli OF he
'hafactefs 81 The vessels snd engines which
zee Offered ior hHs Conveyance. and can indg(
Directly ~ The skill aid caution which az
''nployed M their management. Then igno.
shee and freiessness will cease to receive 4
Bet pa'eoasee which properly belongs onlv
skili, iotus'V end Prudcnoc.