New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-07-22
The Accident of the Pacific.
OS BOARD STEAMSHIP IA

To the Editor Of The Tribune:
As there Will no doubt be some anxiety. and yari-
Gus reports have got abroad about the delay Though
short in the passage OF the Pacific, consequent
upon an accident 10 her machinery, | have taken
especial care to investigate the whole circumstance.
for your paper. which. II YOU consider It worthy of
insertion tor the benefit oi your readers you can use
with much pleasure. " Accidents Will occur IN
the best regulated families" Is An Old SAYING aud
never Il 80 fully illustrated IN that of the ac-
cldent on board the Pacific on Thursday last.
which occurred under the following facts which
wholly connected with Il, and which | gathered for
YOU. from the most direct and proper TO be
relied upon About Il An, on Thursday morning
last, an unusual vibrating motion was telt IN the
ship. and which was almost Immediately followed by
the breaking OF that part of The engine lthe port en-
gncl called the "croSstall," which severed IN the
center and, at the same time, ITS connecting
rod snapped of about two feet from the end. The
Starboard engine. made some three or four reyolu-
ions after the accident, which welded the broken
rod, So that u came INTO contact With beam sup
porting two pillars, and broke II. The piSton-rot
of the damaged engine, having been deprived ot
It's assisting power fell heavily on the cylinder top,
and crushed II. The swinging about OF themutilated
machinery came also m contact with the feed pipe,
which broke II and, IN a moment. the whole Of the
engine department was filled with boiling hot steam,
the density OF which was such rs To render II I'M
possible to discover what damage had been done for
some time During this. The engineers (NcsSrs.
Parks and Harris then on duty, acted with the most
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of mind, and the greatest pos
Sble prudence, IN at once unlocking the engines, IN
closing the stop cocks ot the boilers, and IN raising
the safety yayes-thus overcoming any priority ex-
lstlng danger. The other CngneerS--amOng whom
was the chief who had retlrcd-wcre on the spot
at once and spite Of the desperate obstac e-the
Scalding steam-whlch was scarcely entered ere
SufOcatlon commenced they Succeededln stopping
the saTboard engine and understand that to FIRST
Assistant Engineer n Thompson, the safety of It Is
manly to be attributed, who, AT nearly the sacnnce
of his life, and under the most depressing clrcum-
stances, succeeded in stopping her ere she became
strained and disabled The hremen, too, alive to the
probable danger, and energetic to prevent tai
though compelled, IN attachments, faIntlng and al
most overcome, 10 grope their way on deck TO
breathe the ar-lmmedatcly, on temporarily recoy-
crlng, FASTENED down again. to AID, II possible, IN
the rcparation and IN space OF time to me neon
ceiyable succeeded IN rakng out all the immense
fires (thuty-two), and thus all was safe. Soon after
this the steam cleared of, and the damage above
described WIS discovered
The conduct OF Captain Nye, his officers and crew,
the most noble and energetic, and II was felt by
all to be- worthy OF the highest praise
have seen many trying times, and circumstances
requiring the greatest iortudc, philosophy AMI
discipline, bu' never difficulty, IN which all these
were admirably displayed, as IN this case. SO
sudden, and apparently overwhelming and yet
managed with so little confusion, and so perfectly
controlled.
The sailing department was carried out as though
nothing amIss No sooner was the crash heard,
and the engine stopped than the ship was put under
sail, and, though slowly, we proceeded on, regard
less OF the cause.
The FIRE department (which, on board these steam
ers very perec) had It's hose at once laid al over
the ship, ready To meet any outbreak OF hre which
might occur, from the sudden raklng out OF so many
large fires, and all this, above and below, went on
without voice being heard, except from those IN
authority, and they speaking with the greatest pre-
clSOn and judgment
Such discipline, under such circumstances, reflects
the highest credit on all concerned, and was felt
with the greatest satisfaction by all on board and
this statement cannot have better corroboratl0n
nftty ufr - IN A. three
and half hours from the time Of the accident, the
starbOard engine was at work, and We were steam
ing il at eight miles per hour This accident 10 The
Pacific is TO be regretted she has invariably been
50 very successful in her trips She has had strong
head sea and head winds, all the passage from Liv-
erpOOl, and although since the accident, we have
been depending on the single engine, yet she has
succeed IN making the passage IN little 0'efl"eiFe
DAYS
have Travelled a great many times across the At
lanc and must say that never Travelled with great
or satisfaction, with greater confidence than IN
tins ship and am persuaded speak the feelinBs Oh
every passenger on board. She has more than borne
out her great reputation, and under such command
as Ezra Nye, whose demeanor and conduct through
out entltle HIM TO high praise as an experienced man
and dscpllnarian, calculated 10 meet the
most trying moments ! do not write TINS
TO praise up any one IN particular, or WIN any
motive beyond that Of enabling you, through your
widely circulated paper, TO give the details rs they
occurred. Every engaged IN the ship are equally
entitled TO praise, and wrte this TO prevent II pos
slOe, any erroneous impressions that might get
about. because the Pacific has had an accident, ana
that II might not be magnifed into really more than
II is The accident Is one Of common order, AMI,
being flaw In the iron, was impossible TO ioresee.
Accidents Of "A similar nature occurred not long az"
10 the Niagara and America. IL can De easlIy re-
paired and she will be able 10 resume her journey
as advertised II Is 10 be regarded great bless
ing that not single accident 20 any Of the men Oc-
CURED, which might have resulted IN many. 80.
beg 70 remain, slr, your most OBJ servt w