The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-08
THE REINDEER CATASTROPHE.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
DEATH OF MR.. WOODS BAKER
CORONER" INQUEST CONTINUED,
DO, &C.. &c.

the cars.
INQUEST ON TIE BODIES OF A. W. wuIpPLE, REV.
GEO H. WILLIAMSON, DENNIS SAVOY, MARY ANN
LOCKWOOD. W Il. sNRLL. EDWARD 2ILLEK AND
WOODS BAKEI,-CONTlNUED.
EVIDENCE FOREMAN The MORGAN IRon WORKS.
Thejury re-asscmbed this morning
John Murphy sworn-Says, 1 reside in New York.
am boiler maker that Is for steamships and boats;
have followed his business for twelve years have work
cd on Philsdephia hammered and rolled iron; Pennsyl-
vana iron is generally used for boilers have examined
the boilers Of this boat since the explosion examined
the exploded part the of the explosion is defect
in the iron in my opinion believe it was cracked and
scay previous TO the explosion II cracked on the top
Of the fues the part that gave first have worked
the Philadelphia iron in boilers have examined this
boiler sufficiently to give this my opinion; an
the foreman Of the Morgan Iron Works Of New York:
am satisfied that is the cause.
10 mr. smith Foreman-Thc steam collected during the
ttoppage being uddeDy let on to the machinery give
the boat sudden and rapid movement from the landing
was not the cause OF this explosion in oponon but
defect the iron there could not be enough steam ge
nerated under dDary circumstances landing to cause
an explosion; do not think there is another boat in
New 1ok that has boiler sAilar to this; there are
not many boats that have return ues of this description
they are just as safe as far explosion is
any other there is way in which these fues can
be constructed that If they explode as this did the
water will not run down in the furnace: think this
boiler II perfect could carry fifty sixty pounds Of
steam to the square inch with perfect safety but there
Ia manifest defect in the iron in tho exploded part,
perfectly visible to the eye; went inside the boiler
to see the exploded part made this boiler; believed
the iron sound, would not have put 1t in tho
fire burned away part Of the thickness of the IRON it
was not properly welded together by the manufacturer of
the iron this defect would, in majority of cases. be
most likely to lie detected in the making the boiler and
putting the rn in these iues; but the defect in this
iron in the exploded part not detected when we
work iron we tell by the edge Of It being solid and
sound but sometimes 1t may be solid on the edge and
yet may not be solid all through the and not
dIscl with Iha ytnnS Stu-;l1
ed the boiler around the steam chimney is tn most
likely TO burt rst the connexion will stand pres
sure Of ste than the boiler and is not liable to ex-
plode as the other parts Of the boiler.
James Hook swMn--S8ys am engineer board
the steamer Hendrix Hudson; have been engineer
sixteen the Hudson river the greater part the
tine II Is not customary to blow OF steam Mt landings
but the steam is lessenod by throwing open the
furnace doors; is not usually the object leave the
dock with great Iapidty by not letting off steam; was
an engineer the South America in her best days.
should think this boat could carry thirty pounds Of
steam with perfect safety when we leave landing VIC
do not let the full force OF steam the engine suddenly
Or at once, but let the engine three four
then we increase the pressure, until get the number
OF pounds pressure the engine intend to carry;
have run for days and weeks and not blown OFF steam
but we lessen the steam by throwing open the furnace
doors we were carrying thirty pounds to the square
lhch, and Lett hp the df,s sld safety valve and
Ia. ~ lanting five Ia butes about ten pounds of
sttnm wo'it generate, in my opinion; l should think
this boat could carry fifty pounds thirty pounds Of
mute, or a speed of eighteen and half miles an
don't know exactly flGr.D .fhe best OF my opinion
thirty four feet With fifty pounds of steam, she ought to
make twenty two miles an hour and twenty three and
half tuins the dieic between the tile being for
against the vessel il Fix miles hour with thirty
pounds OF steam and twenty turns minute this boat
ught to make the usual landings and get here mt half past
welve clock had been into the boiler Of the Reindeer
md made thorough examination there and is a
iefect in the iron which, in witness opinion was the
'ause Of the explosion
Mr.. Bakers death was here announced, and
MIR David Bigelow, sworn, deposed lie knew Mr.
oods Baker he WIS among the passengers on the
reindeer at the time of the explosion and scaldsd
he deceased bal informed him his Woods |
}aker that he resided at Princeton, n. - witness
resident Of Maiden.
Adjourned till hafpast one
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Mr.. Murphy recalled and piece Of the broken |
from the be6r produced Vt presented the appear
of succession Of distinct fakes rusted nearly
vi through, and bent almost double Witness exam |
rcd by District Atorpey-The defect in the iron spo-
zen of by not being properly welded IL that which
Observable in this piece Of the exploded boiler be
ievo the fracture (meaning the ssure between the lay
rs) TO be old one; the parts properly /
Welded together; was in the boiler when Mr.. Smith
foreisan OF the iury,) and Mr.. Simmons and Mr. Hook
we're there this morning; Mr. Hook pointed out the
ace where he thought the explosion first took place
corroded 10 nothing; II ut the edge of
he iue where the iron corroded, on the side the
team and water were; it originally quarter inch
TO- ron its present thickness was not an eighth of
N inch there are four or five fucs that the
cat passes through sim ultoneously. and the
xplodod is OF the set it passes through last;
i'd not think that the continued Of the Hues in dri
ing the beat fistcr than usual would wear them out
hey generally the last part OF the boiler to
ut; he believed VIII. the ue did give way, it gave in
the water to the heat, under the pressure of the
'ater and steam The iues aud connections are i'm.
nersec in the water The appearance OF the exploded
art derent-thinner and looked if it had been
oroded for some tme-two weeks, or month perhaps-
nd getting all the time the defect the
oson might have commenced a year ago or mors-more
robaby six eight months ago than one or two; it
commenced in very small way by competent person
xsmippg the boiler it ought to be detected might
ot be de- ected but it would be his duty to look for 1t
id think would be dlscernabe unless his attention
as called it it could only be by very minute in
pection thought it showed outside it would be scaled
tie sediment settled there outside the hue, and
oncesed the defect the Inspector did not always re-
,ove this and could not 1t without IL would cover
up; he did not believe they could form any opinion
ithout removing this sediment: thought the Inspec.
irs certificate not entitled to much credit he had
Al much confidence in them they did not amount to
,uch they not boiler makers and knew nothing Of
be lus ness.
Mr. Edwa1d Simmons examinod-Resided at Sougcr-
es was a manufacturer Of iron; had been so engaged
Or twenty years in this country and similarly engaged
4 In pgloDd had examined boiler of Render and had
cen inside and examined the fue from the present APP
Of the iron about the exploded part he could
lot tell whether T. good or bad shotor tough strong
weak had made boiler iron, but used thick pieces he
hould think the peice produced made by welding
hin layers thought that would make stronger iron
ropery welded could not say whether this was welded
properly az he had never anything like II before
me part looked pretty well welded but not the other
hound not think 1t was well welded where layers We're
could what the action ofsteam would
BE- had not sufficient knowledge to answer what was
he cauf Of their explosion had the coroded part it
ust have corroded away If It the thickness Of this
sboud think the corroson the work OF some time
boilers he knew would eorrode away nom the time they
we're rst used should not think was safe six mon rs
aao as IL could not corrode much in that time but
could say potvely il would corrode on both sides
not so much this river the outside OF ues where
they soft water it might not be quite so strong in
that part impossible To have large piece all the
quality did not think an inspector could have no.
tced that coiroson should not think it could corrode
much within six months; did not think the heat
inside could them to scale unless they got bare OF
water when explosion collapse Of some kind wouia
place. had been to work at the business in England
for principally engaged in bar on and hoops
but had tured some boiler Plates manufactured
generally between three and four thousand tons year.
orktd some eight years ago boiler IRON for six or
e ght months not aware Of any Improvement made
In the manufacture since understood Pesnsyyana iron
was recommended very highly for boilers; should not
hipk surrounded by water on one side and heat On
the other would be heated as 10 bend In an explosion
the pressure would bend IL in all forms.
Nr Maurice Hart sworn-Resded In New York; was
engineer and machinist had beon practically 30 en-
saged since lS4l Phlac ephia; had served his time
bcr, manufactured locomotives steam engines, and the
mi