The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-01

l,v~ At thc rcceat explosion Of boiler board
u. steanbsat Eastern City.
NAMES o. rHr Uaoaa
Horaao Rcd. 20 Baysrd strSt.
c. johnston 20 Warren street.
T.P. ssnnh, 4s4 Broadway
s. Irving Hudsoa Ranrosd cfice
J. Msvsigh. 81 Division street
A. b. Waliing corner II Cherry and Rutgers streets
RP. Wright. lsl Franklin street
D. Stieobcrg 36o Grand street
Neison samns. Sc S+copa avenue
Robcrt Atkins, 90 Beekman street
Tho jwpgs wese then and conveyed by the Coro
nss In onnibus TO view the crsl bodies That CT
Captain Stcarns had been conveyed brooklyn by the
brother oathc d.ceaed for the purpose II preparing the
body 70 be sent for burial This body also
v;ewrd By the jury they sko visited tho steamboat and
examined The exploded boiler The evidence in the
was then pcocseded with =
.anss Mowa.s being sworn. ssid-I re ode al No 70
Cannon street; am machn mist and engineer am in
work In the steamboat Eastern City saturday the
lime Of The explosion which took place bot three
ana half past three O'clock We CONNIE need to get up
stfsm about ten O'Clock on Saturday morning. We COM
menced about one or two o'clock to work tho engine;
there wcrc ssot fourteen pounds Of TO the square
inch, at this time; had worked tho engine for
time by hand We attempted 10 hook hr and found
chat the ins rods hung tv the trap shaft worked
whAe longer by hand then We stopped the engine and
took out the trip shaft; had just TO chip
little out Of the shaft 10 give il clsaance; during the
TINE Of chipping h ard soinethny give w.y on looking
around saw steam issuing from between the planks
which covered over the boS1,r; standing on the
main deck NJ tho time; then of tn, aferruard.
snd upon recovering little went in upon the deck
again, and found Charles German the engineer of tho
boat at the air pump; assisted in getting hun upon
the attes gusrd sitter which vent and assisted in taking
out Captain lillian H. SteaI between the after
soon and the captain Office afterwards into thc
Hre snd there found john Curtis the
constructing the engine; with assistance got him upon
the deck an placed him upon the after guard on learn
down and drew OF them off and left he other burn
iDg the said boiler wa, to the best of my
knowledge have examined the boiler in question both
outside and inside and the only ccncln
in relation 70 the giving way Of the boiler H. that there
must have been flaw in the plate Of the boiler; believe
the boiler was intended TO Garry thirty sS PouRd and
that fourteen pounds Of steam could not have ey ]ded
the boiler, haA there have ben no mpcrfection in tho
ate examincd tho Of water less than hair an
nour s 10 explosion and there then cocks
wet " dimcult TO det CT Jaws in The iron, unless
they are very bad ones.
Monroe saes am an engineer and machinist employed
ene Aiisre works. was present tho time Of
Ter before three o'clock the which the boiler was
was one quarter inch ron standing on
explosion into tho passage way Of the boat the engine
was stopped the time Of tho explosion we had stop.
psd y clear the tip shaft which binding upon tho
lifting rods had looked at the guage few minutes be-
fora and then there between fourteen and fifteen
3cnes o. steam consider it mpossbility for
tnak amount OF steam to have boiler had it
been sound; believe there wss aw in tbs iron: thsre
might have been flaw there keenest eye about the
would not detect it, parts the iron
revealed ~ the explosion Of the boer seemed good and
sound. After had taken breath and was returning
stumbled over the Captain: there was 10 much stcsm
Ihad to srope my way assisted in putting the Captain
on Tho after guard.
Peter McMNen being sworn saId-I re side nj ms
Grand street williamsburg; am practical engineer. I
am fuzzy acquainted with the that was used in
he eonervcton of the boiler in oucsticn ne VA. 30 ~ al.
others bst the Asire works 70 iss A. II Is possible
to be- e managers invariably order the hast Of Penn
yyanaate iron for boilers; Saturday morning the
boiler and machinery OF The steamboat Eastern City was
ready to 10 tried asccrained from Mr. Cunts that he
would 30 rsady to start the engine between and two
started tried tho guaSe cocks and found that there
was four fall cocks Of water in the boiler; I
vent bach sg.ln a. half past one o'clock; ] ask
I'd Mr.. Curtis IL he had enough steam TO start the
engine, and he said he thought he had; wont In and
locked at the steam guage and found that there
seven and half fbs. OF steam on; told him that
sufficient. aed 60 sorkipg the engine which he
did IA fe~ nnutcs think he worked the engine him.
self ten Or fifteen minute he then gave the working
bar to Mr. howatt, and he and myself went aud cx-
snined every part Of the engine a. Is the usual
when srst putting ON steam found the butt end Of
the connecting rod a little slack aud required ky
ing up we stopped the engine Tor minute u do and
engine room; Mr. Curli took the bar ana worked few
revolutions himeelf, and hooked the engine on she
ascrtaine that the Cpl o~i lf ing hung up then
had TO stop instantly; unhooked the engine vst Mr.
Curtis tosnd that from the fact the expansion Of the
steam chcs the lifting rod bore hard upon the back part
Of the trip shaft the trip shf not attached IN
steam chest but 10 one Of he deck beams; the only
remedy In this TO take the i which
done, aud Mr.. Curtis gave directions 10 chip a small
piece from she back part OF the trip shaft and Mr.
MCNEtt commenced 10 II; curtis then turned ana
went into the fire previous to the trip shatt being
removed Mr. Curtis gave orders to the fr,men 10 open
the furnace doors which to my knowledge obcyed
followed hr Curtis into the back Of the engine
room where che ladder leads to the fire room; but pre-
sious 70 his going down the ladder saw him try the
guage cocks there were four cocks Of aud
him. also try the steam guag- which indicated fourteen
pounds; followed Mr. Curtis into the fire room; he lit
hts scgar the furnace turned to mo and said
Start the blower the tlower and looked
around for minute and then turned came up the
ladder; then tried the guage cocks again and found
had ri.r .I,.
steam susec, and was jut turning TO leave the
room above The fire room, heard a hoiso SIMILAR to
the tearing OF piece of CLOTH before got to the deck
my GOAT tails were blown my head and my first I'M
pulse was 70 run matter OF course far as
the after saloon, and finding that not injured but
only wct turned my attention 10 the engine room,
nnd DIR Curtis knowing that he must have been In the
nre room At the time; when got to the engine
there was 20 much st4 sm here that could ninr
called for somebody and Mr. Mowatt ordered somo ono
70 go down into the ire for Mr.. Curtis saw Mr.
Mowstt ana some one elte carrying the captain aft;
went arr and saw Captain ST. Mr. Curtis lying on
me main deck; Immediately went for physician and
did NOT see any " the Other injured parties when re-
turned with tho physicians Mr. Curtis was dead Captain
stee<ns was conveyed TO the hotel Mr. landied on
the corner f Past broadway and street
voc accofnt 70 hsw in the boler plate; the flaw:
the Whole edge OF the iron eemed imperfect had been
Poeeee Tor human eyes To have the imp~fecton Il
WOULD Dave oeSh ckcovered at the time plate was
aid out; IeKamined tho inside the boiler tins morn
ING ana found the usual quantity Of braces tno
nor no cfe have likewise examined the boat
vas not the least injury to any Of it nor indeed 10 any
thug eisc, save the boiler
worting on The steamboat Eastern City for four five
weeks ut the iron work around the boiler; the time Of
The explosion was not board went TO The shop
about fifteen minutes before never have known Of a
similar accident have been working at boilers Tor
sightecn years past have examined The plate and
Of the opinion that there flaw in it. the iron No
or No iron and is Of quarter i've sixte-nhs
an Inch in thickness this iron il as heavy generally
put In the shell boilers boiler inspector could not on
inspection bave discovered the defect in the boiler plate
any more than could
Henry fskcr sworn, sad-I was a fireman boari the
SAID sttsmbcns was board at the time Of tho expo
sion ibis wkDee tetih TO the fact of seeing
Mayo Charios II Hall and Charles Gormas the hospi
tai, who were all scaldcd by the explosion
John McA.liaer boing sworn sid-I reside at Calais
Me- em the agent Of the Calais Steamboat Com pany;
nc inspector Of steam boilers up lied in
specs me bocr Of the Eastern CITY TO my Knowledge
one mas ever lpEpauced hu,s eli to prctof and
Yueceu 10 inspect the II the Of
ne bost said something TO time about the
Inspection OF The boiler but d. know cannot re-
collect NhAi pnssfd Lo think