The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-20

| To the Judge-H there was heavy head Of steam
Il would be shown by leaking little more; that's the
indication the capacity Of this boiler was from sixty
to seventy pounds; that's the highest capacity; 1
would consider If there no defect in the boiler.
forty to forty five pounds safe pressure in running;
itappears TO me that saw the certificate Of the In
Mr.; Noyes said that it was fortyfve pounds, but it
| was destroyed.
Mr.. Hall admitted that the certificate stated that
the boilers were good provided they were not put
under greater pressure than forty-ive pounds.
witness have known Capt Farnham for three
or four years; his general reputation for skill and
prudence Is good.
Crossexamined by the District Attorney-TWit-
ness explained the size of the rent made1 The cor
rosion did not appear as II it had been heated with
out water heating and cooling repeatedly without
water has the effect OF making it easily torn the ex
poson tore the braces nine or ten at the top of the
boiler.
James NJ Hook am engineer on board the Hen.
drlck Hudson am an engineer since 1883 /; have
been IN different employs when commenced wood
was used coal is now used since 1889 or 1910 the
frst boat that commenced using coal was the North
America; it was less expensive and saer ii is easier
controlled; we control it now by opening the furnace
doors while landing, and occasionally the iue DOORS
it depends upon how much steam we have when we
open the doors; sometimes we open them mile or
mile and half before landing; the effect of landing
runs the steam down some five or ten pounds to the
inch; the duty Of the engineer while landing is to
try the water and see that the engine is stopped the
delay at landing is from three to five minutes if the
safety valve was raised during that time, it would
raise the water cock about four inches above its
ordinary level; it is sometimes done for the purpose
OF raising the water when there is deficiency; when
running the water is not SO solid as when standing
still; while the engine is working we can't tell ex-
actly where the water is, but we can tell
il we have got none; in steamer with two
boilers the same pressure would be both;
the boilers in the Reindeer were connected; ii
did not generate any steam the same pressure would
be on both; there would be no danger with one cock
OF water over the fues; such boat as the Reindeer
tam
out danger; we fill the boilers here with Croton; in
running, we would get water little brackish, not
salt; after we draw the water of the appearance Of
the top Of the fues esq would be dark greasy appear
without water, if it gets red hot it will always show
If it has been exposed; went into the boiler of the
Reindeer after the explosion at Malden was at the
corOners inquest; the accident occurred on Satur.
day; was in the boiler on Monday and Tuesday; its
appearance indicated that there was plenty Of water
the defective plate looked shelly it was split in three
thicknesses through sheet;
examined the broken part; the appearance of it
showed that it was gone-corroded the sixteenth Of
an inch probably caused by the bending of the
fange into which the water had got; the first three
be detected unless it showed leak; l should think
that boiler if not defective would be perfectly safe
at fifty pounds; probably. the boiler would bear
twenty-five or thirty pounds in the condition it was
before the accidents the cause Of the explosion, in
my opinion, was the defect in the iron; have known
Capt. Farnham fifteen years; / always considered
him among the first for care skill, and caution ~
defect was about the sixteenth of an inch on the
turning of the fange?
To the Judge-Capt Fanham supernten ded the
construction Of the boilers of the Reindeer.
Gilbert Q. Lasher examined by Mr.. Smidt-1 am
an engineer on the Hudson river for seventeen years;
coal was adopted on the North river boats think,
in 1910; the North America first used it; regulate
my steam by opening the furnace doors; in that way
! can control it efectualy; we likewise have door
in the upper connection, called the fiue door; this
condenses the steam opening the furnace doors you
can keep the blowers running at the same time, but
we would have to reduce the speed the pressure of
the steam decreases on opening the doors; the ex-
tent Of decrease is owing to the fire; it decreases
from five SO ten inches that is five ten pounds to
the square inch; the landings would take from three
take three minutes the duty. of the engi.
neer at landing is to try his gauge and
water, to see how it is and try the
cocks; boilers require three cocks of water; if
there cock Of water above the fues it would
be perfectly safe when the water is not clear it oams
up; while in that condition cannot find the level
Of the water without stopping the engine and opening
the doors; while stopping the engine we could not
ascertain the state of the water; would be danger
GUS for an engineer to run vessel without ascer-
tanning the state Of the water; when arrive at our
destination let off the steam; if the safety valve
had some substance around it the blowing of steam
would blow it away; the general custom on the
North river is opening the doors; that is the prac
tice since followed steamboatng; suppose there was
one cock of water there would be no danger in run.
ming the boatt Reindeer would with safety with
one cock OF water, if running with the tide about
eight miles; against the tide she would run five miles,
if she had two cocks of water at Red Hook, she
could not get deficient of water between that and
BRISTOL the Reindeer after the accident; was
witness before the coroner; went into the boiler
had been deficiency of water think could have
detected 1t. WITNESS described the broken part of
the PLATED 1t was composed Of leaves the inside not
welded together, and the outside looking sold the
1nfAa nhnnf min fnaf md
twenty inches the other Witness explained by the
diagrams.l There only one sixteenth of an inch
solid rOn the rest scales; the sheet that gave
away was the perpendicular one where it bent over
to receive the upper one the occasion Of the defect
appeared to be the iron not having been properly
welded; it was recent one; it was rusted,
and had scale on it; the effect of using sheet
Of that kind continually must make it give
way the cause of the giving way was i'm
perfect iron; the duty of the engineer is to con-
troll the engine; in the control of the engine he is
landing to look to the passengers; he has signal
to the engineer while landing; the engineer has the
whole control of the engine; | have known Capt.
Farnham for ten years; his reputation for skill care
and prudence is very good.
This witness was not cross-examined,
Samuel G. Wise was called, but the Judge said it
was hardly necessary, if his testimony was cumula-
tive, to examine him. They might examine him as
to any new points Witness then Saddle is en-
gneer; saw the boiler about two months ago, at
Tenth street dock aftert was taken out Of the waters
it had ragged appearance, and was not properly,
welded; from the inside it had the appearance of
different layers of iron not properly welded; could
not say the part that gave out fast; each layer was
about the sixteenth Of an inch thich; from my ex
animation of that boiler / think the cause of the
accident was defective iron; if she had gone to Al
bany that day, she probably would have given out
next.day with twenty pounds pressure.
Judson Moray deposed-I am q pilot on the North
river; was passenger on board the Reindeer on
the 4th of September last got on at New York; the
water was then rising; we had flood tide from Kings
ton, and slack water from Poughkeepsie; there
was no hurry that day on the passage or at
making landings; there was other boat going
up; the conduct Of the officers such as it should
be on board Of a boat; made it the subject Of re-
mark; remarked to Captain Farnham that it was
very pleasant steamboating from what we used to
have, as there were no small boats running up the
river; have seen the Reindeer make twenty-three