The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-05

70 gux WAFER, wa danxefous, and advised him 70
to drink bat not mach; McCuns lsft time in Au
gust September Of last year. hs did not got enough
sor Of necnn. e wss dismissed s - 5.
did not keep up steam enough he generally regarded
unsafe; ! have spoken 70 Mr.. Parsons Mr.. Bsnham
in letting the water get low and thought it ought to BE-
looked after have had partial charge Of engine for six
or eight months in Springfield that W.. only 10 horse
have worked hardly for three weeks past there
little diculty hrs on know but little Of what are the
wages paid engineers have heard him complain some
and part nights but since that time he has been assist
ed BY fireman. since he has had fireman he attended
to his duties without trouble; think McCune had told
me the boiler was good one, And he liked 1t.
Seth King-I aged SS; was not At the shop at the
time of the explosion; am contracting jcbber my bu
sness leads me all over the buildings have seen the
boiler thought extra good one, well fitted and
they had pump to pump water in when the engine was
not in notion thought 1t well calculated for safety;
out Of order my opinion Of the late engineer that
since his return he attentive to his business
an instance of his careessness since his return Camp
and myself have spoken together about the boiler of the
old one afraid of the we had no sau5e
for fear; have never the steam gauge go
generally UNDER at the head of Potter street when
the explosion took place. have been in the shop for two
careful he1 man any nos snary
with engine boilers usually $40 per week il the wages
of competent engineer here know nothing against
Ira Wright am twenty-four years Of age, and have
been in the shop four years. at the time Of the
Rsen WAS standing on the
to time Of explosions about thirty feet from the
boerhead; noticed McCune talking with Skinner some
another party; then David Camp out and spoke
with him; saw McCune and Skinner talking outside,
directly before the boerhouse door Camp McCune and
to the pump in this time, but think not did not
him. have observed him get upon ladder to try the
gauge but did not him do that time; McCune's
body blown within two three feet of where stood
blown by the explosion the last remembered
was, was speaking with Mr. Pomeroy, when felt my
boiler good one and have expressed myself;
have thought McCune careful man; knew him to
drink be in liquor; have never noticed the steam
gauge to be up to eighty considered McCune careful
man. and in my opinion engineer might be otherwise
engaged than in looking at his boiler for fifteen minutes
should not consider him frstcass engineer, but
fully capable Of taking charge OF engine Of this class
should think that the cause Of this explosion was the
generated, which on taking fire exploded; also
talking with Mr. Chester Belden at the time of the
ploson.
Mr.. Thomas j. Fayle sworn-I am thirty eight
years of Sge, and Of the firm Of Fayle Gray,
carrying the manufacturing business employed
this first in April 1S49 at the expiration Of two
three years he became sovenly in his management of
the engine; then we spoke to him, when he promised
take better care which he subsequently did, at the
expiration of another year he demanded an increase in
salary, his duties had become more onerous and he
thought that 81 so day not enough thought it
sufficient, and allowed him to go away; tried
Their for the pay who was well recommended he
not suiting, went off, without coming for his pay;
tried another man, also well RECOMMENDED, with the
take back McCune at 81 IS day. the wages which he
asked for the past summer we had another man to help
the engineer consequence of increase of machinery
we crowded the old boiler somewhat, but did not do
than consistent with safety; this explosion
in my opinion was caused by the admission Of cold water
perfect safety 80 lbs of steam the boiler of the
most costly and perfect manufactures at quarter be-
steam from the warming pipes; the safety valve was
then in good order and had other than the usual ball
attached to IT. the general opinion is that the explosion
steam was red hot have always told McCune, when
him at other work at the BENCH that his place
at the boiler am usually around the boiler At O'clock
which saved my life; should think the cause of the
cdent yesterday was the inatenton of the engineer in
not going to the boiler, and letting steam sooner
have not heard that the engineer incorporate but
have heard that he rather wild and kept out of
nights his wife has been to me to assist her. but told
her go to the Police Ecclesiastical Courts the steam
had doubtless been heated to red heat and when the
cold water was let in it was like match to POWDER
have conversed with practical engineers who told
that boiler might be exhausted Of water entirely With
out DANGER the boiler iron has been tested and
sdered of the best and most tenacious ber we never
dismissed McCune but threatened him with doing
he did not keep his engine in better ORDER Mr. Grant,
when asked him. recommended another engineer but
that engineer incapable; have fct satisfied with
McCune MS a better man than could get elsewhere
and competent to fiji the position he occupied he stated
to that the boiler made steam and used water very
fast.
John s. Gray partner of the above-I have been
partner since the lst Sept 1882 absent from town
The premises in ruins the boiler has been in use about
four weeks and intended to be of the very best
make and materials. This wtnesss testimony corrobo-
rated that of his partner in every particular.
Edmund Collinsl am blacksmith; was in the shop
when the explosion occurred about sixty feet from the
boiler at the time was standing at my anvil had not
cCuua IN "a aft a OvnM
three years. since have been in the shop when tax
ing the body home last night, Mr. Mack, who with
the Screw Company when their engine was blown up;
there only two Others with myself in the blacksmith
shop who escaped in the best condition of the three
injured was injured in the head and hip. he witness
subsequently recoected that several others escaped
hands generally have heard complaints against him. but
they very few and trivial do not remember much
Of the explosion; got out myself when recovered my
my helper killed; man next to with
his head under the ruins tried to get him out but his
skin peeled off in my hands did moi have any Fremont
o1 tb o. ns S on like sudden t
and tried to get out they told named Lane
caught him by the leg when saw him kicking, but his
out TO Mr. Burke, and then got out myself of the
hands had at frst remarked that the new boiler WAS
About half past o'clock p NJ the court adjourned un-
til 10 O'Clock on Saturday morning Up to late hour OF
the evening the factory visited by hundreds of the
curious and II was surprising TO how eagerly the ten
der hearted young ladies of Hartford podded through the
mud, in order TO gaze upon such revolving scene.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.
Mr. hshe head painter Of the factory was fortunately
at the time Of the accident stationed the bank of the
Little river south Of the factory taking sketch Of the
buildings, in order to paint them upon some He
had commenced the sketch when the shock came, and
the building trembled before hm-then fell It was
terrible sight and he hardly impress upon his
the horrible reality that gushed out before him in
that shock Of destruction and death
Ira Wright and +. A. Barber standing upon the
platform, between the paint shop and boiler room They
both Frustrated, and heavy piece of boiler after
knocking over dray load of timber fell between them
These three persons, moment before the explosion,
saw McCune, the engineer with Daniel s. Camp and VIM.
ID. Skinner conversing just outside Of the boiler
Skinner had moved of few PAGES; the other two were
near the boiler room door when the explosion took place.
Camp and McCune killed. SINNERS arm was
broken Skinner passing the factory, when he was
called in by Camp who bad something to say to him.
A. Winchell, who had just parted with two Of his
frendsthey had barely time to get clear of the build
ingwas at his machine. The shock and he found
himself in the street, he knew not how but was evil
IDENTIFY forced through the window by the conclusion