Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-03-30
Objections to Evans Safety Guard, Gen.
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we can to avert the eVl.
 Passing "the inch diameter resolution was not the only indication the supervisors gave at the meeting at St. Louis, of theT growing disposition to enforce the enactment respecting fusible alloys, according to the intent of Con- gress. They also received and sanctioned areport from committee of their own body in which the use of fusible alloys in the form of plugs was condemned, and its use in tight cups or boxes so as to exclude the pressure of steam, was highly approved.
 This was in October, 1855. Yet, at the ses- sion of Congress, which commenced in Decem- Der of the same year, portion of the supervi- sors succeeded in prevailing on the commit- tee of commerce, to report bill in which the use of tin plugs was eujoined, and that of fusi ble alloys prohibited!
 The reader may be curious to know what wrought this sudden revolution of opinion.- That we may do the supervisors no injustice, we will quote their own words as recorded in the minutes of their meeting held at Boston in October, 1856.
 "On motion, the report of the committee on fusible alloys and water guages was called up, and before proceeding to the consideration of the subject. the letters of w. w. Guthrie, M. Tolle, of Cincinnati and J. H. MCord, of St. Louis, Missouri, bearing upon these subjects, were read together with the report; when, on motion, said report was unanimously adopted, as follows:
 Your committee to whom was referred the communication of W. w. Guthrie, inspector of boilers for the. district of Cincinnati, enclosing letter from NJ. Tolle, engineer, relating to tusi- ble alloys, which were presented to the board at the last annual meeting; also, communca- ton from James Il. M'Cord, inspector of boil CTS for the district of St. Louis, on the same sub iect, presented at the present session of the board, have had the same under consideration, and beg leave to report"
 Here, 1t will be observed, the letters of MT. Guthrie, Mir. Tolle and Mir. M'Cord, are made ths very basis Of the report Now, we happen to have before us the letter of Mr. MCord and also an article written in reply to it that appear ed in ths Washington Globe of December 15, 1856.
 Mr MCoyd made some experiments with fus.ble alloys, and found that they melted at different degrees of pressure as indicated by the steam guage. This was the burden of what he had to say against fusibe alloys.
 To this the writer in the Washington Globe replied:
 "If NIT. M'Cord had proved that the alloys melted and hardened at uncertain and widely different temperatures, he would have proved something to the purpose. Proving that the same parcel of alloys melts and hardens at diff ferent degrees of pressure is proving nothlngto the point. l. Is intended to do so."
 h this manuer, the writer in the Globe pro- ceded in an article which extended through four solid columns, to examine one by one, the posi- tions of Mr M'Cord If lis arguments have ever been refuted, we have never met with such refutation. Ii any reply has been made to them, we have met with no such reply.
 If we mistake not the letters of MT. Tolle and Mr. Guthrie (which we have heard read) consist of loose, general remarks, founded on vague observations, though perhaps, these gen tlemen did not bluuder as grossly as did MT. MCord. lie viewed every thing from wrong stand point and most egregiously mistook the nature of the action of the Safety Guard, and the particular kind of evil it is intended to avert. On these letters, however, the supervi- sors, as already said, lay their foundation, and report:
 "That in relation to the trouble in the use of alloys the statements made in these communi- cations only corroborate those that have been made from time to time, by many engineers and masters in their complaints to inspectors, in re- gard to the operation of the alloys That the alloys have been great source of trouble and annoyance to those who have been compelled to use them, is well known to inspectors and to this board.'
 To this we reply in the language of the vii ter in the Washington Globe.
 "If the fusible alloys were used in the form once prescribed in the French laws-uamelv, that of a plate inserted in the boler-thev would be an annoyance; for then it would be necessary every time they melted, to stop the boat and reduce the heat, till a new plate could be inserted. But the melting of the fusible ai- Joys in Evans safety guard does not stop the boat. l. proceeds on its way as before, though under a diminished head of steam.
 If every time the alloy melted, it would be necessary to take out the old mass and replace 1t by new one, 1t would be an annoyance But, Ii lnc!osed in tight cup, the same parcel of alloy will serve for years iii succession- When if meits, all the engineer has to d.. is to diminish for little time, the heat of his fire Then it will harden of itself Then he has to rewina small chain which has been unwouDd by ths melting of the fusible metal An engi- neer ko mests Sith no greater annovance thas shis h the discharge of bis periloua and respon- s0e duties, may esteem himself happy"
 It is not surprising that an engineer whs is not duly impressed with the danger there is in excessive heat, should sometimes complain of the fusible alloys as |" an annoyance" especially when he wishes to make display of speed in passing town, or to beat rival boat in a race But people ought not to be exposed to the risk of being scalded to death, merely to gra- tify the love of distinction of ambitious engi- neers.
 No engineer who is duly aware of the perils of excessive heat, will ever complain of fusible alloys as an annoyance, much less as nuisance. provided they be properly prepared and pro- perly applied. The act of Congress provide. "that in steamers hereafter G. e. after 1852,) supplied with new high pressure boilers, if the alloy fuses on the outer boiler at pressure of ten pounds exceeding the working pressure al- lowed, and at t,centy pounds above said pres sure on the inner boilers, it shall be a sufficient compliance with this act" One would think thiS margin enough. But, if intelligent. unpre- judieed engineers think differently, let the mar gin be enlarged.
 MT. M'Cord was not content with denouncing fusibls alloys. He called on the supervisors to suspend the operation of that part of the act which requires their application on steamboats. The supreme court has power to decide on the constituonality of laws, but not on their policy or propriety. Mr. M'Cord was, therefore. cal ling on the supervising inspectors to do what the supreme court has not power to do. They declined acceding to lis request; but apparently with some rpluct2nce