The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-02
THE LATE EXPLOSION AT THE GiUARo HOUSE.

THE LATE EXPLOSION AT THE GiRARD HOUSE.
>e~e~~-,cI.,o@>ooe
Coroner's invests sgatton-Intcrest,nu Tcs-
tfmony or Engineers and MaehtMista--
Verdict or the Jury-An Important Re-
CONNIE cndati0n.
The inquest the Of John O'Connor who was kill
cd boiler explosion the Grard House corner
of Chambers street and wes. Broadway hed yes,er
day by oKeefe. The jury assembled hotel
at ten O'Clock, and Immediately thereafter the
ton OF witnesses proceeded with, as follows
Jerome j. Undesh boiler maker, deposed as foiiows
have examined the fragments Of the exploded boiler
carefully, and of opinion that tho explosion took place
from lack Of water; the practiced engineer NIGH.
have met with similar accident; the boer safe
one, and perfect in every respect FAR could Judge
| from examination.
5chard Doaue tssned fo.iows:I reside at No 40
tass Broadway; am boiler maker by profession anf
proprietor Of establishment Gouverneur street. am
Of opinion tina. the Of the explosion WAS lack
water in The boiler the boiler could explode carey
ing hundred pounds Of steam untass Consequence
Of the lack Of water npcrfectons ooi,er
by which explosion have likely occur;
the boiler sufficiently strong for the purpose
ii used il might have been used eigh. years
with perfect safety if properly attended to consider
s,eem gauge safer than safety valve aaa less liable 70
accident bet boiler should have both; ia my opinion
| the explosion the result Of neglect
Johh Murphy, boir maker of No. IL Lewis street.
robofsed the testimony OF tho previous witness In all that
he had testified TO-
Henry Hoffman caposad that he was in the employ
nent OF Messrs. Phnney Co.; the boiler was made by
ug Il WIS put about three years Il six horse
power have repaired il twice for leaking the
boiler had steam gauge and safety valve; It had no
seventy i've to ninety pounds OF s;sam it wou.d have
been safe 70 carry hundred hundred and ffty
pounds; boilers Of thai KIND usually last from 10
bne years steamboats, and locomotives Is usual TO-
have water gauges, but lana boilers IT. is usual
bave then the boiler in question bad gauge cocks,
well cocks safety valve; | examined tho
boiler this morning, and found gooa condion
boilers usually are after three or four years war OF
opinion that the explosion took place in consequence Of
Lack Of water IN the boiler; there sufficient water in
boiler explosion next 10 impossible when engineers
| md the boiler ioamBg they usually withdraw
the fire. is unsafe 70 introduce cold water while the
boHer is in that condition. the proprietor of this house
| sent TO some Hye weeks ago aud requested
anime IL did so, and found it all right as far
could ascertain; there were some slight repairs made
short time previous TO our exautnaton the accident must
1 have occurred either through OF water the in
PRODUCTION Of cold water when the water in the boiler
low the best engineers are often deceived as TO the con-
don oi the water IN the boiler, especially when ioaming
| takes place.
Jamrs H. Stephens Of the Novelty Works, was then ex-
amined folowsI am foreman Of .Ae Novelty Works.
examined the boiler down stairs, and OF opinion that
the explosion caused by the main pressure Of s,eam
and not from any lack OF water, if there had been
! scarcity of water the furnace part would
have become weakened and exploded first; / took
| out piece Of the boiler; and found that in some
places the than the eighth of inch
thick could discover burned spots ut the arch there
was slight depression, but DO not tirk il was Of
cent formation, should think the Do.ier when
capable Of carrying 100 pounds Of steam but more;
COED boeronc like the one in qaes,ionongh, 70 last
Twelve years; is moi right TO brick up boiler, as II
the outside carts Of the plates and weacus the ron
this am Of opinion that the sides II the boiler
gave way FIRST. every beiier should D.. examined by
hydraulic pressure year ut least If they
examined every six months would be much tue bet
ter; safety valve and steam gauge rs all that Is
quired to show the pressure Of steam.
John r. Walker, foreman OF the Morgan Iron Works,
depossd as foowsI have examined the boiler in quos
I
AGO pounds Of steam, but al present would not be aoo
10 rsstst pressure Of more than SO 0. rs pounds; that
portcr the boiler which brcked up consider
ably rrscd and eaten away rndcrs;ano that there
connection between the boiler that exploded and
other one such being the am of opinion that the
water in the locomotive boiler became low and steam
rushing into from the other boer gas created and
means of testing boiler; ] should think safe
TO carry than GO pounds Of snam the boiler;
want OF water and the presence Of steam from the upright
| boiler, in my opinion, caused the explosion.
David Z. Acker Of 1872 Chambers street, deposed as
folsows5-l knew John Collins, the engineer he in
my employ some six months he was sober, steady
man. and always attended TO his wsn; he well
| commended by Mr.. J. II. Davis, his aFmer employer.
John srburg dsposed that nc was proprietor OF the
johnson House, in Chambers street; John Collins,
gineer was in my employ for about three months; he
seemed know all about the heating apparatus about
house, discharged him of temper and
duence Of liquor until after be had ieft my employ ~
james n Tabor deposed-I am proprietor Of the Ex-
know him all he may been emy los ed there pre-
| vious to my taking the house.
William H. MeElroy, sworn, says-,I reside at No. i7s
Hudson street; know John Collins engineer; have
known M an ea.s for % nearly four years hs was porter
| was engineer at the Franklin House in 1857;
| was superintendent Of the hotel then; hs
engineer during my stay there, which two
competent engineer, and understood his business ws he
| was not in the habit of drinking never knew him TO
fro the Old Country aud absened himself from the hotel
for day; be used TO be fireman in the Girard House.
and two years after knew him to be engineer at tho
| Franklin House
George W. Blake sworn, says-I reside at 1879 Madison
street. manufacture steam beating apparatus at No. II
Gold street, furnished the boiler that exploaed 1t
SIX horse power, and was warranted when it built
carry lso lbs of steam; have examined the fragments
this morning, and give my opinion that the explosion
caused by lack OF water in the boiler some four
months ago called here and found so lbs Of steam on
looked at tie gauge and remarked TO the engineer ta,
did not think II necessary keep up the
high; he replied that got high and low according he
was called away 10 different parts Of the house, the safety
valve was fixed a. 100 lbs was not acquainted with the
engineer an apprenticeship OF two months would be
sufficient for any man Of ordinary Judgment to take charge
OF the boiler IN question
Eaniei Solopeter sworn says:I live at No. - Twelfth
street; am in the employ OF D. & Tee,s, pumbers
was employed on Thursday, in company with deceased,
putting brass the boiler; deceased told
the engineer turn of the water worked twenty
inmates aiter four o'clock the next morning. deceased
said he would remain in the hotel antl daylight and
he lay down to sleep after finishing the job the
turned again. and when the engineer his
the water IN the upright boiler was TO the third cock
the engineer drank gin that night he and
brought in about pint Of gin, and all some OF IT,
only drank but the engineer drank twice my
knowledge deceased upset the bottle containing the GIN
but do not know whether any of the liquor spilled
not the engineer had wood are in the locomotive
boiler when started 10 go home; deceased was then
asleep, and a~oke him and asked him 10 accompany me-
he declined to do so, saying he would until seven
O'Clock and get his breakfast; il then minutes
after I'VE O'clock and the engineer up and attending
TO bis business
Joseph Virgins superintendent OF the Girard House,
deposed that Collins, the engineer their employ
since August last; was particular making inquiries
TO his character for sobrety and found that he all
right he had business in any other part of the hotel
than the engine and boiler room, and was never called
away 10 different parts Of the house.
The Coroner and jury here adjourned the to the New
York Hospital for the purpose of taking the deposition
the wounded engineer who gave his testimony as foi-
lows
John Collins being duly sworn deposes and saysIw was
employed engineer Girard House; on the morning
of the explosion there we're thirty eight thirty nne