The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-07

jured The following gentlemen resworn the jury
John Il Martin. g. Samuel L. Caverly.
s. p II. Shines IL Thos Z. Wood
O. Jonathan Forker. IL Jas. Wilson.
The following witnesses then examined, by which
will be that appearances thus far indicate that the
engineer
gagged in this factory foreman OF making department.
was thcre on Friday morning between half past sevea
stening room at the time Of the explosion which o.
pose the engine ROOM did observe anything unusual
that morning Mr. Coleman was standing 1Sou. four feet
engineer who went into the boiler room and went into
my department; this was at seven o'clock A. N. Mr..
Eastman went right the boiler, tried his water gauges,
and then tried cocks OF tho three different boilers be
then went into the engine ROOM and passed into the
room, where remained; took OF my over shoes and
over coat; then went into the engine room and
Mr.. Eastman, and said, ''You have good head Of
TO the engine the gauge at that time showed
sixty pounds Of steam; there only steam gauge
then passed into ME card room thence to the hardening
came back with the bats through the engine room when
enered the engine room some twenty haters stand
ing in front Of the boilers sad, "Hurrah boys here's
work for you" and they followed into the
make shop, and gave out the work. at that time
AcCracken and Werner came into my room; they
passed out to the engine ROOM followed, to speak TO
McCfacken, but they closed the door; saw two men
then in the engine room at the boier had got opposite
the door leading to the stiGenng ROOM and the first
knew the bricks fell all me- Coleman lying beside
me- and thought he was killed. got up and heard the
sound OF tho explosion sounded like clap Of thunder,
and shook the very building could not get out, AL
smashed up; the men jumping out OF the windows
and halloong eve killed. told them not to be
alarmed as the explosion over; passed into the
yard and met Coleman foreman of the finishing depart
ment; asked him where McCracken was; he said he
thought he was killed. went amongst the ruins twice
ard hnl for him. ptr ivad hro
ther and sister came in afterward, and searched for
McCrackens body; / saw the horizontal part of the
boiler and 1t was filed with mud-that portion which
blew through the main building went other side of
the building and ookedhe perpendicular part of the boiler
which was standing against the building the cock was
soon as found MIR. Pearce showed it to him.
To the Coroner-Eastman made no reply when told
him he had good head of steam on think that the mud
and sand in the boilers conducted into them from
the well; frequently put mud in boilers; of might
have been scooped up the mud was Soft mixed with
water Mr. Pearce superntended the structure Of the
buildng the steam got very low one day about week
before the explosion my brother sent for Mr. Eastman
See what the matter was he came, and SAID things
ell right my brother asked the valve all right;
well, said Eastman, don't know they are, and 60
Mr. Eastman opened the valves the gauge ran up to eighty
ut once there was IRE In but two boilers 1t that tme
up he made reply; my brother related the circum-
stances TO McCacken and he said he w0uld0 stay there
unless they had steam gauge on every. boiler; Mr..
pened; McCracken told him he should not remain
unless steam gauge was put to each boer Mr. Pearce
Pearce spoke 70 Eastman about It. who said il would be-
safe with careful man; M. McCacken then le saying,
"Now, Mr. Peerce Il there rs any explosion here, my
ekirts are clear can't say whether any orders Civ
en- 70 put on those steam gauges
1.-THE witness here expaineda diagram OF the boilers To
To the juryThe explosion took place about half an hour
after Mr. Eastman came there he there before
seem the y * as s
morning saw ct 90, which induced mo to make the
mark previous TO "Wednesday noon there was fire under
two boilers then they put fire under the third can't say
whether fire was under the three boilers Thursday
night or not the fremans name john don't know
his other name he there when operations first
cemmenced-about two weeks the stea u gauge was cal
cuated for pressure of $50 pounds each re sepa
rate; Mr.. McCracken was familiar with steam; he
George L. Walters, sworn-Reside at II Fort Greene
place; in Myrtle avenue, in car, al the time Of the
explosion heard the report, and the conductor met
the other train said the hat factory had blown up
got out Of the and down the first man saw was
my brother; asked him If Joe was there, meaning Nc
Cracker; then II Eastman there; be nsweIed yes
that he saw him try the gauge cocks in the boiler Mr.
Eastman was an engineer sent there by Woodruff Beach
Of Hartford Conn who had the entire charge Of the boil
ers and engine, and TO have until he had his work
finished; he had offered after he finished the boilers
stay two weeks, until got competent man 10 take
CHARGE he thought would take him some two or three
days longer " complete his work, he had exhaust
pipe attached and also blow out pipe with other
little things the evening before the explosion sent TO
Mr.. Eastman-(Mr NcCracken and Mr.. Buatz, the book
keeper the oilce)-we sent for Mr. Eastman aud
out John Gallagher, whom said had selected fire.
man. ted him did not want Gallagher commence till
MONDAY, unless he (Mr. Eastman) present. turned
Gallagher TO him order 10 ascertain whether he
competent then asked Eastman the fires he said
he thought good plan keep fire all night binding res
It decided that John freeman should stay there ali
light until Eastman came next morning. the orders
Freeman that he to have nothing do with the
engine without orders from Eastman; the
more particular on this point that Eastman had bis
finger cut of day, and while he had gone the
doctors John started the engine and broke some the
without Eastmans orders; week previous to the expo-
sion McCraken, Pearce, Eastman and myself
speaking about the way the boilers connected hav
ing safety valve for all three; McCracken thought
would be safer to have safety valve each boiler;
Pearce asked Eastman what thought of it; Eastman
remarked that he thought it perfectly safe was;
heard Of such thiny having separate valve
each boiler; Mr.. Pearce eaid that 1t needed It
should be done; left hun and Eastman then talking
about IT, IA
To the Coroner-The boilers had not been delivered up
TO the company. ...
To the Jury-The duty OF fireman was to do no.
thing without the Of the engineer had fire.
man by the name of Smith. st
The Coroner-we have ascertained that a carpenter
named Smith WAS injured; he is at his home.
Witness-Don't know thai ever more than sixty
pounds Of steam; Eastman up cold morning and
said he had eighty pounds oil steam on; said "Good
God Eastman don't blow US up'' he replied that there
danger the boilers capable of bearing
hundred and tty pounds think the cause Of the expo
was the closing OF the valve; 1t shut when
found IT, Mr.. Eastman could have told whether the valve
shut by looking up the only way account for
the explosion was py an overpreeSure Oh stea we haN
two supply pumps, with steam and without don't
know OF any possible way for the steam to escape but
through this valve.
Vim. H Ames, sworn-Reside at 1S6 Joraemon street,
and gm of the rm Of Ames Moulton proprieors
factory where tue explosion took place; was there
time alter the explosion-about 1ex o'clock the
work WAS done BY Mr. Joseph w. Campbell the carpen-
work by Mr. Thomas Boyles by contract the engine
and boilers built by the Woodruff Beach Company,
OF Hartford; contracted with MIR, Campbell to make
estimates for doing the work in thorough and substan
uai manner; the main building 30 leet long IS
wioe, hreestores high of brick my Impression that
walls twelve inches thick TO the third story
eight nches adjoining this bull ling the SIDE
building thirty feet square and three stories high;
it was about the middle; there L extending from
the end Of the building along Sanford to the
south line Of the lot and running parallel with yrte
to point near the engine and boiler house; don't
whether the specification put down writing
mot; made contract with Mr. Bayes under the same
circumstances; the boilers and engine made by
Woodruff Beach; sent for Mr.. Woodruff stated TO
him what we proposed 70 do-that We should require
fifty horse engine and boilers OF sufficient capacity per-
form q certain amount Of work, which explained to
him, requesting him 10 tell what boilers
49, -