The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-11-11
THE EVIDENCE.

AARON Il. RUSsELL-s,oOyn-la am Captain OF
steamer Albany. saw the explosion. Was on
my boiler deck, on the farther side from the
Rumsey. We were along side the Rumsey,
about half mile from the foot of Jackson
street. was struck on the face by something,
and knocked overheard by the force of the ex-
plOsiOn, and stunned badly. l at once knew
there was an explosion, and as soon as picked
myself up, saw what had happened. | then
rushed back undetermined my steam indicator.
then went up to see if our pilot was hurt. l
passed several dead bodies lying around on my
boat. 1 found my pilot unhurt, and able to
manage the boat I recognize one of the
bodies here as one 1 saw at the foot of the
stairs. They were not Albany hands, but
were blown from the Runsey. l do not
recognize the other bodies.
The Rumsey Is freight boat. Her usual
speed towing two barges in low water is about
8 or miles per hour. When I saw her she
was making or 5 miles per hour. She was
making good time-as much as she was able,
perhaps. The water was pretty good along
there.
The Rumsey overlook us in sight of st.
Paul. first saw her at Prescott. The fol-
lowed close after us all the way up. We stuck
on Red Rock bar about three hours. She
came up to Us there, and when she got over it
we were mile ahead of her. She caught up
with us near Pigs Eye.
saw nothing unusual that would cause the
explosion. do not know what to attribute it
to.
Question by a Jurymens Were you racing with
the Rumsey?
Al was not racing with the Rumsey ct that
| time, or any other. l do not know whether
the Rumsey was ''crowding" or not. She was
at about her usual gOod-water speed. was
| not going any faster than if boat had not
been near Us. had no intention of doing So
never race with any boat.
The Rumsey is naturally faster boat than
the Albany. do not know whether she was
trying to beat us in or not. She might have
tried to make the levee first, so as to get some
advantage in unloading, but cannot say. There
did not appear to be any excitement on the
Rumsey as if she was trying. to get ahead of
us. Her officers were not urging her ahead as
far as | could see. The Captain was looking
out of her Office window carelessly when the
explosion occurred. A faster boat would nat
urally pass slower boat, whether it was near
landing or not There was plenty of room
for her to pass us without any extra effort
DO not recognize any of these dead bodies
Their names are unknown to me-
JOHN Z. CHADwICK-Sro,n- live in Saint
Paul, corner of Sd and Washington streets.
am engineer of the Albany. / SAW the explo.
sion and saw the dead bodies after that had
first to stop my engines and back them.
saw three bodies altogether. had on 118
pounds OF steam at that time. I did not try to
increase her speed. We were not running at
our full speed. We had green wood only, and
could hardly make enough steam to stem the
tide and wind
Q. By Ju'yma~-Were you trying to beat
the other boat?
Al did not try to increase our speed any
to race with the other boat.
l saw the bodies on our boat. They we're
not our men, and must have come from the
kumSnV. i al nf
the boiler just as it blew up. He turned over
and over, and think saw the same man at
terwards in our barge, dead. We were right
alongside of the Rumsey. The air was filled
with steam, dust, &c.
Cross questioned cannot tell what caused
the explosion. l saw their fireman putting in
wood moment before. / understand that
there were two engineers On the Rumsey. An
engineer is required to understand his business
thoroughly. have no papers. A first engi-
neer is required to have papers. A striker
does not-he is only learning. Cyrus Young
Is our first engineer. l am striker
y. Can man capable of running an ordin-
airy stationary steam engine, run steamboat
engine.
A. Some can, and some cannot
The boats were quite near the other shore
The channel sets in quite close there. We
were on the Dakota county side; the Rumsey
ran up on our right SIDE The channel lies be-
never was on board the Rumsey, and know
nothing about her machinery. l can torn no
opinion about how the explosion occurred. 1t
might be from too much steam, and too little
water. Two much steam is the only thing
that makes boiler explode She was blow
ing Oft pretty loud when she passed Us. This
indicates too much steam found some dirt.
This indicates dirty, crusted boiler, and en-.
dangers it. The condition of the boiler should
DC looked to frequently % a means OF safety.
When the water gets dirty it should oe blown
off.
We first saw the Rumsey at Hastings She
passed us while in port there. We passed her
tied up, as supposed, near night. We came
on--gOt on a bar, laid until morning LET. 4
barge below Red Rock bar, and returned for
it. She then caught up with rs, and saw her
again at Oayton's Bluff, coming right behind
US, and in few minutes she overlook us again.
She had two barges loaded as heavy Us she
could get through with
cr1isted with dirt on the inside 1t is neces-
sary to do so. A boiler will always get dirty,
and needs cleaning from time to time.
JAMES B. SLy-Snorn--I reside at Belle
Plaine. I am mate of the Albany saw the
explosion. | was standing on the boiler deck
next the Rumsey l felt and heard the explO.
sion was enveloped in dirt. dust, steam,
by something. My face was cut and bleeding.
| recovered and saw the engineer. / asked him
if he was hurt. He said mo, but you must
be, for you are bleeding" My first impression
was shat something in our boat had given way
ran down stairs, and stepped on body at
the foot of the stairs The air was still full Of
steam. Saw our fireman. He seemed para.
liked. asked him if he was hurt He said
no. I told him to wet down the fires, which
he did. then went back and found the engi-
neer all safe, and examined our steam guage /
saw several bodies lying around and helped
those who were not killed. Witness here stat.
ed the position of the dead and dying None
of the dead bodies here were Albany hands.
saw four dead men together, and one, whom
supposed dead but he came to afterwards.
cannot tell what caused the explosion.
think it was for want of water in the boiler
| II there had been enOug h water in the boiler,
! the usual amount, we would all have been
scalded to DEATH As it was, every one was
covered with mud, showing that only sediment
was in the boilers Engineers can try their
| water al any time and see how much they have
| Sometimes they use oil, and this makes the
| water foam. They cannot then tell how much
there is, os great pressure of steam will not al.
low the water to boil. When the water bOils
it is Impossible to tell the state of the water.
The boilers must be cooled and fresh water got
| H.. When it fOans he should carry less steam.