, 1864-11-17

Report OF the Inapector-Sucrestlou ;
for tho Avoidance OF Explosion.

| for the Avoidance OF Explosion.
The following is the report Of Carlisle Mason, til
Steamboat Inspector appointed to make inyes'tga
tion Into the case Of the propeller Tonawands
| whose boiler exploded near Van Burep etree
bridge, short time since, The report is made Il
Hon. A. Guthrie, e. S. Superintendent Inspecto
ofeteasners:
S1n: In accordance with your instructions,
| have the honor to forward my report regarding
The late explosion, in our hatbor, Of the T0nawan
| da'e boiler.
lind there were two boilers in the boat placed sid.
byside, connected by steam drum OF pipe, made 0
boiler iron, running from one boiler to tha
other, placed In front Of the steam drum, and con
| nected with the boilers by cast iron elbows, Ii
which we're placed sound valves worked By screw
valves one OF both of these boilers could be ehu
| OF from paefing steam to the engines or to one an
ter. The steam to supply the engines was taker
from this pipe at or about the center by throttle
salye and pipe leading to each engine. The pipe
e dns wss
boiler we're shut, no steam could be indicated on
,Aaaehea to each boiler was cast iron
supply dc boilers Viii water: TSis nHtse CHECK <
the backend Of the boiler. The pipes from these
ehecl-valEcs led to the front and between the
Do1lere, and were attached to cast iron duplex
and is worked by screw and hand wheel, which
enabled them to supply water to one or both boil
ess at pleasure. In the centre, between these
to the heater, md from Nv which % general supsiv
was drawn for both boilers. A general supply st
water was furnished this heater from the pump at-
tached to the main engine a. well as from the pony
epEiuc-
ihaye been tins explicit with thcse connections,
because believe this method Of connecting boil
n fT1nf he AHrr nf 1uta
disaster; and from The testimony Of other engi-
necra and my OWL observations, believe many
other boilers have been exploded, and some burn
cd, from this canse, One Of them, I understand,
WINS burned three hmes, and Afterwards altered In
her connections for the supply Ct water.
tee es M
firing 1r until It burst her boiler and no steam in
dicatea on her gauge.
steamer On 1eayns her dock Iad her usual watep
and her usual feed Of water in both boilers, with
light fire under each boiler. On herway downthe
SUPPLIED With 0oes meIs iae fssRoeas s5Roa d. wa
sa ash Y E,ia he ee9 Ssna s9 f. d Il cock hs e. Ro, and
other. On approaching the bridge tie engines
were stopped, and almos. Imn,cdiatcly started to
back few tufns. The fireman now tried hia Fatcr
by order Of the engineer on watch and found it to
be eea1t IN the further gauge cock. ltis to be re-
grefted that he did not try all The gauge coeks.
1h1x r. az ~. Tonid hare been found scant.
~~-E>AA~~A VI sSAS
time, and saw her working water through her cx-
hanss Rpe' showing the boiler 70 have been foam
TIC engine stopped hacking, but 1 few seconds
elapsed before the boiler exploded, md the only
link wanting 70 show that the water passed from
whose order the feed-cock was shut In the boilSr
now LEFT In the bdnt The engineer who woaid
gixe TIE order, and the frcuan who would be
From the Evidence and appearance of the wreck,
have no doubt the check valve had been derang ID
by having piece Of scale or dirt under II, alloy
although the check valve, when found. could not
corroboratc this, as it waa full Of mud etc from
1 have no hesitancy in Saying that the boiler CT.
p1odcd for want OF Wnter, givin. way first at t..s
hue sheet in the top Of acs at the back smo'za
box. md that T. the canse Of this low water was in
not dcpcnd on check valve to stop the dow Of
water from one boiler to The other when grea.:r
fire is built under one boiler than the other, api It
Ib almost impossible to have them go near alike i
1aiang steam that both will feed alike, as ron viii
perceive by the statement Of the First Engineer,
who says be had to watch them very closely. /
would respectfully remark here that believe NE
cngincerst be careful, experienced men and th ir
character will bear the closest scrutiny. an
much Indebted to the First Engineer Louis Ric.l =
lieu, for his assistance in Investigating the case
In view Of these facts respectfully present the
1st Tlat 40 boat be permitted to supply Il .ir
boilers with water nom ono general suppiy pi2.;
hui have separate and Independent pumps. .ppcsaa1
fixtures 10 supply them IN all cascs, that the loss
fife and property nay be diminishcd, II nat
ID. fhat IN Ill cases, the steam guagcs b. g
tachcd to the boilers BY direct pipes. having M
connection with the steam pipe e the engine.-A
valve or stop coeE between the gnagc aud tiie
boiler. That accidents like the Globes nay b,
Sd The flthy, condition Of the water In the river
y deserving Of some confederation. Il Is 80 dirty
that few, II any Of our boats going mp the South