New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-12
THE CHENANGO DISASTER.
Majority and Minority verdicts or the
Jury.


The jury in the case Of the boiler explosion
the L. s. steamer Chenango have at length come 20
agreement-thc majority deciding upon one verdict
and the minority on another.
The following is the verdict Of the majority:
We, the dersssed jurors forming majority, mpAnne,.a
State Of New YORK. Inquire into the sarroan1
ing the death Of Joseph A. csh. l., As,'ssp, Engineers
ID Assistant Engineers John White, Acting I'd Assistant
tF w svf dSSn sy % Weir Ie:s
Eugene OLeary VIM Hockey ordinary sesmeI
Alfred ates Martin Mitchell John Ruddy andSn.n John M
class remen ATcSbaS Fleming HeS2y Inmon Bsyu isS
Cannagan. Mitchell Rody, coal heayers; Wni. Boa Joh.
Smith sunners mate-and these men me. their deat3
from scads and inhalation OF steam Oh board the S gunboa
Chenango by the bursting of one OF the boilers which wac
caused by greater tension exer,ed the boiler than COZ
bear, the result Of imperfect br.cinz.
The stays the boiler being 81 in number and attached ID
the tube boxes by 80 ugs whereas the drawing for =
braces attached to the % ug thereby reducing the strength
Of the brsng to about onehalf Of thar shown in the drawing
also doubling the chances rupture stay by esfeenea
should be left and the Jurors consider the such
boiler highly cenaursbe they conceive It hi, duty 70
have reported 70 h. Immediate superior when 80 vital
change this had taken place in the construction Of Ills
boiler We ud that from tie evidence shown that this
accident from gradual Of tension ordnsr3
steam, End not from supereated or explosive stesrn1
generated Tie testimony of the surviving gnee and
Capt Febro~n are conclusive hs the engine and boltr
IN fine working condition and from the short period t
hour elapsa from the time she len her moong at the
Navy Yard and the time Of the accident and tie active en
culaiion Of the fnd rendered il an impossibhy that td
would have zen too low II the time Of the accident
These returning the water Of condensation THO
boilers any osmns taking place during this short period
would have precuded the possibility Of the report Of the engD
ueer Mr.. Cahll, on both occasions, TO the Captain.
We also believe that the Martin boilers board such ven
sells when properly gerous ;ha
other boiler, under similar circumstances.
WILLIAM ARTHUR, THOMAS KELLY.
LAscELor KlRKuP.
The minority Of the Jury submitted the following 40
Ne the jury &C there follow the names Of the deeesed
fnd That the ordered number Of boilers e
wa, onS that Mr. George " uiniard Of the Morgan
ron Works, York received the order from the Governs
for the boilers and engines Of the Chensngo that no
constructed them according drawings and specifications
infinitely given except the bacng which done according
the Judgment under the constant supervision OF
Government officer that they subjected to the inpeN
and of c0dwaeT pressure 81 the boilers oil " polnd9
the sqage and TWO pounds o5 the hsht o. tne Ss ~
pipe making supposed by the oice % pounds Of
codwaer pressure to the square nch that the stays were
then carefully examined BY tie boiler maker to see a they
he'd all sustained the pressure without fracture OF giving wN
and found b have sustained damage from the pressure
that they then run At the does Of M George w yum
tGrd trial teri according To the ecncatios Tor nney1
six hours by experienced engineers under The ln retono
Government officers having at mes duTns ths tH prss
high A. pounds thai tue boilers and engines OF ne
ChenangO finally completed and deiVe 10 the Govern
ment tina. they then accepted ny the
correct according to the order and spechcstons mat nS
Chenango then moved from the dock OF Mr. Qlntsrd 10
the Brookyn that the 18th of Ap.i 1854 al
the bost e the Navy lard sud proceeded down h9
bay on her hr.t age At Governors Island the record
shows that they had bat 26i pounds and at the Naow
the boiler exploded unfsr pressure "a the indicator cfd
found indice than 3it pounds That the m@
mediate OF the explosion l. hfouded In mystery f9 40
in all cases. life that coud tell ia taken away with he
disaster and the living le 10 conjecture Tie ~ Dese
they cam that there great aul IN tie stay ne OF ne bosr
roof the tube boxes manifesto all yetit tlpossy
bic that it should have given az pressure ie- than 20
pounds after having tested with cold water a o. ponnfS
Tie brace. all carefully examined and found 10 b3y4
the pressure without fracture and In the face OF ne
that there IL more them running At hghe1
STAYED in the and by the bpl
the weknoWn laws Of science AID mechanical ara clearly
and beautifully brought out durg this rsl lnkj
the mystery and point with unerrng aim 70 the caused
boiler drawing tho IL did b., l9 inches above thd
with vertical tubular hre surfaces placed Directly
IN. of the hreboI throwing the osAnf watet
upward thru g the tubes "a through series Of gnore
ami la with the steam pipe that placed ready "a
draw it through the engine. The ceas evidence that the e
CINE had worked water IN large quantities rom the ne s
started That the pump OF nine inches lamets1
throwing - pounds Of water 20 the stroke, whise TIE
ndeT Requiring but nine pounds was unable =" sep "a
supply and the tendency Of al boilers 70 foam rrecis
when drawn lpon beyond their capaciiyi thus aeaefvh
the condition Ol the waller sd erpos
e an Of surface abon $50 feet less Of the core
the lubes 60 the intensity OF the refr II had bU nehe9
10 fall to do s-geneaiins, asst would with fearful aFit'y
dangerous ready To lick the wafer az the srbest sg
iion holl and expand itself beyond the power o Nc
boiler resis: The OF burned 4. snd melted 40
for by The csrape the Taking tbsse facts q
clearly AID ueei be Il difficulty TO sccount -
this - plo-on or point directly 70 T. cause.
We therefore bud that this boiler exploded from low wae1
and supcrhesied thus tns the ses of ' pefsVn
named.
ABE.x SI.LEg Foreman WV. II. BIeErov
THkoDokE l. OviSGroS, RoBERr g. ASDFRsos.
The Coroner received both vesdicts and placed them
in the archICyes Of his office
war, arriving these VerijCtsx