Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-03-10
THE EVENING NEWS.

by profession; have examined the rem
nants of the boiler which exploded at the
Ophir works; do not know either of the
engineers in charge of the boiler; am I'M
acquainted with the strength of the differ
ent kinds of iron used in making boilers !;
never heard, previous to the explosion,
that the boiler was defective on Sunday
previous to the explosion was N the boil
er-roOm; at that time the engine was being
run at double speed usually required OF
such engines thought it dangerous to run
with such velocity; the introduction OF
cold water into heated boiler will cause
an explosion, but it is not considered dan
gerous to introduce cold water into the
boiler under ordinary circumstances did
not notice, on the day of my visit, how
much steam was being carried think Nc
Dermott was in charge OF the engine, but
made no remarks; don't think the boiler
would have exploded under the usual
pressure of steam had sufficient water
been kept in il; do not know how much
steam the boiler would stand.
John Brodie. Sworn-Am an engineer
by profession; never worked on the ex-
ploded boiler have been in the employ Of
the Ophir company some sixteen months /;
never heard that the boiler was defective;
knew the deceased. Mr.. Cameron; did not
examine the wreck of the boiler infinitely
enough to be able to state of what kind OF
iron it was built. (By juror-How long
should such 4 boiler run without being
cleaned: AnSwer-About ten days, with
the ordinary water used.) Would have
considered that boiler safe under the pres
sure of one hundred pounds; do not re-
member that Cameron ever told me OF the
boiler leaking; do not think 1t good poll
cv TO use bran and manure in any boiler
do not think it safe; do not remember OF
ever having had any conversation relative
TO the boiler; had no charge Of this engine
had charge of works in Washoe Valley
and on the Carson river.
B.F. S;att sworn-I am brakeman at
the Ophir mine, been so employed over
one wear; have known boiler fifteen
months; don't know condition Of boiler
until removed to Central shaft; first took
notice of unsafety OF boiler four months
since, through leakage in west end OF.
boiler, the fiueS leaking considerably, sub
seouen;ly saw another leakage at east end,
over the furnace; heard both engineers
express themselves that the boiler was I'M
safe. At one time the engineer Mr.. Nc
Dermott, told me he was going to the office
10 tell the Superintendent that the boiler
was unsafe, he went and in fey moments
returned in company with Mr.. Wilder,
and Mr.. Lightner, who examined the
boiler; did not hear Wilder or Lightner at
that or any other time, make any ex-
preston regarding boiler the boiler was
patched over the furnace, and plugs driven
into west end of hues don't know that
there was any difference of opinion be-
tween those who repaired the boiler, and
officers of the mine; was told 1t was TO be
repaired right; at the time, engineers were
satisfied, but i'll a short time expressed
themselves dissatisfied; short time after,
saw TWO weeks, engineers became again
dissatisfied on account Of blisters having
formed on the patch work, and renewed
leakage of the boilers from the west end
fues: don't think ever saw over eighty
pounds of steam on boiler after leakage
was first discovered; since last repairing the
safaty-valve was set and blow on at
sixty pounds of steam. Never have
known of anv other fuel than wood to be
used under the boiler. Have heard the
engineers express dissatisfaction at the
amount of wood required to keep up the
steam. Have seen water below the lower
guase very frequently. 1t was difficult to
keep enough water in the boiler to cover
guage-cocks; and the day drevious to the
explosion. was two hours, with the force
pump running steadily, in getting enough
water 10 cover the guages. do not know
where the water went to. Several days
previously saw quite stream OF water
leaking from the boiler. Have seen boil
ers and engines at work for the last fifteen
veaas; but don't profess to be an engin-
eer; never saw so leaky boiler before
required 10 do so much work; generally
worked about thirty feet from west end
of the boiler; from what l have seen and
known of boilers, would not wish to run
the engine with the amount Of steam re-
ouired to do the work. THE jury asked
questions which corroborated the previous
testimony.
Peter Taylor, being sworn, says am
an engineer and have been for twenty-four
wears; have been acquainted with the
boiler in question for about three years;
did not know much about any defects in
that boiler until one month since; have
been employed in erecting new machinery
on the Mexican works; first heard OF It,
deceased and Mr.. Frank Kinney came and
asked me if it was practicable TO take
steam from the new boilers to the Central
engine; asked them why 1t was deslra-
BILE so TO do. and they told me that the
boiler leaked so badly that they could not
use it; I told them it was practicable; at
the same time the deceased expressed a
fear to use the boiler, as it leaked so badly
that II was almost impossible to keep up
steam; from their conversation deceased
and Kenney) judged them to be afraid
of an explosion; 1 never examined the
boiler; It was a tubular boiler; such
boiler, regularly cleaned, could probably
run with safety seven years; with the
water used, the boiler should be cleaned
once in every two weeks at farthest /;
had some talk with McDermott, head en-
gineer, who expressed fears, and talked
about leaving his employment because 1t
took so heavy firing to do the required
work; he did not say he was urged to do
the work; never examined the boiler-iron;
never ran it; have glanced at the frag-
ments since explosion, but not close
enough to tell whether it was built OF for
eign or domestic iron; did not hear re-
part of explosion; think explosion was
caused from want of water in the boiler /;
did not approve of using manure and bran
to stop leakage. have used it, but only on
low-pressure boilers; do not know the
views of deceased; from what McDermott
told me, Judged he was afraid OF the
boiler; cold water introduced into the
heated boiler, in my opinion, caused ex-
plosion; the water below the tops of the
heated Aues, upon the introduction of