New-York daily tribune., 1866-02-17
Explssisps Of Steam.beiiers-Csu Saek
Accidents be EniireIy Prevesteds
CoMNUNcAT1oy FROM MR. WIZARD.


IL ne Ediios If The ~ y. TTi,aae.
SIR The great increase in the number and
capacity of stea.boilers used in the United State:
during the PAST few years. the active employment o
all those st rest during the war. now again in opera
ton from The revival Of rhde and manufactures is
companied by corresponding increase in the average
oumber OF accidents
The disastrous character Of some OF the explosions
which have occurred during the past year by which
unusual loss OF life has resulted. is remarkable. The
uncertainty attending the OF steam attracts paric
uisr public attention at this time; and the inquiry Can
such accidents be entirely preyentedi viii not So to
interest yonr readers.
BY the explosion OF the Slltanr in April last. LOO
lives Of MON soldiert Just released from captivity IN
Southern prisons, were destroyed. While they were
proceeding 20 their homes Inspired by the brightest
and fondest sntcipaioDs they suddenly launched
into eternity The number sacrificed Il all the record
that remains; their lost The boiler
of the Yosemite exploded az Rio Vista near Sacra-
ento CAL on the l2h OF October last and 40 persons
we're killed and 6i wounded. By the accident on the
st. John. in tie same month 10 were k,llsd and G
wounded Within the past month. 60 persons were
killed OF the Missouri. l25 the Miami. and go on
The r. W. Carter. With perhaps exception all the
COOLERS these steamboats, were new dr nearly new,
and had passed inspection and test bat short time pre-.
viousy Those the last three boats mentioned hay.
fpg been o! the kind known as tubular boilers an out
cry has been raised against thai class Of boiler ard IL
s forgotten that heretofore greater number OF acoi
dents have occurred from collapse OF fu.s a. dstip.
uished from ,s6ss than have been attributed 10 spy
other distinct cause.
New boilers are not more tempt from explosion than
old ones
No form or quality OF boiler has yet been found abso.
iutely safe.
Its common experience TO find old boilers that
have carried high pressure Of steam or years with
tensive parts eaten away with rust 10 The tblness OF
sheet Of paper removed without accident from steam
boat and replaced by now ones OF good iron. good de-
eigD (according to best eyDerence) good workma1shp
snd subjected to careful inspection and test; which,
however, burst dissstrcusy the first time used
We cannot with certainty correct an evil until We
understand The Of IT, It will facilitate the in
luIy why boilers explode 10 separate the accidents
INTO two classes--as follows:
First: Those that occur from bad material bad work.
nsh deterioration from Glow action Of rIrst or the
IL Is weakened after test aud inspection and previous
40 an eccdent carelessneSs OF ineeency OF (ho eu.
noer I'd from the accumulation OF ncraststions uPoE
the iron inside.
Sseond Those that occur TO boilers urooey,v anS
inspected and tested that are furnished with
a. The nsua appliances. such sufficient safety,
pressure AM, Tater'gauSes iow'water detectors. c.
eetye feed, 's.er supply apparatus and careful and
This secoad elass OF accidents IS usually termed
mysterious and cOmptises tic smaller nliaber, but
lsual,y OF the most destructive character. The
greatest number OF occideuts are Of The first cas5 and
result IN pecunisTy lovs only.
The Manchester Bouer Association OF England take
charge Of boilers for an anhNsl zee Ihey insrect the
hoers preliminary 'step, ana direct necessary
pairs alterations and additions 70 the boiler, or 70 tho
rDplisnees npoa IL. and BY ctkulstens hoil well.