The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-31

lNVESTIG ALTON OF THE YEwDELL MILL
EXPLosIoN.-Coroner Taylor proceeded yester-
day TO examine into the causes OF the late eXplo-
sion at Hestonvllle. The following is the prin.
clpal cYIdence:-
Jonas Suplee, sworn.-I am superintendent OF
YeWdelPs mills. at HestOnville: Robert Hamil-
there three years; the last two weeks the engine
had peen running night and day; the engineer
complained about three weeks ago of one of the
valves leaking, and 1t was repaired; the watch
man had charge of the engine at night; the en-
gLeer did not complain to me that the engine
was run beyond It's capacity; there was a low
water indicator on the boiler, the steam whistle
OF which could be heard outside the boiler room;
before | went to the mill / WAS conductor on
one OF the city railroads; had no general know
ledge OF machinery; the boiler was cleaned twice
year; it was found in good condition; the en-
CINE was OF the Cottls pattern; we were not per
mitted to have greater pressure than seventy
pounds TO the square inch; we had mercury
guage and safety valve also.
= Joseph G, Seal, sworn-I am employed in
Yewdelrs Mill; knew the engineer, Robert
Hamilton; he told me he had been employed
before in the Navy Yard; was not at the mill
at the time of the explosion; had left but lew
minutes before: saw the engineer by the guage
cock before left, and there was plenty OF water
in the boiler; the ergmeer depended upon the
mercury guage and steam Indicator; | have
heard him say that it was difficult to keep up
sufficient steam in the boiler; have examined
the engine tlues since the explosion, and there
| is no appearance OF over-heatng
Edward Breen, sworn.-l am watchman at
Yewdells mill; i am on duty at night; | have
run the engine Tor two or three months: the
engineer had never run an engine, that know
Of before he came to the mill; / was never in
structed how to run an engine, except by Mr.
Suplee, who was there before Robert Hamilton;
l know when a boiler is clean or dirty by the
color OF the water that comes out of the guage
cocks; when the boiler was cleaned there was
| about peck OF dirt In it, the water in the race
| was not much used IN daytime; pipe was lald
IN no xun la and fno nd
IN the boiler, because there was not enough
| water in the well; l run about from go to 20
pounds of steam at night, and fred up TO so
| pounds IN the morning; watched the building
| at night at the same time tended the engine;
] | was away sometimes quarter of an hour or
so; thought it safe to do so.
| N. r. Suplee, the maker of the boiler, de-
J scrlbed the one that exploded; he said it was
/ made of the best charcoal iron, manufactured
! by Charles l.. Baily, of Harrisburg; it was 5-l6
! OF an incn thick; the head inch thick; had
| seen the boiler since the explosion; said chat 1t
| was cleaned in May last, and the engineer told
| him that it WAS in very good condition; the en-
| gineer was a strictly sober man, and witness
| thought him competent to run and tend a
boiler; after being pressed to state his opinion
| of the cause of the explosion, he said that it
| engineer; there was new safety valve put on
the boiler few weeks before the explosions;
MIR. Suplee did not think the boiler worked
above its capacity; some parts OF the boiler look
as il it had been overheated.
Henry Cartright testified that he had examined
the fragments of the exploded boilers very
thoroughly. Some parts of the boiler look as
| II they had been oVerheated. lie considered
the boiler constructed on as safe principle as
any that are made; the iron he had not found
as thick as the manufacturer of the boiler had
SCIast he 70 Ss Ue Quarter OF an an men % was InG
three-elghths; the cause OF the explosion the
witness thought 10 be the lowness oil the water;
from what had been testified as to the engineer,
he did not think him competent person.
| James Gamble, foreman of the mill. testified
that in his opinion the explosion was the result
OF pressure; he believed there was water enough
n,the boilers; the engineer was, in his opinion
iully competent.
The. inquest was at this point adjourned ovel
for a few days. 0.'..