Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-05-16
TINE STEAMBOAT DISASTER!
CorOner,s Inquest On tho Bodies
81 chose killed by she Ex.
p1Osfon of the Lansing.
VERDICT OF THE JURY


VERDICT OF THE JURY |!
Two more Deaths rereshadsWsl.
The eosoner's inquest which convened ct
Hampton on 1--WE bodies II these killed By
the explosion Of The steamer Laasiag on
Wednesday last concluded IL lsbsss and
rendered IL verdict yesterday aftssssso.-
The bodies Get upon wsss thess George
White, william wassighes. W. n. Noble,
James Tracy. and W. II. Rheib. Mr.. Lu>
Gins Wells, Justice Of the Peace, wss the
acting coroner, and the names Of the jury
were NJ follows:
Il. ]. Melville. Foreman A. Fresman, d. Y.
Plsnts, q. Apier. Samuel Haegy, samuel DEM
son, N. J. Rengler. Jacob 1uehsrt. II. =. Shurt
ill., william Edelman, Cistus Glanty, Augustus
Hayward.
The Same jury served on each Of the 9TH
er bodies, except that Samuel Haegy vas
excused and Solomon Mesdes served IN h's
place The following is q correct report o.
the evidence taken:
James Zuyer Of Freeport, HIS, sworn:
Know the body Of Geo. White, who, | uu-
derstand, was pilot OF the boat. The explo-
sion took place at IL clock, noon, or there
abouts. Know the death Of this person WAS
caused by the explosion.
f. w. Sheets. Dayton. Ohio; sworn -
Was . passenger on the stsamboss Lansing,
May, 10, 1857. The boat was attempting 10
get of the landing At Hampton. The crew
and passengers attempted TO force the stern
into the stream. Know, almost, the steam
had on By the boat. flrst looked q the
steam gusge fifteen minutes before the ex-
piosion. il indicated 140 20 las. At the
time Of the explosion il indicated 1866. Was
standing six OF eight seet from che steam
guage Felt great head Of steam On. The
machinery Was under full head Of stssm a
time Of explosion. Recognize body q.
Whi,s) - being . maa I saw on boat, but
a. 10 his position do not know.
Albert q. Lans, Of Chseago, svsen: Was
passenger on steamer kaasiag. Tesk pass>
ago At Rock Islaad. Went al 90 our fand>
Ing at Hampton. Left the engine rssm for
. few moments and on returning noticed her
sscam gauge; 1t stood at 1856. This W.
some time bsiose explosion. The engineer
was At his post. Engineer spoke to pilot ;
asked for rosin 20 raise more steam. ! went
for~srd, and returning found sssan raised
to 1865. Machinery In full operation al the
time. Engineer hung wrench on Che safe
~ valve about i've pounds In weight. Am
prepared to swear to addition OF this weight
and this hcad-steam guags roes 10 los -
Was ct work with poles on posts TO gel
stcrn Of boat into the stream; passenger
and crew assisting. ] swear that the indi'
Gator stood higher after the wrench "a,
hung on the valve. DO not remember safe
" valve blowing of before the explosion. -
Recognize the body OF deceased as pilot
Rccoll c, the engineer going forward 10 try
guase COO two or three times. All the of,
icsrs We're nj the r posts.
bra. iarke, IL Hampton, and Fleming, ol
Port By.on, we're sworn, aud testified the
cause of death Of George White TO he frac
ture of spinal column compound fracture
of ley; compound fractsre Of right thigh
i'he actual cause % death was injury OF
spin.i cot mn. Tho other Injuries we're
not sufficient Of themselves To cause death.
/; r. Nclv,e. Of Hampton. His. former,
ly rleIk Of the Lansing. sworn: Am ac-
qlamtri Wlth the rules Of steamboats,
Know the steamhoat Lansing. She ia ais
lo@cd 10 carry l31 pounds Of steam 1t
would bc safe for her to carry more than
that pressure 10 no. know how much
1855 ibs. and be safe. Could not say how
old her boilers we're. BY ajuscrl "would
years service weaken she boilsrsf" Ans.
"Of course service wears boiler"
John q. Bromley. Of Rock Island. sworn:
Mas engineer Of the Lansing At tina Of the
explosion. We left Davenport At S:45 The
machinery aud connections were oil right
-, the tune. ss far as | could tell. Moline
was our first landing after leaving Davcn
pnit; tiampton was the second. We land
cd ut Hampton aud took on Wood In the
meantime | oiicd sthe machinery. Asked
the Captain how long he would lay. II,
answered until he took on all the wood.
then went back aud packed one Of III,
valve ssems then went forward and told
the fireman to open tho hampers thor
tried the water. The steam was up to 80
They pulled in the stage plank. Com
p,enced backing her out and steam won
daSn to 100. Then told tho pilot we ha,
better stop the engines and yet more steam
She then went up 10 1870. then went bac,
and started tho doctor" ther steam wen
up TO l3j. Commenced backing engine fo
10 or 10 mnuos. During tits time trie,
the water about twice Went forward an,
tried the water; found plenty Of water
Wens round the boilers aud told the fireman
10 open he hampers. Came back TO lii,
engine room. Laid my hand on the throt,l,
valve. expecting To back her. Looked a
the steam guags. Next thing | recollsc,
the throttle va We and were laying on the
floor There was little noise. The Cap
TAIN came to me and asked, johnny what.
the matter said IT'S all over. She IL
blown up II, asked me If had plenty Of
water. told him had ~ far - knew.
BY jurors amount Of steam ID
the La sing a!lowsd'' Ana. "l20 ibs."-
"Wht did she usually cassyy Ana. 1920
10 l2o lbs" d. boats usually carry mvss
than the Inspectors pan allow |" Ans
They generally do" Could the Lansing
carry more than the Law allowed With aafs
N?" Ans. Il do not thiok il aafe." "Wha,
vas your opinion Of her bolsrs?' Ans.
"rhey we're cid, and bad carried more than
they ahould and he'd bssa strained" "wsrs
there any weak places in shs boilers ?" Ans
"rhs shell that extends beyond the head
forward. IL used - support On The fursses
and the bottom 10 burned ont. Yestsrdav
cleaned out The boiler. and pvts piscs o.
boiler ron, 9 inches wide ana 80 inche,
long. under end boltsd up TO Ne main she'll
then built brick hn,nss snder 10 protect /
Srom 6rs."
"What ~ your opinion regarding The q
plosion :" II can't tell"
ibid the boilers leak any :" There WA
small leak around she bcls that weas Cor
ward through the hand hele blads, but |
only dropped little"
Tho Captain war just forward Of the stss
board engine ct the time. put . SINAI
wrench, 5 lbs on the safety valve cord +
keep her from foaming.
WAS there any danger Of the supply pip,
being stopped 2"
Ars.-"No, IL there was l should hav,
known il"
l.. II. S'een, of Sabula, Iowa, sworn; va,
Clerk and bar keeper on the Lansing: lar d
ed at Hampton TO let of passengers. The
Wind commenced blowing on the shore
Trici to back out; engines kept backing
stopped engines one for . abort time was
working steam nearly oil the time. | was
standing on the s,arboard side, Just outside
the Doctor" on the guard. They were
trying 10 shove her out at the stern did
notice the steam grage: At one time thought
she was working very slow at the time the