The New York herald., 1870-12-31
THAT BURsTED BOILER.
Tho Fire Marshals Investigation In Regard to
tho Williamsburg Explosion-Report
Of tho E4amining Engineer.


The Brooklyn Fire Hs::sslal made an investigation
esssrqsy o the cause Of the terrible explosion al
tbe Sovelty Works, at the corner Of North Thlr-
tcenth and Second Streets =. D., by which thfc9
persons lost their lives and several others We're
more or less Injured. The evidence elicted showed
that the boiler was an old one. or locomotive pat
,, tern, aud had been patched up about two months
ago; thar 5;oTrens. the unfortunate engineer who
lost his life. was not Is patt0isf as he should have
been In regard to keeping the boiler alled with
water Thomas +. Powers, tho exlns!ning engineer,
says that the boiler has been 49,
- sxS.$t. VERY BADLY 0sS6
large number Of persons visited the scene Of
disaster yesterday. wS
The testimony taken was as folIows:--
WILLIAM L. MILLER SWORN
deposed-l live at III Oak street. Greenpolnt, and
am part owner In the Novelty Works, corner of
Nortn Ihlrteenth and Second streets; an explosion
took place In the works last night by which three
men were killed; was In the ofice reading paper
when the boiler exploded and was blown l5o feet
from where 1t stood; bought that boiler, second
hand, at Yonkers, of Mr.. Mitchell, broker 1t for.
merly belonged to the Star Arms Company paid $3.50
for the boncr; don't know how long 1t had been In
use; never had the boiler tested; notified the In.
spector Of Boilers before 1t was started do know
W9at amount OF steam was on when the boiler ex-
p!Oded my orders were not to have fifty pounds
OF steam the boiler was supposed to be sixtyhorse
power; don't know whether the engineer had over
had; understood that he had, but do not know tins
OF my own knowledge; the parties who sold the
D0er lOld me they were In tho habit OF carrying 100
pounds OF steam when bought It; took q boiler
maker with me; he said that the boiler was one OF
the strongest he had ever seen; have examined
the boiler since the explosion; think the explosion
was
CAUSED BY A WANT OF WATER
In the boiler; Nicholas Stevens, the engineer, was
IN nhout
three or four weeks; Mr.. Kennedy, with whom Mr..
Stevens served his time. said he was very com.
petent engineer; don't know anything about the
nre IN the cotton works, supposed TO have been
caused by the explosion; the last { ,e we cast
about it; he said he had two cocks Of water and
that was enough; had found the water low at an
charged one engineer for leaving the water
s, low IN the boiler; ! paid the last engineer Mr..
boiler on Tuesday last did not think the glass
gauge indicated two cocks OF water; y requires no
the boiler full OF water simply by the turning or the
cock; never had any doubts as to Mr.. stevens com.
and OF ns on
him; havo had this boiler In about two months
after ! discovered that former engineer allowed
the water to get low had the boil er examined by
boiler maker and put Ia order; he calked It, be-
lieve; don't know that he did anything more than
that.
THOMAS F. POWERS
sworn, depoees and eays:-I am Examining Engi
heer ana Enei Boiler 9specso. Tor tue city Of
Iron WORKS, corner Of North Thirteenth and second
streets. Brooklyn; the boiler exploded last night,
feet from its place. and appears TO have made
pIete turn; the boiler Is q locomotive style Of boler
SoH az the sn ss q the s in:
shell OF the boiler was four feet six inches
Ia diameter and ten feet SIX inches long. contain
ing Seventy-seven threeinch tubes; j found
the crown sheet OF the boiler In damaged con
dition, showing evidence OF low water, and am
cause OF low water; the boiler had been tested
by this department. the crown sheet was all blIs-
consider tnat the boiler had been yery BADLY used
but 1t appears to have been well constructed
boiler; the engineer, Nicnsias Stevens, now de-
rence; machinist BY trade, and consldered MIN
Q competent engineer; have examined the pre-
the result OF that examination; found the feed valve
open from the we'll TO the feed pump, showing
that the water had been introduced into the boiler;
saw that fire had occurred In cotton waste fac
tory block distant, caused by the explosion; the
total destruction Of property IS about $4,000.
Jabez Loyett sworn. dep0ses and says live at
181 North Seventh street; am
BOILER MAKER
by trade and repaired the boiler In the Novelty Iron
works, which exploded last night / repaired IL
about six weeks ago; repaired the crown sheet
Sad found It badly sprung; It was leaking badly
stiuctcd and Was 0f the locomotive pattern; i was
INSIDE the boiler and found It well braced with
croWeet braces, with bars and pins from three.
quarters to seven-eights OF an mch; caulked the
seGms across the crown sheet OF the boiler; have
seen te boiler since the explosion, and think it ex
piOdcd from low water; the crown sheet OF the boiler
was fSe.sixteenths In thickness; the braces were
from seeA to eight inches apart; boiler fed
had turned completely over and was carried about
one hume red a2d alty feet from lis position; knew
he was BY Il fraae newer KNEW nl
TO De drunS; hss(km to me and borrowed some
tools 70 rep.ir s Ier after repaired lt; he said
believe he aof boiler was caeaoe e SS ol oss sus
tanning. In my opini5H, sixty or seventy pounds Of
The following i the report OF the examining engi.
neer to the Board VI Police:-
To tSs Hon & DAnE BRiees, Presden. OF tho Board
.S ,n. ..or ss to-, II,
Of steam boiler the iron foundry be-
IL e: p As
naro s ss 81. e os ys with s
fee! ss inches Ji.mssr eonsanns uSes.
dome thirty ncSes Judging from the ss' .ppear psa@
found that the boiler had blown from its original position to
the distance q 100 feet into swamp and turned
and br.ced shell with cracss about
esht rec. apart The boiler In my opinion, had been well
The spss.er Slshsls. Stevens. n.. had varied .1pe-
an snd y bad
osa ed IN frame building attached % the main building
van, @ ne y
habit Of rsSIns The engineer to psro Other d: than
tests for the month OF January next.
From such information As enabled to obtain from
parties connected with tho there
killed and several injured Their given
follows, vizNicholas Stevens, engineer; Daniel Nut
vcsng with the eagnecr aud Francis Lusse painter rho
was the roof a. Tue time Of the explosion Very respect.
fully submitted.
THOMAS =. POWERS. Exam inng Engineer.
Crowds OF persons visited
THE SCENE
OF the catastrophe yesterday Early In the forenoon
the body OF Francis Lussier, who reported
missing In yesterdays HERALD. was found In Bush
Wick creek at distance OF about four hundred feet
from the scene OF the disaster. The body was In a
nude condition when found ana his head was per-
forated as II by bullets and slugs.
Coroner Whitehi ana Jury that he empanell ed
also visitcd the scene and carefully examined the
fragments OF the exploded boiler, and then ad-