The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-12
WESTFIELD DISASTER.
Coroner,s Investigation.

I r NS" SANtg -Ae6NSss =.
ners inquest in the Westfeld dlsaste
case was continued to-day. Charles ID
Franklin testified that in his opinion
the crack in the boiler when it exploded
was a fresh one; if it had been an Ole
crack there would have been sediment
IN there which would not have beer
displaced by the explosion. ~
Robert Crosser, fireman on the W est
field, was next examined. He testified
that a few minutes before the explosion
he heard steam blowing off; IS certain
the governm ent valve was blowing on
az near as he could remember the fur
naces were all shut up tight few min
utes before the explosion.
Charles H. Franklin, OF Patterson
n. J., testified that the boiler OF the
Westfieid was made by him in 1861
and his testimony was the same IN all
respects as given at the investigation
Henry Robertson, engineer OF the
Westfeld, was next examined; have
been engineer OF the Westfeld Tor nj
teen wears; on the day of the explosion
ten minutes to one o'clock, he found
four cocks OF water and twenty-one
pounds OF steam. They started al
twenty.three pounds; the average on
the trip was generally about twenty
three: did not leave the engine room
on the trip, but as it was very warm
got near the door; left engine room
on coming to slip and went out TO pu,
on hose; arrived at slip about l:l0, and
guess was out putting on hose aoou'
ten or fifteen minutes; looked IN
through the window and took gooc
glance at the gauge, it was then rising
to twenty.six pounds; went down into
the fire room, the fires we're deaC
and doors open; tried water anC
found three cocks; came up anG
walked down gang way, looked
into engine room and raw gauge
near twenty-seven, not quite saw Gap
tain on deck and said to him, Its neal
time to start" then heard kissing
noise; ran back to engine room; cav
steam coming out a volley OF steam
hit him in the face throwing him back
and the explosion took place imme
diately afterwards. He was not IN
iured but was struck by particle oi
the smoke stack; don't recolect recelv
ing orders to carry no more than twenty
eight pounds of steam carried as hlgn
as thirty.five and tbirty-seven pound:
when the boiler was new. m
Further hearing was postponed TIL
Monday morning at ii o'clock.
Government Investigation.
The Government investigation into
the causes Of the Westfield disaster was
resumed today. Several witnesses who
had previously testified took the stand
for the purpose Of making corrections
in the report OF their evidence. Erastus
w. Smith testified to the fact that the
plate had been washed away and
cracked on the inside surface to one
fourth its original strength, the adjoiu
ing lap covering an old crack under the
edge of the lap, extending nearly hall
through; the cracking was caused by
the sagging Of the round shell at 'thi:
point by it's weight and the weight o
the water; ~ the back end OF the boil
er there HAD been saddle. which haC
been removed for the purpose OF putting
on patches; if any part OF the support
of the round shell of the boiler wa:
removed and not restored, somebody
was to blame. the iron was Of
very good quality for its brand
was satisfied that il the boiler had been
one.eighth of an inch thicker and Of
higher worked and finer quality OF iron
the accident would not have occurred
the fire surface did not show any indi
cation of low water; the interior cracks
which he thought was the starting
point of the explosion were not accessl
ble for an interior explosion; witness
knew Mr.. Miles, the Government In
spector, and had confidence in him a:
an engineer; | consider the explosion
more the carelessness Of man rather
than the providence of God.