New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-07

s,d nI Ni ,ri coid not have hccn far as
can see from nG g OF III the IRON that saw
looked fair and and good that crack been sareu
when boiler made ana nave enlna'u an, AZ
made by the workmaus tools; the opening OF that n,w
has been caused by the expansion ana Wv ,ed
iron as boiler has been gradually healed or Cooeu
or IL might be that some portions would pe noasn ~
than the others thus producing cianee ~ 80 hen
when ire boiler dt cauked the caulkng foot in the
hands Of careless workman might nave zen 'c uss
tool or cold chse might have made the groove t9p-
pears 10 10 be singular case; cannot account Tor ls
being rptured at that part; but 10 seems Ia me 10 have
been caused by oxidation; II had known AS much about
a Class of eases that with Ordinary in.pcc-
pre- that sheet would have broken; the remainder
might stand 30 or co bounds w'thou, starting IT; y max
rom the inside the flaw would not have been percepbe
on the outside; tho temperature OF The wafer should
tbinE wonld prevent cynosions-tn have n system of
Inspection such exists in the army respecting piece
of Ordnanoe when it has been used cetlm number of
times have il thrown away by order Of c inspector;
the boiler might bo sound and II might h' capable of
working as long again rs " had done previously without
any accident, still il would doubles prevent great
many Of those terrible accidents such system were
fresh water should last g. have known set of boil,
ers 70 last 80 years; they are now IN naaeIor Mer
gets little rougher usage; many guns when thrown
s Wag ' hpayy fng b8 The system Of Conforming
them nevertheless safe think that suc accl-
forbdding the of boiler after certain age, whether
there is any visible detect or not no doubt TINS would
result IN throwing away Of many good boilers hu on
the other hand it would result in the prevention OF sngh
coTmGed 9S wb SH rbt Years ola this particular acct
would have been avoided.
TESTIMONY OF oRAUssoN, THE ENGrNEEn.
BY Mr. Boole-Am fireman on the staten Island ferry;
was on board the westheld last Sunday left staten
Island at 1885, had four solid cocks tried the water
acin when she stopped; opened the furnace doors; the
doors wero ut again after that at 1885, and they We're
Shut about three minutes just before tho explosion was
down in the trr-rUom stood about twelve feet IRON
where the head the boiler lies now; then she went mp
the first hing that saw was at me 100, OF ,S,
my elbow; got mp through The bleescales o ,oo,,
BY Mr. Hul-Was there steamg gauge III Inc heioo'n'
O. Did you have anything to do with the pressure of
| O. Did YOU haue anything TO do with the feodl 4. No,
SIR ouy report TO the engineer Try the water ana
Q. Have Won ever noticed any appearance Of leaking
since The boiler inspected the last time A. No. Dir,
not my Judgment never saw any leaks OF any cotss-
quence was not present when the boiler was inspected;
wa on GEy fnGrag oy 1 CSk p en- o1 Sosrd o
us are allowed any thing 10 drink snch as WHISKY or
a there is great deal of lager carried on the boats,
and tbe brewery men generally have keg, but they
drink il themselves; sometimes when VIC ask for it they
% De you use mesh water IN The boiler entirely A
The engineer viii have 10 answer ihoih Questions. 1900,
boat we have and I suppose fresh water; there
tanks Oh board 10 carry fresh water. . -.
c. Dld You ever of thor ever usiuc any other
than frcs, water in the boiler A. The Time the Na,cr
was scarce they used salt water.
q. when was that A. Last year.
g. Do YOU ever blow on the water 4. Once day.
q You do that once day a. 1t Is supposed TO be-
g. WHO does thatl A. The engineer order, ii DONE
O. Did he tell you how long TO nowl A We go by the
gauge cocks they are Lett open Tllie we are hoNl,g
O. You do that every davi A. Yes, II we nave plenty
O. How much do you blow, A. Blow down so that wo
can find sOundngS. steam and water on the lodh cock
g. How many cocks have you A. Four.
G. You have previously pumped UP aaoYe themf A
g. Do You blow on an average as often every other
dayi a. cannot say some days We have more fresh
! O. low often do You think, ayeragei 4. About
q DO You ever look AZ tie water como ont Of the
boiler TO see whether it Is dirty or not h No; 1t blows
under water.
| "PTBTFCTIY CIFAR"-"A RUPTURE AND A FLAW"
! Charles Copeland said: Am constructing engineer;
have examined The boiler OF the Westeld the cause Of
the explosion is perfectly clear to me- IN order 10 eN-
pain il viii refer to diagram which have made Of.
the condition things board the boat subsequent to
the accident exbbits diagraml in the first place this
was not an explosion, il wasa hnIstng me rupture
started from weak lout III te oo.lsl , d d1 ,,
weakest portions from that point crossing Il, sohe palS
strong portion Of the boiler; II II had oecn an cN
posion the boiler would nave nPpfH lo leGfs ,a IN
rcsuit is that the burst occurred from pressure ot
| steam gradually accumulated above the strength "i
the boiler then the point comes what wac maj pressure;
have not measured tie sJetyvaNe Dut assume u 10
tortcd which may make slight error in the ccua;i1
hu hnd tie pressure 10 nave beeh Jis pounds TO ne
square inc and that might very properly DC ana ySu inc
valve only loaded 10 p pounds becns as Gl engineers
know. the valve IN ordinary use Is hi'ed only very
little; row had been constant use Ilng ohy by
thai pressure q pounds oxide might nave accumulated
on that STEM the stem become distorted So thas me
valve would readily lift beyond The point at which II
had usually been working; assume ms to be the case
ana steam would accumulate GRADUALLY at dlI ~ tnS case,
undoubtedly until the sslre was too much FOR the
! strength OF the boiler and it gave way; the next
point s With regard TO the point OF IhptUei'u o,-
CURED on 81 the boiler ana not ON lohSl-
,udn scam The eros. seam OF hoer rs jH75 i%ice az
then from This that there must have been some defect
wod he Soe6ine over = pounds on he cnd Of the
boiler. tending % separate u INTO Two laI's mat wod
give the seam tension al Z2i0 pounds 10 The
square inch, and assn Bg the same da9, Case pounds
the longitudinal s.am II The iron lad been sound IL
! would have hcen perfectly sale even under II
pressure OF ~ pouhIs =" nc S9tHadS In,n , In
| Investigating an "cciGent OF M KING no. we hHG
! and track them up taking general view Of the con,
d,iou ~ tliugF made dp my mind where II IupuIcd
fret: the boiler way on CTOssscaIu on rs tOp II il
| had been on the bottom you Wonld have found yOr
boiler ON deck or IN nc rytr; u would nave gone up
Tprcd t3tpOint tOpl il accounts for the posi-
lion in which We ind The parts again the rupture must
kept ors bed If 1t had commenced At the bottom, that
Tond have been thrown ont against the other side.
with that piece which was picked ny on the dock fny
theory correct mar piece should H"Nt bre ipund Oh
the north side OF the boat go moi kno" "neio II was
Mr Brown-It was found on that dock.
! .WiDcss-FGEoWng mp NE theory, followed MP ths
examination ana found Oh the stafbOaI - g au abrasion
boiler has struck; having made up my mind from the facts
|
a- no lOy wafer the engineer not TO blame except
so Ear a. hc did watch his steam gauge and there
was no fault with the Inspector because he could have
the injury; thcrc Is crack about four feet in
leugth the cTu.bcain mainly through the line Of the
riyrt and this the rupture started this fOur-cct
crack which the weakest point In the boiler then 10
followed the around until struck the 1sinch crack
on the lower side Of the boiler the examination Of the
piece al Police Headquarters atTm6 the examination Of
Tie mGn-hOle plate in the boat 10 the If
| the l+inch crack; the fOur-ieet crack was
almost entirely through the sheet, that all that held
the parts together where these WERE was the
friction Of the rveng the crack the lower side
OF the boiler point where the inspector could note
get the crack the upper part covered by
cor Of The boiler itsef being the inner sheet
and could only discovered 10y its caBng NV mind
II Is perfectly clear that the accident TO those de-
fccts in the shell ~ the boiler; how cracks
IN, L.. -. ILL.,