Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-04
NEW YORK.
The Westfield Investigation.
The Requisites of a Negro En-
gineer.
The City Finances.

the meetings called for the purpose of
investigating the alleged sWindles and
corruption of Tammany. Itappears that
two calls fox public meetings have been
circulated, and one is denounced by the
other as fraudulent designed to divert
the attention and to divide the force of
those who are disposed to bring public
servants to proper account of their stew
ardship in the matter of expanding the
peoples money. What is claimed by the
Tribune and Times as the genuine caH, is
published this morning and contains
among other names those of Moses Tay-
lor, Msrshall o. Roberts, John Jacob
Astor, August Belmont 81 Co., etc,
Mr.. Edwin Hoyt, of the firm of Hoyt.
Sprsgue & Co., No. 10e Franklin street
stated to reporter yesterday that he was
called upon by persons with a call and
expressed himself as anxious to ioin in
any well concerted measure designed tn
bring out the truth in regard to the
charges against the city officials, and that
he accordingly signed the paper. Subse-
quently he was waited on by another per-
son, who desired him to sign a paper
published yesterday. This he declined |
Il
the TACT that much more largely signed |
call was in circulation, and that it would |
be bad policy to divide the force or move
meht by holding two meetings. He was
surprised when he read the call published |
| yesterday, to find the list of signers' !
names very different one from that in |
which he had joined His suspicion be-
| ing aroused, he read the body of the |
document rather more carefully. He is
| disposed to regard the matter in the light
as fTaudulen. attempt to defeat the very
purpose for which the meeting is osten-
| eibly called.
The Westfield InvesttgasiOn-Wha
n Negro X nOTs about Eng jneer
ing.
The government investigation of the
explosion of the ferry boat Westfield was
resumed this morning.
Henry Robinson, the colored engineer
of the Westfeld, testified that he had
been 8 steamboat engineer nearly fifteen
years. The witness said he could not ex-
| actly explain the difference between a
high pressure and low pressure boat, save
that one USED steam of high pressure and
the other of low pressure. He explained
the working of the engine On board his
boat. Being called upon to define
vacuum, he declared it to be foul air. He
was Intercepted as TO the different ways
in which vacuum could be formed, and
| mentioned that one could be made by |
sucking with ones lips at the end of q |
pipe, the other end of which was stopped.
He believed in that case the pipe was
10 70 cd 20 l,a line Ixye 10
was aware that the atmosphere exerted q
pressure, but did not know how much. |
He said he had never read any scientific |
books, for he could not read writing, and |
print but very little. Fer ascertaining |
the amount of steam, or certificate of the |
boiler, he admitted he would be obliged |
TO obtain the assistance of some othGr |
man.
The Relations of whisky and
steam
Capt. Jas. w. Broistcd, Superintendent
of the ferry line testified that he had the
utmost confidence in the fidelity and abil
ity Of Robinson. Had often threatened |
to dischage him for carrying more than |
twenty seven pounds of steam. Ten |
years ago on the Wyoming he discharged |
him for carrying little too much steam.
He never had occasion to repnmand him |
for doing so since then. Have been COM
PEELED to caution my engineers from time |
to time for carrying twenty~seven pounds |
of steam rather than twenty-five. be- |
lieve before my God that if my engineer
had not carried more than twenty-five |
pounds of steam that day the boiler
would not have exploded. Still have
no idea that he had more than twenty
seven pounds. My presumption is that if
he had not gone above twenty seven
| pounds the boiler would not
have bursted The breweries on the Island
| have been in the habit of transporting
| wagon loads of lager on board the boats
| and have no doubt the deck hands had
been recipients of portions of that beV-
ersge. / do not know thSt there
| was any last Sunday. Several times
have found empty kegs on beard The
passengers sometimes give men liquor
from bottles. / had suspicion that such
| might have been the case then, for
! asked if any beer had been on board dur
| ing that trip. am perfectly satisfied
| that the engineer and fireman had none
that day. Beer never hsd anything to
DO with that explosion. l did not ask
about whisky. The engineer was per-
feclly sober, as far as l could judge, half
an hour after the accident. My conf
| fidence has not been shaken in that engin,
eer now, despite the accident, and
would as soon trust him with my life as
ever.
This closed the days investigation.
Over 100 Dead and Dying.
The names of 81 dead victims of the
explosion are published this evening, to-
gether with thoee of 7 missing who are
supposed to be dead. Timothy Buckley
died to-day, and four Others, including a
German named Frederick Leiuing and
bis wife, who were taken immediately
home by their son who escaped unharmed
! and who were not known to be injured
| until to-day, whose recovery is impossi-
BILE.
The voting Census.
NEW YORK, Aug. "A statement of
the voting population of New York city,
according to the late census, has been
prepared at the census Office in Washing
ion. The totals are as follows: native
voters n, 342; voters of foreign birth
113, 267; of the latter 50, AT are Irish,
Al, 752 German, and 16, OGS of other ma
tionalities; total voting population of the
city 100, G09.
ARadical EsNew Departure."
At a meeting of the Union Republican
General Committee tonight, resolutions
were offered by Horace Greeley, which
were adopted, condemning the attempt of
the State Central Committee to disorganize
the party, and the constraint put upon
their subordinates by the dispensers of
| Federal patronage in our city, virtually
compelling them to join in the Custom
house new departure.
EmanciPatiOB-AR Radical ReVe-
rend.
The colored people of New York,
Brooklyn, and the principal towns in
| Long Island, celebrated the anniversary
| of their admission to franchise, at
Wcstburg, L. L, to-day. Nearly 1000
persons, half of whom were white, par
ticipated in the festivities. The Rev.
Gornett delivered an address urging the
| colored people to adhere to the party that