The New York herald., 1871-11-23
BURSTING BAD BOILERS.
Trying the Strength OF lrOn with
the Might OF Steam.

The New Era in Engineering Startling Expert
msns Disturbing the Solitude Of
Sandy Hook
Yesterday the first experiments that have been
made In the way Of testing boilers with steam were
inaugurated under the direction OF Mr. Francis 3.
Stevens who was authorized on the 18th OF Septem-
Der last by the united railroad companies OF New
Jersey Of which he is superintendent to use $4,000
from their treasury for this purpose Some expert
ments IN hydraulic pressure were made at Hoboken
on the I'd Of September, the results OF which de-
lermned the trial OF others with steam, which
should be OF a bolder ana more enterprising
character Shortly after the appropriation OF
money for the purpose Mr.. stevens received pelmis
sion from the Secretary OF War; through the instance
OF the President, 10 MAKE use OF the United States
reservation at sandy Hook General Grant on that
occasion telling Mr. Stevens playfully that he 'nust
NOT hurt any one"
Yesterday morning the steamer Jessie Hoyt
started from the FOOT OF Murray street at about nine
O'Clock ana steamed down
THROUGH THE BAY AND NARRows,
pointing her Prov toward sandy Hook. On board
were q large number or prominent engi-
neers and other gentlemen connected with steam
boat, railroad and scientific interests Joseph Bel
KNAPP, Inspector General; B. L. lsherwood. Chief
Engineer OF the United States Navy; A. Albert, En-.
gineer OF the United States Navy: Professor
X. II. Thurston, Of Stevens archaeological In
stitute H0bokcn; g. u. Haswcu, T. w.
Smith, Andrew Fife, JCia Fish, ]. s. Crane
and others. The party arIiy Il ut Sandy Hook at
eleven O'Clock and leaving tue boat walked for
about mile along dreary neach where the cold
winds swept over the sands with
A BITTER LAUGH
spot chosen Tor the experiments Is very near the
shore, overlooking the bay, and made desolate by
the "nor'easters" which blow from landward and
blight even the crisp sail grass which struggles sp
through the sand. ItM
FAR ENOUGH FROM THE METROPOLIS
and sufficiently forsakeu by humanity to make 1t
very suitable for purposes which would involve
much danger to any poor mortal who might chance
TO stragge near just at the wrong moment AID
walk unawares into the arms OF death. A
white ghostly looking paling surrounds
o square piece OF ground, within hearing Of tho
rushing sounds on the beach, just where the land
is most unprotected and the wind sweeps keenest
NINE STEAM BOILERS
are here set up each OF which Is numbered dis.
tinctly IN white characters painted upon the side,
with the date Of building ana the pressure already
reached In hydraulic tests. A concise description
OF these boilers IS given below.
and were removed from o vessel in last July, in
which they had been used Tor thirteen years They
are called by engineers r.turn due boilers," ideI-
teal /. shape and construction with tnat OF the
Westaeld, but smaller. They are twenty.eignt feet
feet in diameter. Tney were tested November 4, In
their pre- sent position with hyarosatic pressure
/ sustained twenty tive poands ana No. sixty
pounds TO the square inch without fracture
in nang IN nss
No experiment. was made upon II yesterday
No. was built In lS49, ard has been Used twenty
one years. Il Is yet to be tested.
No. Is new boiler, without nues, built for these
experiments. In previous tests II has wirnstood
172 pounds OF hydrosatic pressure and seventy-Gve
pounds OF steam. The 1nal test yet remains to 90
made.
ment was made yesterday-ls nat surface boiler,
six feet long, four eet and four Inches high, built
Tor these experiments. and Is an exac, copy Of the
back end, or, in tecnnlca terms, the 'iey" of
TIE wESrFIELD BoILEE.
same talckness as those OF the wcstfeid's. Even
the rvetei heads OF the braces which pass through
WestGed's Tie boiler nad already been subjected
to lbs pounds hydro pressure wlthou. fracture
and TO a steam test Of lo2 pounds OF steam on the
spot on which 1t stood yesterday.
Nos and are small uprIght boilers nearly new.
They have been tested TO $50 pounds OF hydrosIatc
No. is cylindrical return tubular" boiler,
having already witnstood hydrosts,ic pressure OF
All OF these boilers or sections OF boilers except
No. and NO. are yet 70 pe tested to the extreme
limit ol lner strength,
day after day. so that definite results VIII be attained
before winter. Each boiler has near 1t q Justices
ppes with two oner @ gauges staiioned al distance
OF two hundred rect from the enclosure The fence
was thrown down IN sectors 80 teat the view was u.
or two hours OF waiting in rather discOnsolate'oOk
Ing groups upon the sands and In wandering about
steamer WIlIisin Cook was joyfuliy descried-anx-
iously looked for because its coming would hasten
soon landed company OF scientific gentlemen,
WHO HAD coME FROM PHILADELPHIA.
Observation-Disclosures Siers, President OF FranEun
Institute; Professor Jacob Major, DR.. W. II. Wahl
and Mr. William M. Henderson, and also Mr., Thomas
u. Ii. Shalcross aud W. FISHER Mitchell, OF the
Commoa oouaci Of phlladelpha:
The first boiler tested yesterday was No. q appa-
rently quite rotten and weak.
THE FIRES WERE SLOWLY BUILT UP
wn M the company ra ,s san
and forth between the lookout and TIE; enclosure,
comparing the registrations OF the gauges at dis
tance and OF those at the boilers The plan Of hav-
Ing gauges at distance great was found entirely
successful. the men who were busy feeding the
men, intent upon detecting any variation In the
gauges eveed spy glasses and neld glasses AT
IL momenarLy showed slight or al times rapid IN
crease OF pressure. grew 10 be an interesting en-
ss e m rather n
sorry excitement, hoyeyer-a chill gloom creeping
through one rom the biting breeze Every one was
shiveIing wnile pecrlng closely at the gauges or
Watching the erect or tile test the boiler. and
this cOntinuel Tor an hour or more Finally, the
pressure reached % when the steam be-
gan escaping, evidently through rent at tho base
OF the smokestacS. still
THE FIGURES cLTMrED UPWARD
until, at p3, the steam issued from every seam OF
the boiler: but unfortunately at this point the fire
began to sacken and the pressure 10 decrease the
rent having enlarged 80 that the steam escaped as
rapidly as IL was made. Here the test tcrnin-
ated; Dut IL was evident that hut q
few pounds more OF steam would have terminated
the Integral existence oil the boiler IL was. how.
ever literally praised Tor the strength 1t seemed
still % lossess after thirteen long years Of service.
Portions Of the shell were considerably distorted
and bulgcd, and
ANOTHER SLIGHT RUPTURE
had been caused through the bottom letting kteam
and water upon Inc lic. Every inch OF tine entire