Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-08-03
NEW YORK.
Official Investigation of the
Ferry Massacre.
On the Trail of Nathan's MUIR
defer.
Waiting for the Verdict


few new developments yesterday IN re-
gard to the Westfeld explosion, and the
excitement has greatly subsided. There
is, however, considerable discussion in
all parts of the city concerning the disas-
fer, and . great variety of opinions are
expressed as to its cause, but the general
feeling is to wait until official investiga-
ton, about to be made, shall bring for
ward al the facts, before forming con-
clusion. Thsre is no disposition to
hastily condemn any one, but there is q
general and earnest desire for all the facts
and for justice. rsses
The sad and solemn ceremony of burial
consigning the dead TO their last resting
place, was begun yesterday, and was wit
messed by many persons whose hearts
were bowed down by the heaviest grief.
w washed away Forever.
Although grspplers and divers are yet
engaged in searching the bed of the river
for more bodies of victims, no more have
been found beside those already reported,
and it is the opinion of the men engaged
in the work tina: all the dead, except re-
mains that have been washed away by
the tide, had been recovered.
Official Investigation.
The official inquiry under the direction
of Addison Lowe, Supervisor of the
New York Inspection District, into the
condition of the boiler of the ferry boat
Wesifield at the last inspection, COM
nenced this morning in the office of the
United States Inspector of Steamboats,,
on Pine street. The board of enquiry
consisted of Edward A. Boale, of the
Local Inspection District, and Mr.. Hill,
of Boston, the latter summoned to re-
place Mathews, of the Board of Inspect
ors, who is one of the witnesses. Capt.
Belknap, Inspector General, was also
present. Mr.. Brown, counsellor at law,
attended for the owners of the boat. At
the opening of the inquiry, Lowe ad-
dressing the board, said they were there
to make the most searching inquiry into
the late deplorable disaster. In order
to have it properly done and that there
might be no room for an impression of
improper influence, he had summoned
Mr.. Hill from Boston to assist Mr.. Boale.
Any one who looked into the matter
must see that il was one of those things
which might have been avoided. Great
responsibility rested on somebody, and
it was for the inquiry of the inspectors to
fix it. He would give them every facility
and assistance, and procure any witnesses
they required.
Another Victim.
The body of Bernard Smith, aged
about 80, victim of the explosion, was
recovered this morning.
The Dock Commissioner boats are
still employed in dragging for bodies.
Testimony of the Accused Inspector.
LATER. Mathews, Government
Inspector of Steam Boilers, was the first
witness. He said he gave the certificate
freely, and would have travelled on the
Westfeld last Sunday. He did not try to
lift the valve, because it was no use with
out the steam pressure, but everything
appeared free and clear. He tested the
boiler at thirty four pounds, hydrostatc
pressure, and the guage would indicate
thirty-two pounds. The diameter of the
boiler was ten feet, but he had no means
of knowing its thickness, but thinks 1t
was one-fourth of an inch thick. He
never knew of a safety-valve working
unless arrested by the engineer. He had
no conversation with the engineer as to
his qualification, and he was not required
to be under license in these waters, he
stated, by the construction of the law.
Even if the safety-valVe opened, the
steam might have got to a dangerous
point if it were generating rapidly. The
shell showed no sign of weakness, but
had patches on the bottom. The witness
served his apprenticeship as engineer to
]. P. Loud; was nine years in the naval
service and was on the Pacific coast.
Testimony of the President.
Jacob H. Vanderbilt, President of the
Staten Island Railroad Company, stated
that the company had three boats. He
considered the Westfeld the best. She
was built in 1862. Her engine was built
by Allan & Co., and was, though the old
est, the best, because it was made before
the war, when better iron could he got,
and he preferred the colored engineer
Robinson to all the rest. The Westheld
was to have been put into the dock that
day, but for nothing about the boiler, but
for cleaning the tiuea, etc.
The pilot, who was just over the boiler,
and the captain, who was at the other
end of the boat when the explosion oc.
CURED, have no idea of the cause.
The Inquiry then adjourned.
The engineer will be examined to-mor-
statement of Government InsPec-
tor-The Boiler had been Defective
for Years.
VIM. w. Vanderbilt, Government In
spector, to-day made an official inspection
of the boiler of the Westfield. lie found
the material of the boiler good and that
the iron was of the requisite thickness,
but discovered q serious break in the
inner casing which evidently existed long
before the explosion. The outer edge OF
the fragment was much brighter than the
inner, and from this fact and certain
other indications he has come to the con-
clusiOn that the inner casing was broken
either when the boiler was made, nine
years ago, or gave way subsequently
when subjected to some severe lest de
expressed his positive opinion that the
boiler has for a long time been held TO-
gether simply by the thin outside plating,
and said he was surprised it had not eX-
ploded before. He added that this flaw
could not be detected by any inspector,
as the outside boiler was covered with
felt and the inside one afforded no indi-
cations of decay. He also ssid that the
flaw could not have been detected by
sounding the boiler.
Wore Vfcttms-A Distressing Death
August Granelle, of this city, and lssha
Abbot, of Brooklyn, died at the Bellevue
Hospital this forenoon, from injuries BY
the explosion of the boiler of the steamer
Westfeld. Mrs. Keerschner, who died
last night, was doing well until number
of thoughtless friends who had gained
access 10 her bedside informed her of the
death of her husband. Upon hearing the
startling news, she gave a loud scream,
raised herself in the bed, and fell back
| dead.
VIM. H. Thwaite, well known artist
in water colors, died at Elizabeth, N. j.
An Extempore Will.
NEW YORK, Aug. About half-pas
two O'Clock this morning the pugilist Joe
Coburn became engaged in dispute will
a gambler, George McCloud, in Motifs