The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-09-29
THE MOBILE BAY DISASTER.
Investigation Of the Ocean Wave
Explosion.
A Rotten Boiler and an Incompetent Engineer.
Owners, Officers and Government Inspector
Responsible for the Accident

WASHINGTON, Sept %, 1871
The report OF the Board OF Investigation ap-
pointed by Secretary Boutwell, to inquire into the
cause causes which resulted in the explosion VI
the boiler Of the steamer Ocean Wave OF Mobile
consisting OF William Rogers Supervising Inspector
Of the Tenth district; J. A. MONTH, United States
Inspector OF Boilers FOR the New Orleans district.
and John w. YOuman, United States Inspector OF
Hulls for the Mobile district, was received at the
Treasury Department to-day. The report sets forth
that the Ocean Wave was OF 272 tons burden was
built at Hoboken, IN the state or New
Jersey, in the year 1854, and brought TO
Mobile in 1867. Az that time she was supplied with
boiler twenty feet In length and seven AMI half
feet IN diameter, tubular return, constructed Of
good iron, varying in thickness. The boiler was
repaired ia 1893, but condemned in May, 1862 being
replaced by a boiler from a steamer which was
sunk In Mobile Bay and the boilers OF which had
been under water over SIX months. IL was, how
ever, pronounced perfectly safe by several compc-
tent persons. This Inflated steamer, prior to the
dreadful accident on the 27th OF August last when
thirty I ur persons were killed and as many mora
injured for lie. mad been sunk four tlmes
she was reduced from passenger 70
freight steamer IN 1859, and was employed most OF
the time since In the lightering business in Mobile
Bay 1t appears that for two Sundays preceding the
27th OF August the day Of the explosion the Ocean
Wave was chartered and used for an excursion
party TO Fort Morgan, about thirty miles below Mo-
bile, and on tho day OF the explosion she was also
under charter for the same purpose to Fish River,
about twenty miles below Mobile. In two instances
the charter party was liquor saloon pr0prletor,
and the business the boat on these occasions III
the sale Ofiiquor was quite large.
she was allowed to carry thirty pounds pressure
OF her boiler, locked safety valve being set al
thirly-two pounds this standard having been ixcd
at the last inspection, November Z, 1870. At TINS
time she was subjected to nydrostatic pressure OF
iOrty-twO pounds, when leak occurred IN the
throat OF the chimney, ana ner owners and engi.
neers swear at the bottom OF the cylindrical part Of
maker deny this Her boiler was supplied with all
The appliances then required by law. II was IN evi-
dence that her boiler had been repaired In the chin
plate bolted on the bottom or the cylindrical
part, to stop leak eitaer since or at the
annual inspection. This Is briefly the history Of the
steamer uD to the date OF the explosion. She had
been frequently complained or by the inspectors,
Tor drunkenness. On the day or the accident she
had on board about two hundred passengers, men,
some Of che passengers expressed fear that all
not right In the management Of the boat, especially
That Afternoon the explosion TOOK place. She had
been lying al Point Clear for half an hour, and had
Just started, the wheels having made one or two
The report goes on to show that the main cause
which led to the explosion was the fastening at the
bottom OF the cylindrical part two sheets length
wise with the grain or the iron, and three lines
OF rivets running he entire length OF this portion.
One OF these seams and lines OF rlvets was at the
treme bottom Of the boiler, and It Was here that IL
first gave wav. After describing mlnutely the con.
dtion of the boilers and machinery the report
states that the Board Is Of the opinion that the i'm
mediate responsibility for this disaster rests with the
the eas IN e bottom Of the
This leak came from . crack i've or SIX
inches in length IN ne. thin portion ABOVE men
TX the Responsibility but the testimony was con
nlcting. They are inclined to the opinion that this
.lotA Nlta1ct nnl act
November. In view oil these conflicting statements
and interests the Board agree that all the parties,
should share this ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Sprague
II for no Otner cause than his failure 10 reexamne
the repairs he ordered TO he MADE on the boiler on
the last annual inspection. ON this point there Is
no conflict IN the testimony and had the annual
examination been conducted In u dilerent manner
the true condition Of the boiler would have oeen
ascertained.
AS above stated the Ocean Wave was only
freight steamer, without the privilege TO carry pas
sensers, which Is sometimes granted; nor did she
have an excursion permit ON the 9Th OF August,
the day OF the accident. IA required by law II Is IN
evidence tnat on the rst Sundays excursion to
Fort Morgan Inspector Sprague was q passenger,
ana, as lie had signed no permit, must have known
tnat the boat was unlawuly employed that day.
IL came out In the investigation that tue boat bor-
rowed life pieservers for these OCCASIONS; conse-
quently her officers must have had some knowl-
edge OF tho requirements or the law and their
duty under such circumstances. There was nothing
IN the evidence 10 show that the Inspector called the
attention OF the officers OF the Ocean Wave to this
preach Of law, or any attempt on their part 20 nave
OF the boat had his license revoked only last April
II appears that the boat did not attempt to leave
FONT Clear until late I'm the afternoon, and there
were reasons for employing an extra amount OF
steam In order TO pass the distractions In the bay
before dark. and was certainly carrying all that the
government valve would allow. The starting OF the
engine and the motion OF the boat in the OF
leaving the whaif brought some sudden
strain on the boiler, already under o
pressure equal to its strength, and caused
IL TO give way The boiler was utterly unfit for use,
and had been so for some time. 1t was literally
worn out by corrOsion, anu was thin In many places
along the lines OF rupture, besides the extreme
weak portion at the bottom already Ilveted and to
the minds or the Board oil Examiners the only
remarkable feature in The case that the boiler
did not explode long before Supervising Inspector
Rogers In his letter transmitting the report recon-
mends that a change be made In the 0nco OF In
spectOr Of Boilers at Mobile and has suspended
Sprague from duty, Inspector M0fiitI, OF New
Orleans, having been assigned the dnty OF inspect
Ing boilers until action IS taken by Secretary Bout
well In the