New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-01
EXPLOSION OF ~TEAMHOsv BOILERS
Eject of the HydrOsrasj,. Pres,ure

Effect of the Fl drosta.ic Pressure.
we publish the following communication
written by an experienced stcamboat,uan
EDIrOl! HErUELIc,N:
IL the New Orleans Times OF tins morn
ilS mention IS made OF the explosion OF
| steamboat boilers, ana inquiry into the
cau>cs thereof. make bold to state one o:
tn" principal causes, ant. the effect the "a VS.
| OF th" lnitcd States of 1882 have upon
hoie: explosions. prior to which time there
| were few explosions OF steamboat boilers
| ConiDartt! 10 the number since.
| claim that the kydrostatic pressure ap-
| pied by t;c local inspectors appointed by
! t!'e L n.ted States government, in testing
| ht"''filo"at boilers. Is III principle and its
| workings entire Y wrong. and does far more
harm than any good which can possibly be
! 'icr.T"d from that test. The law requires
| That all boilers on steamboats, navigating
III. rivers. shall be tested once every vcar. O..
soften Is. tine government Inspector shall see
II t" do 50. ! maintain that in applying their
tc-' by ny'!ro-tati,. 'uressl,re. and runnin.
Il? III. pi" ssu:e from fifteen to twenty per
cent ino-" than they allow Il steamer 20
:ari'. there :, a very strong tendency to
weaken III" iron which may not show itself
perhaps 70: AoUrS. or .!ay, after - s:sa1.e:
start. on Ger trip.
II i wei. known ~ a scientific princri"
that IRON expands hy the application W
h"!'. How l. .:. then. That tv this GOA
water test. which = applied ny tie Local
l!teh States inspectors i: doe. no. n I,
great Treasure nave !. strrn. tendency to
stii:t every Join. and :INet N u -t,':.lnhOa:
h"Ii.r. TN" instance of this came under
my direct supervision IN 1863: I Wa, ~ the
steamer Constitution, Il large boa. running
between s.. Louis and New Orleans. Be
tore icav:n: the port of -. Louis size was
inspecteG !c :he i.nc. United States In
sNcc,o.s :or :hat port Der boilers pro
n"Uncfo perfect, and papers iS-u.d ac-
co!Glng!:. fne tes:. 4 cole. waier"nc. was
":n ~ nttcen per cent higher than the
anc"n: ~. steam she was allowed 70
"a":. h. tie yoycrnMeu. papcr, Is
-at.tT-vilvr> were set. to let The steam
"scal." when II reached The Ioin: 20 which
she w.> allowed by til" government: IN
-pect"r.. shortly after leaving st. Lou.. we
found her leaking badly. and c:.rryin. . low
orc-s'l:: Of steam. tar bclow the linn: u!
."vc'! JV law. on reaching Cairo W cX.
:'iIi.i"t :nfo me ";:r-os. and found two -:
her .,oiicf-shects iin.n.,iiu.e.v .,"r tnc
.j!rna":. broke. from riy,t - rit,: :he
wio.e width ot tn shae.. l maintained
then '.I: !. wa> caused .u!iIciv :n,i sol :
." ;.r 81: :nH'ic by the .".el:uu@u: n
~pc.,";-.
h. .a:l, 81: expansion between n"a:cn
.Ho ""'t IRON. can not stat" precisely, but
every "a" knows tha: N !ayia: iron 70:
railroads i certain distance i. allowed be-
tween tilt rails To-. .XDails:on and cont.ac-
ZION. nigh, 20 on and ci,c nuIre.o;,.
t.Il--- "!ti -" -.,n. effect. hu' :c Oh.
aroy" referred 20 ...:i>'ir- inv mind .j;iiy %:
.ir !n>ali!c!":.cv AND :oilv q: 1lIt. govern.
:u"n: test.
He sane arguments nigh. be made :. so
'.,,r>t III. system nj !.cen>:n. cu@.necf-