The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-03
NEW YORK HERALD THURSDAY

charge Of the tolls stated that must have been about
Q. What is the name of your eDgIneeri A. Henry
O. How long has he been in your EMPLOY A. he
has been on the boats as long as have had any
thing TO do with them-since seven years ago;
ferry long before that he was chief engineer at the
time OF the explosion; he was not always in her;
q. Do you know II your engineer or the fireman
attended to the feed Of the boers A It is the
the feed goes into the engine room and is under the
control OF the engineer.
q. Can he communicate win tne nremanY a.
He has speaking tube, communicating with the
q. Has the fireman anything else TO do than
and repair the engine.
e: Has the engineer no means Of seeing the height
NO, SIR he has to communicate with the fireman. or
go down in'o the fire room himself.
diton Of the a boiler a. the mef A. No. only by
hearsay
q, Was this boiler repaired recen,lyS A. Yes
q. How old is the boilerS A. Same age as the
boat.
q. Have you used fresh or salt water in ita A.
salt water In IT..
repairs to the DoierY A. think between october
and December OF last year; there have been no re-
pairs since that know OF.
q. DO you know what was done then? A. Yes;
the cutting Oh Of her water bottom and substituting
legs.
Q. Were there no other repairs at the timer A.
don't know, sir; can't tell you; all know Is about
general repairs; considered her IN frat rate orders
considered the boiler the best we had in the three
boats. Notwithstanding Its age; 1t was built before
the war, and the iron appeared to be or better
quality; our superintendent always told me he
sidered it the best IN the three boats 1t was not
quite like the Others there little difference in
the shape; 1t was as large as In the other boats;
should have taken that boiler as the BEST for the
reason that considered twas made OF better
9. 10 you know what kind Of iron 1t was made
Of A. No; the Commodore my brother. built
this boat; she was constructed by I. +. SecOr.
Q. You think the reason why TINS boiler was bet
ter than the other TWO was because or the better
quality Of the iron9 A. At that time, YES; you
could get better iron before the came on; after
wards there was rush for iron anu we could not
Q. And you considered hers the best A. should
have said SO before the accldent-not now there
was nothing extra in her beside; there was the
same power in all three boats and the same regula-
lions in every respect.
O. suppose you considered 1t the stronger boilerf
Q. What do you consider to be the cause OF the
exploslon2 A. That IL what has been troubling my
head; II certainly 10 beyond my comprehension;
day; was there III my accustomed seat reading my
newspaper on that very boat the day before.
q. DO you ever visit the engine rOOmS A. Yes.
q. Do you know II they ever carry any more
steam than is allowed by iawf A. The steam Will
vary; 1t goes from twenty-five pounds and might
reach twentyseven pounds
Q. You know 1t varies from thisf A. i know it
does
Q. In the newspapers 1t Is stated TO have been
twenty-five pounds. A. cannot say anything about
mighty small; we think nothing of It; have never
considered two inches Of steam OF any account INF.
uiil-Iwo pounds you mean 2; we should not think
Q. 1t might have seemed to be twenty-five pounds
or twenty.seyen pOunds2 A. l should not suppose
the man looked; should think the valve would
blow OF II there was over twenty-five pounds Of
q. Don't you suppose it is his duty to ook sirs A.
He swears he did.
have gone by her that very tripY A. was on board
OF her. with several OF my family.
O. Are you in the habit Of looking in at the engl-
neers to see II they are carrying too much steamP
A. That Is not my duty; only being President OF the
company take little more notice than anybody
else; never knew them to carry more steam than is
allowed, nor ever mud any complaints OF his neglect
OF duty; on the contrary, whenever there is any.
thing special or anything extraordinary this Is
always ected for his skill and caution.
G. Captain, was the ooler bullt ny the day or by
butt the hui and the other works put III the In.
CINE.
about lay up the Westfeld for REPAIRS Is that so
A. She had been running long time this time, and
she was 70 have gone in for "recuperation," put
nothing was TO he done to her bOiler saw that In
the papers, but there was nothing to be done to her
boilers.
In turns for monthly inspection; you Will always see
one OF them painting or cleaning nues at the dock
have no idea whatever OF the cause, OF the expo
sion; have not been able to examine 1t yet a. Tie
@. Have you been before the Coroner A. No,
Sir, not yet; ne has not sat.
Mr. HILL-Captain, ! do not know that there is
ask you unless you wish to make q statement fur.
ther than that we have received.
A. You have the whole story; Ihave said am In
the habit OF going up to town IN these boats almost
every day, and have the general Supervision.
q. You had no choice Ia reserence to safety2 A.
No; but think should have taken that boiler and
that engineer for perfect safety.
q. How long have you been In the steamship
busneSSY A. thirty odd years.
O. Ever run one by yourselfY A. Yes, sir; ran
boat for twenty 1--WE years, from 1925 up to 1850;
Commanded boat about twenty-five or thirty
years.
as you had on any other boatr A. had great cause
fallen about me / should Ave been Just as much
surprised; have always been engaged In boats.
don't know anything else it mas been NV business
all my life, since was a youth; at any time you
may send for me and want anything more snail be
Counsel for c. Vanderbilt offered to produce any
further employees or testimony and give every fac-
Ity during the investigation.
Mr.. BOOLB-Mr. Low has subp0naed number Of
experts-Hassland, Copeland and Others but we
are unable 10 proceed further to-day General Bel
KNAPP has just been summoned away, aud think
1t best to adjourn to visit the Westleo for our.
selves
reason why took hold OF the ferry was thas It
the only means Of connecting US with the outer
world there we were cut Off and coulu do nothing
without It, but, as regards Its pecunary benefits
ami Its paying heavy dividends, 1t Is mistake;
there Is no money in 1t, none whatever; we only
believe it is generally conceded that we have it.
Alter sdndry passages Of such character the
Board adjourned until to-day.
has not been provided for so important an affair,
for this the reporters have difficulty In hearing
what the witnesses say
EXAMINATION OF THE WEsTFIELD by