Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-08-04
THE EXPLOSION.
investigation by the United States Inspect
Ors-,-ExaminatiOn of Witnesses.
The Dead Now Number hlnety-One, and
More ExpeOted---Last Sad Scenes.

New YORK, August 9.-The Gov
ernment investigation Of the eXplos-
ion of the ferryboat Westtield was re-
sumed this morning. Henry Robin
son, the colored engineer OF the West
field testified thst he had been a
steamboat engineer for nearly fifteen
wears. The witness said that he could
not exactly explain the difference be-
tween high pressure and lOw-pres-
sure boat, save that one used steam at
high pressure and the other at low
pressure. He explained the working
of the engine on board of his boat.
On being called upon to define the
vacuum he declared 1t to be the
cause OF foul air. He was interrOgated
as to the different ways in which a
vacuum could be formed, and men
toned that one could be made by
sucking with ones lips at the end Of a
pipe and while the other end
was stopped, He believed that in
that case the pipe was made to adhere
to the lips by the suction. He was
aware that the atmosphere eXerted a
pressure, but did not know how much.
He said he never read a scientific
bOok-fOr he could read writing and
print but very little; for ascertaining
the amount of steam the certificate of
boiler permitted, he would be
obliged to obtain assistance from
some other man.
Captain Braisted, superintendent of
the ferry line, testified that he had the
utmost confidence in the fidelity and
ability of Robinson; 1 had often
threatened to discharge him for carry
ing more than tWenty-seven pounds
of steam; ten years ago, on the
Wyoming, discharged him for carry
ing a little too much steam; / never
had occasion to reprimand him for
doing this since then; / have been
compelled to caution my engineers
from time to time for carrying twenty
seven pounds of steam, rather than
twenty-five pounds; believe, before
God, that if my engineer had not car
ried more than twenty-five pounds OF
steam that day the boiler would not
have exploded; still, I have no idea
that he had more than twenty seven
pounds; my presumption is that if he
had not gone above twenty-seven
pounds the boiler would not have
burst; brewers on the island have
been in the habit of transporting
wagon loads of lager beer on board the
boats, and doubtless the deck hands
have received portions of that
beverage; do not know that there
was any last Sunday; several times
have found empty kegs on board I;
passengers sometimes give the men
liquor from bottles; / had supiciOn
that such had been the case then, and
1 asked if there was any on
board, during that trip. / am salts
| fed that the engineer and firemen had
none on that day. Beer never
had anything to do with that explo-
sion. / did not ask about whisky.
The engineer was perfectly sober, far
as could judge, half an hour after
the accident; my confidence has not
been shaken in that engineer, not
Withstanding this accident, and would
as soon trust him with my life now as
ever.
This closed the days investigations.
The names of 81 dead victims of the
explosion were published this eve
ming, together with those of the miss
ing, who are supposed to be dead.
Timothy Buckly died to-day, and
four others, including a German
named Frederick Leining and his
wife, who were taken Immediately
home by their sOn-WhO escaped un-
hSrmed-and who were not known
to be injured until to-day. Their re-
pOVprV Is inOOseiblq