The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-11
WESTFIELD DISASTER.
The Investigation.


New YORK, August l0.-The inves.
tigation into the Westfield disaster was
continued to-day.
Abraham Van Dusen testified that
he was a practical engineer; is Super
intendent Of the Staten Island Ferry
Company; work from twenty to twen-
ty-five pounds of steam on all boats;
was absent at the time Of the explo-
sion; there must have been thirty or
thirty-five pounds Of steam at the time
OF the explosion; thinks the gauge
must have been out Of order and did
not indicate the actual pressure; spring
might have been corded or something
else out of order.
Jeremiah Simons testified to having
built the steam terry boat Westield.
Anthony Smith, ESQ, Superintendent
of North street ferry, stated that he
had examined the Westfeld boilers;
saw a piece of iron at police headquar-
tiers; it showed a crack ten to eighteen
inches long; thinks the crack was the
point at which the explosion occurred.
Witness then proceeded to explain his
theory of the explosion; he thought
that twenty-seven pounds Of steam
would have caused the explosion OF the
boiler with that crack, and had been
convinced that thirty pounds had not
been exceeded; thought from twenty
seven to thirty pounds was on, and felt
confident twenty-seven pounds would
have bursted it.
Captain Whitaker states: Have been
mate Of steamboats, on the lakes and
Western rivers, and attribute the explo-
sion to the heating of the boiler and the
sudden generation Of steam by the
water coming in contact with the heated
iron.
Jacob II. Vanderbilt, being exam
ined, states: He is President Of the
Staten Island railroad, connected with
the Staten Island ferry; had nothing to
do with the making of boilers; such
bargains were made by contract; the
usual steam power carried on boats was
from twenty to twenty-seven pounds;
the engineer of the Westfield was COM
.petent man; always used fresh water in
the boiler.
J.W. Brayster, Superintendent OF the
Ferry Company, being examined, said:
He is no engineer; never rnn an engine !;
his duties are to keep boats in repair;
hired Robinson about eight years ago;
knew him when he was fireman on the
steamboat Columbia, fifteen or twenty
years ago; at one time saw twenty.
seven pounds Of steam on the gauge and
told him he was liable to be arrested; |;
never heard that the boiler was bad or
out of order; Robinson had received a
certificate as to his ability to control an
engine; he was known as q temperate
man, otherwise he would have dis
charged him; engineers are usually or.
dinary men; some are unable 70 read
or write and others to understand hg-
ures &c; have FIVE engineers, none OF
whom are mechanics, all having been
elevated from firemen. -,
Robert Crugban, civil and mechanical
engineer, testified: Had examined the
boiler of the Westfeld and believed it
had been unequally expanded; the fues
were not clean, which circumstance
would increase the quantity Of e1pan.
sion; the boiler of the West6eld should
not have been under higher pressure
than twenty-four pounds, even If not
cracked should be at hydrestatic pres
sure of As pounds in testing the boiler; /;
witness thought the hydrostatic pressure
should be maintained for from five to
ten hours. ,,,
The report Of Fletcher, Vanderbilt
and Copeland, appointed by Supervis'
ing Inspector Low to examine the
valves and boiler of the Weetfeld was
then read. The report details the diff
ferent tests to which the steam gauge,
safety valve and lookup valve were
submitted. The steam gauge and safety
valve were found to be in safe condition
The weight of the lookup valve wa
set by the scale at tweuty-seven pounds.
Upon submitting it to q steam pressure
it blew off at thirty-two pounds oy the
gauge, showing that the scal: had oeen
either laid out incorrectly originally OF
that the valve had become lees sensitive
by oxidisetion OF distortionof thspsrts