New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-08-08
GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION CONTINUED.
FURTHER TESTIMONY OF EXPERTS-IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENTS.

GOFEENNLNI lNNtSl iGA1ION OONilNJ Ed.
FURTHER TESTIMONY OF EXPERTs-IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENTS.
The Board Of Steamboat Inspectors cOntin-
ued The inquiry yesterday the of the West
ied explosion. Several experts, some of the deck hands
and ether employees of the Company and a maker of
q, amt auges were examined.
UNHEEDTD WARNING.
Com. James II. Strong, Lighthouse Inspector OF the
Third District, sworn;
& DO you know anything as TO the cause Of the
Jloslon OF the boiler of the Westfeldl A. All l know
have any possible bearing that three Sundays
ago went down TO Staten Island in Of the boats
whether IT the westfcld not cannot say, but 1t
about II O'Clock; 10y chance looked into the engine
and saw that there was no one there for three
Minutes and that the going up; / passed
Of the boat said to Of the deck hands, Look out
ftI steam OF there viii be trouble"
&. Where was thsl A. Ii in New-York, on my
way going down.
q Was il immediately upon the starting Of the boat
n. No, ] should think five or six minutes before.
q Where was tie steam blowing Oft A. Ii was not
blowing OIL at al then; two OF three minutes aiterward
c dow happened you to observe thisl A. I don't
know have Leen blown up once ana am a niue eau
noe vds ~ cbance-it was not premeditated at all;
The fact that there one IN the engine led
- look at the seaneauge and saw that the steam was
O D.d You notice the escape-valve9 A. The escape
Va.'c was not up; did not notice the amount OF the
& How long This before the boat started3 A.
sb0 Jid think five OF SIX minutes
c. As you did not notice the amount Of pressure ind
c ny the ste"n-auge what reason have you TO sup
dos rNat % uu-afef A. Only that the steam was
Rang ana there was 10 one IN the engineloom 10 look
G. You have knowledge of the amount Of stcaml
Z. pposng the steam had just begun to make. and
th0t was or 10 pounds in the boiler and II was five
minutes before the boat 10 start, would 10 not be
enable 70 suppose that the steam would be risngl
hcius an engineer mechanic, though have com
manf,a ,te.meI. my inference OF danger wa, drawn
WHAT DECK.HAND DID
a lucf A
A cJck-4aud on the Staten Island Ferry
q How long have you been on that ferry as deck
I.Adl A. /. ghteen OF nineteen years.
& Were you Oh board tie Westfeld week ago yes
to-day p A Yes; eft Staten Island about l2s; do
no. know what time we got to New-York; the boat
made fast 20 sip stepped the pier and had Just
reached ne lead Of the bridge when the explosion took
place ran hack and the people jumping from the
mont IdIt Of iAe boat mo the water hed up my
hands and st,t For Gods sake, don't Jump over therei
Won safe FOR the present. went down ana helped
- fu them out Of -e Wajtf-dlG what c0lld 10 save
ti'Uf souC SINAI ho"ts came aI9hei went ihto ,he
l,at with The res, Of the bands and we got all the peO
o Tid yol bring any freight from Staten Island on
flSt anil \. None 20 all
q nj not Aav. any beer aboaIdl A. No. not to my
@ Didyou, while the dock previous to the explo,
mo-, hear the steam blowing on from her saieyyayef
A. ala no. take any notice
Michael Ecau. JaIles halliday, and Charles Rendt
docI-hands, and Thomas Flanmgan, Drdeman also tes
GfCd 10 tie same effect az the previous witnesses
INSPECTOR Booze here read ctttr nom Charles Cope
S.ilcs G i-esar, tie s.iety-vai1e OF he Westfeld
IA iO1ua That its diameter ave and hall inches.
OVER 20 POUNDS PRESSURE"
Robert olive, steam glage maker, sworn:
Q. Were you board the ferryboat westfeld q week
agc ycs.eIGayi a. Two weeks ago yesterday.
Q. The day q the explosion a. No. Two weeks
ago yesterday went down on board the Westheld and
came UP On the Vested; noticed that the Westfeld
O. D,d y3l have any Conversation with the engncerl
IL an
O. Did you 90 into. the engireroom9 a. No looked
O. I'D you .Coa through rlass1 A. No; the window
q. How near were yon TO the steamgaugei A. About
q At tbr distance could you distinctly see the fg-
ur6s1 OBJ yes, distinctly on those gauges the figures
q. Where the boat al hat timer A. She was in the
How long was this before the beat star'ed' A. Five
O Are You very positive in regard to these statecntsi
A. Yes. as u steam gauge maker, should more
ubey 70 notice than ally other person Whenever 20
cu board boat 90 70 the engiAeroo 70 what sort
q. Dld ycEat that Tine hear any noise though the
might have been but did not notice H.
Z. DID you know at tha. time what amount Of steam
the teIIJ-boats m Boston are allowed 70 carry.
How aid Jon know 'h"i JIG pounds Is ne amount Of
a Because made nearly al tie gauges Oh the ferry
O. Did You ever make q gauge fer the staten Island
Perry Conpanyi A. don't know; al my guages are for
to Arlt mean Sfcdfn Gauge company
q. DO you mako the BuldOD gaugesf A. Yes; have
Ilrde over I201 BardOn Fcam-gauges for tte American
ktcan Gugec COApsny. ] don't know whether this was
enc of my make not do not carry Oh business my
Mi. bat me rely an eiDplOyc.
G.. You say you supposed tnty were allowed 10 carry
bDi IS pounds, Gd you say anything u the engineer
about II! a. No.
q. Wa j, over 70 pondsl a. II little past 20,
tut rot quite half way.
q what lue Of day was l A. Shortly after dinner.
q. How DC yOI know this was the Wes1eldi A. ! saw
tio ul the boat.
Z. What time did you leave wYOTk 90 10 Staten
Lland7 a. II Was before O'Clock.
q. Was 10 than tiati A. can't say positively