New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-04-17
Local Intelligence.

BOILER EXPLOSION IN THE PAPER MILL
Testimony IN the Casc.-CorOner Creagh
fortunately has selected an excellent jury
to investigate the killing of Mr.. Mahan bv
the boiler explosion on the fifteenth instant,
and the reader will discover by the follow
ing testimony that the jurymen are prac-
teal in their questions. They intend to
sift the subject thoroughly, and will prob
ably put the responsibility where it belongs:
John S. Moore, engineer. sworn-Says
that about the month of August, 1871, the
rings OF a boiler were bought by Todd &
PembertOn, proprietOrs Of the paper mill on
Liberty street, between Julia and Girod
streets, from Mr.. Armstrong: the boiler was
nut together in Armstrong; shop; after it
was finished it was brought to the mill;
told Mr.. Pemberton at the time that the
boiler was not sufficiently strong to carry
the pressure they required; he said that
money was scarce, and that he wanted to
put it up as cheap as possible, and If it did
not suit he would put up another one; l
brought Messrs. Todd g. Pemberton, and
csliDred the iron Of the boiler and found it
only three-sixteenths of an inch thick;
remarked to these gentlemen that it was
an old boiler, and showed them the old
asked them if they wanted me to put on a
safety valve; they proposed to me to put
one on; l put on the safety valve, which
was set SO as to allow the escape of twenty
five pounds of steam; after l left there l
went in again in two or three days, and
found the gauge was set at seventy-hve
pounds: then, two or three days before the
the explosion, two young men and myself
went into the mill; in passing the main
boilers at that time they had eighty pounds
on; then we passed on to the rotary boiler
which has since exploded, and on examin-
ing the gauge found seventy-fve pounds
of steam on; I told the young men who
we're with me that they had better get out
of the way: I also remarked to Mr.. Pope,
the superintendent, that it was very dan
gerous to carry so much steam; my friends
and myself left very quickly, fearing an ex-
plosoa.
Question by iuror-FrOm your examina-
ton of the iron in said boiler, do you think
it dangerous to carry fifty pounds of steam!
Answer-I do; the boiler was common
cylinder, five feet in diameter and hfteen
feet long: it was constructed OF new and
old iron; / do not know whether the boiler
was ever inspected or not; when l set the
safety valve at twenty-five pounds, con-
sidered it unsafe to carry any more.
Question-Why did you consider it I'M
safe! Answer-Being that it was all OF
steam surface, and I knew that the lime
used in the boiler with the steam would
form gas which would be too sudden a
pressure to escape at any higher weight,
owing to the strength OF the iron.
W. H. Barnes, superintendent OF the
mill, sworn-Says that he had been one
week employed in said mill; yesterday l
was preparing the mill to turn out fine pa
Der: yesterday was the first day l attempted
to use the rotary boiler | put in some hard
stock. consisting. of Manila rope and
bagging; after filling the rotary l turned
the steam on it, with directions to the en-
gineer TO fill it up slowly to seventy pounds
pressure: after the steam was turned on
noticed that the rotary leaked on one end;
turned off a portion of the steam. with
the purpose of filling the rotary slowly, to
see # the crack would fill up with sediment;
the leak did not stop, and could not know
whether it would stop or not, because 1t
blew I'D IN about three minutes after last
examined 1t.
Question by iuror-Who was your pre-
decessor Answer-A man called Pope.
QUESTIONABLE you practical engineer
Answer-I think l am. l am practical
papermaker.
recrion Answer-Yes, sir.
Ouestion-How many sets of boilers are
used in the mill Answer-Two.
Answer-One for generating steam and the
other for bleaching purposes.
Ouestion-Which of those bollers ex'
ploded. Answer-The ro'a-y.
Ouestion-Is there anything but steam
used in the rotary boiler! Answer-Yes; a
solution of quick lime. :
Ouestion-How much steam are you III
the habit Of using ON this boiler. Answer
never used any.
the time of the explosion Answer-lo
the best of my knowledge sixty or
sixty-iye pounds; l was not acquainted
with the quality Of the iron IN the Doiier,
but supposed it was good; l supposed IL
it was a new boiler; do not know whether
the boiler was inspected or not, -
Question-Did you inquire the capacity
or strength of the boiler when you TOOK TOOK
charge Of it! Answer did not; l only
asked how much stock it would hold; tt e
boiler began to leak when we turned on
the steam.
Ouestion-Did your employer inform you
of the strength or capacity OF the boilers
Answer-NO, sir; l presumed that the ma
chinery was competent for the purpose Tor
which it was intended.
Question immediate Instructions
were YOU working under! Answer-Dr.
Vents.
Ouestion-Was it through fear that you
left the boiler and went into the office three
minutes before the explosion Answer
No had no fear of an explosion;
Question-How thick should bleaching
boiler be to carry seventy pounds OF steam
Answer-To my knowledge, they are gen
orally made of 50 inch iron.
Qnestion-As an engineer in charge OF
cylinder boiler feet in diameter and ID 1ee'
long, and made of 3-l6-inch iron, Is 1t safe &c
carry more than fifty pounds OF steam
Answer-My impression is it would not Ut
safe.
Question-What portion of the boiler
first gave way! Answer-Ihe cas1rol
head ;
Questionable you know Of any crack II
the boiler that would give way by pressur'
OF steam Answer-NO.
Question-How much steam did you or
der to be put on the boiler! Answer-oeV
enty pounds.
Question-Had you any knowledge nov
much that boiler could carry! Answer
did not.
Question-How much steam is usual!
used on rotary boiler for the purpose o
bleaching! Answer-From sixty to eighty
pounds; in extreme cases we use eight.
pounds.
George w. Boner, book keeper in tn
IL. &c ~