The New York herald., 1872-10-05
THE DEAN RICHMOND EXPLOSION.
Further Testimony Before United states
InspectOrs-The Recording Gauge Out
OF Order-A Sixteenth of am Inch OF Iron
Between Life and Eternity.

Further Testimony Before United States
Inspectors-Thc Recording Gauge Out
OF Oricr-A Sixteenth of am Inch OF Iron
Between Life and Eternity.
The investigation into the explosion OF the
steamer Dean Richmond, that occurred September
II, was concluded by United States Inspectors In.
crease 8. Hill, Joseph Mershon and John X. Ma
thews yesterday, at % Pine street
W. II. Christopher, captain of the vessel testified
as to the particulars Of the accident. He said he
had recording gauge, but 1t was out Of order; he
took no particular interest In the gauge, and had
nothing to do with erecting it; witness has been
master OF steam vessel since 1850; on
the Dean Richmond line about three
psroa us Ss na
water issued from the boiler and helped subdue
the flames; the total damage to vessel and freight
vessel possessed full compliment OF fire apparatus
and liie-saving appliances; the donkey pump alone
made Of portable fre extnguisSers, as the fre was
out before extlngushers could be strapped on
mans back the vessel % was inspected c IN October
twenty-four pounds were carried 'just before" the
accident; had the fire not occurred we would not
have deemed 1t OF sufficient Importance to run the
vessel ashore; the mesS-room boy. In the freroom
was htjle Scalded, but is now well. ;.
D. II. Davis chief engineer OF the Richmond.
testified that he had been on the vessel and the st.
John nearly two years was the first voyage after she
had been lad np the fires In the front boiler when
sne lay NJ Tue NtW lOTk uOCk WeTc Udukcuy got up
twenty pounds OF stcam and after taking the berth
from the ST. John again banked the fires; 1t was
late and we could not change the water; witness
ordered his assistant to get up twenty-five pounds
OF steam; started for Albany about hafpast six
O'Clock p. M with from twenty-lOur to twenty-six
pounds Of steam; 1t was hood tide, and there was
no occasion to hurry; at Caldwell the accident oc-
Cured; on leaving the engine room for the flre.
man the steam was at twenty.av he told the
fireman not to "sce" the fires until ordered.
ana then heard noise in the boiler and
saw the ignited gas pouring out at the fur.
mace door; the sound appeared to be increasing IN
the b0iler witness started for the donkey engine;
than minute intervened between the discovery
OF the fire and the application OF water ana IN Two
minutes the fire was out; five minutes later tic
deck was cleared on, the engine was slowed anu
stopped; later witness entered the furnaces ana
found the fire out; witness discovered crack from
foot from the end next to the furnace; the crack
was from half an inch to less IN Width; the vessel
was turned after consultation with the captain,
and She proceeded on her course under one boiler;
the Dean Richmond boiler was inspected by Mr..
Mathews I'm october, 1871, and then showed no de.
pounds; t1e Vessel nag e9le msrguTal and spring
s,iiscs aid ihcy stand alike; the iron where the
fracture was was not more than sixteenth of an
inch; the boilers seven years old such boilers
usually last on our boats ten years, with ordinary
care; witness had worked forty pounds OF steam
on fiucs of this size and thickness.
Michael King watchmail on the vessel, gave no
Important testimony Michael OIeary, fireman.
testified that Davis, the engineer, charged him to
he careful when ''scing'' the fires not to run tho
slice bar through the iron few minutes after thas
the explosion occurred.
THIS closed the investigation ana the committees
Will report TO the Department VI Washington.