The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-03-27
TIE BABroN INQUEST CONCLUDED
The Evidence Given Yesterday-E1pe-
r,.no.d m.ohinists TestifE- Exon
cation OF all Parties sdt tho Works
Verdict OF the Jury, &c.


The iury empanelled In the case OF Fred
erlck Barton to Investigate the causes Whicf
led to his death at the Phoenix Iron WORKS, Oh
Friday morning last assembled yestelaas
pursuant to adjournment, at the ONCE u tns
coroner. In the Courthouse. The following If
a summary of the facts testified 10 py Tue
several witnesses:
Jane Barton testified that the deceased was
her son and had been employed lor elgh
months at the works learning the trade OF
fnisher. Deceased told deponent on seVera
occasions that he was not kept at his trade
bnt went on errands and was made 10 aet as
fireman.. Deceased complained twice abonl
the blue steam coming from the boiler, ano
said That It was dangerous. Deceased told de-
/ ponent that several Of the men refused to WORE
around the boiler, because they said it was
dangerous. Joseph Alphonse told deponen'
on last Saturday that he was one Oh tle ap
prentlces at the Phoenix Iron Works, ana Una!
ne had stayed at home for week, because ue
heard the men around the shop cay tnae tne
boiler would explode Deceased ,n olT no. sor, say
the boiler to any one of the employers OF the
aWm. McLeish machinist at the works, tes-
tilted that he was injured by the explosion,
but did not hear 1t, as he thinks he was 1nstan'
tkneously struck Was working on the lower
floor ofthe machine shop, on the east SIDE OF
the building, near the centre. Never has seen
deceased at work around the boiler at any
time. The apprentices run the engine IN tne
m&ehIne shop and fire up under the o0ller,
taking their turns at 1t. Deponent mas oeen
employed in the machine shop OF the WORKS
morning, hear the boiler that exploded blow
OF steam; thinks heRonld have 'heardit II It
had blown off: never has heard any OF the EN-.
plOyees say that they had refused to Work
around that boiler because 1t was dangerous;
believed ihe boiler TO be perlectiy sale;
served hls1ime at the Phoenix Iron WORKS as
an apprentice, learning the trade Of macnlnist;
,shen an apprentice was compelled to fire un-
der the boiler. .oo,,
George Bennett, laborer at the works, testi.
aed that he was sent BY N. Kelly, foreman OF
machine shop, to fire under the boiler that
exploded, a little after seven o'clockeon that
morning. Deponent went to work cleaning
out and built the fire. Worked at the boiler
about an hour. Had other WORK 70 40. anu
plosion. Never told Mr.. Kelly that the boiler
was dangerous. Knows nothing about 6otl,
er. Never told any person that he had told
Mr.. Kelly so. Never was told by Mr. Kelly 10
do ANYTHING around the boiler that he (depo.
nent) refused or failed to do. Not long before
the explosion, saw deceased put pianE
against the boiler. Did not see t1e aecesseo
to burn the shavings. Pine wood was USED
under the boiler.
spector. testified that he had seen the boiler
at the Phoenix Iron Works. 1t was properly
constructed boiler, and deponent DelleVes OF
good iron. Saw 1t about-sa week eeIoIe lne
Explosion, and made casual examination
It. Did not examine any of the combinations,
water -ors steam. Has examined the boiler
since the explosion. Has made careml ex.
animation OF The. fragments OF the exploded
boiler. Found the iron good, OF sumclent
thickness, and thinks 1t ought to have been
safe at hundred pounds. DID not examine
the connections, or inquire about them. Ex-
amfded the safety valve and found 1t IN good
order. Made the examination short time
after the explosion. Believes the explo-
sion to have been caused by an exces-
sive pressure of steam. Thinks there must
have been far over hundred POUNDS
pressure. Could not see any appearances Q!
over weighted. II the safety valve had been
In proper working order and placed at seven
ty.fiye pounds, whenthere was that pressure
the valve would have raised up and let the
surplus steam escape, unless the over pressure
was caused by some sudden and unknown
cause. The only cases Of such nature that
the water In the boiler get TOO To- BY OPEN
Ing the valve to Start the engine, if the water
ia TOO low, the water will raise suddenly on
the iron that has been heated and cause an e4-
plosion. Did not form any distinct OPINION az
to the direct cause Of the explosion. Does noE
belieye the explosion would have occurred II
the safety valve was In proper order, water
properly attended and the boiler In charge OF
competent person. Never have seen blue steam
come from boiler.- Would consider Doler
In that condition dangerous. When Diue
steam comes from boiler 1t is evidence Inat
there is not enough water in the boiler. Con.
siders q boy Of fifteen years competent TO lire
nnder a boiler. Does not believe that man
acting "a foreman of the machine shop OF the
Phoenix Iron Works can pay the necessary at-
tantIon to the boiler and engine. Would not
consider 1t safe to leave boy OF hfteen years
TO IRE under boiler like that exploded, ana
a person engaged as foreman OF. the machine
shop the only person to LOOK oat ior aear sae Gu
zine and the steam; the time Of the foreman
Ia taken away so much that he cannot pay the
proper attention; the boy would be too young
and inexperienced; II the foreman would
make periodical visits of thirty minutes, II
W0ald be sufficient; would be lncnneo 10
think that there was a suficiency Of water,
and that the safety valve had been overload
ed or jammed In its seat.
Julia Bennett testified that she conversed
with Irs. Jane Barton In reference TO the ex-
nlosionof the;boiler, on Saturday last. Depo-
nent ffdeB not remember telling Mrs. Barton
that her husband had refused to work the
boiler because 1t was dangerous.
IA. Cameron. machinist, testified that ne saw
the exploded boiler of the Phoenix Iron WORKS
month or six weeks before the explosion.
Made casual examination of 1t. Thought II
properly made boiler. Saw nothing wrong
about it. Did not examine the connections.
4 short time after the explosion, examined the
pieces of the exploded boiler. The iron was Of
anparently good material. Did not see anything
tilst would Indicate the cause Of the explosion.
Did not examine the safety valve or the steam
gauge. Believes that the boiler ought to be
safe at one hundred pounds Of steam. The
only opinion that deponent has formed IN re-
gard 70 the explosion Is that 1t resulted from
scarcity OF water or an over pressure OF
steam. IF the safety valve was set at seventy,
five pounds, IN proper working order and
plenty Of water In the boiler, deponent thinks
The boiler could not have exploded: Appar-
emily there was plenty of water IN the boiler
at the time of the explosion. Sees no reason
why the foreman of The machine shop cannot
pay proper attention to the boiler and engine.
Does not believe the boiler could have gener-
atedif1f pounds Of steam in three minutes,
unless the water got low, and from some
cause washed up on the heated iron, when 1t
would probably do 30. When deponent was
CARRYING on business OF the same kind, 1t was
customary for apprentices to fire up, under the
SUPERVISION OF the foreman.
4. D. McLeish, apprentice at the works,
testified that he was firing up the day before
the explosion on the boiler that exploded.
Has been frequently set at work firing up.
Was never set at work with deceased 1rlng
M. It was the custom OF the foreman 10 come
e.s..I-, ond 600 ic evervthiDp was right