The New York herald., 1873-11-06
TESTING STEAM BOILERS.
Some Exciting Experiments to be Made
at Pittsburg-The Ground md Boilers
Now in Position.

Some Exciting Experiments to be Made
at Pittsburg-The Ground and Boilers
Now in Position.
PITTSBURG, Nov. g. 1873
Preparations for experimenting on steam boilers
for which purpose Congress last winter approprl-
ated sl00, 900, have been almost fully completed at
this city, The points chosen for these expert
ments are Sandy Hook, N. Y, and Pittsburg-this
latter place by reason OF It's being q great iron
mart and for the extensive business done in the
manufacture OF boilers for western steamboats,.
The commission appointed to carry out these series
OF experiments are General ID. D. Smith, OF New
York Captain j. S. Devinney, OF Steubenville ohio;
Benjamin Crawford, OF PittsOurg; Isaac " Holmes,
OF Mount Vernon, Ohio, and w. l.. Hawkins, OF
Lock Haven, Pa. The tract OF land secured for the
purpose of testing the strength OF these iron
vessels Is known as the Minhall farm and is sit
uated about six miles from the city, on the banks
OF the Monongahela River. The testing ground is
not great distance from the Poor Farm, and this
accounts for the falling of in the number Of IN
mates to this institution during the past few
weeks. In q deep ravine, woody and melancholy
In appearance, three boilers have been placed IN
position known as the hignpressure marine boilers
the are in use on the greater part, II not ALL
the western river steamboats,. These vessels are
set at right angles with the Monongahea River
and the hillside. The first boiler Is finished piece
OF workmanship, OF extra strength and double
riveted. Its shell is OF one-fourtn inch iron; its
heads onehalf inch iron, and In length 1t is "a
leet long by 40 inches in diameter and 1t weighs
60O0 pounds. The second boiler also bears the ap-
pearance OF the highest mechanical art. Unlike
the otner 1t is constructed OF Steel and great care
Is apparent in the manner oil the riveting or the
seams-twO rows OF rivets running along each
JOINT or seam. IL has two dues, and is OF similar
dimensions as the previously described boiler.
This vessel IL Is supposed, Will sustain pressure
OF fully LOCO pounds per square inch
before collapsing. These two boilers were
made In this city, but the third was con
structed In Cincinnati and from the TACT that its
makers were ignorant as to the purpose to which
1t was to be put the inference Is that no extra
work was done on 1t. The suppositon is that it
fairly represents the average steamboat boiler.
It's dimensions are precisely the same as the
others, and but one row Of rlvets run along Its
seams.
The bomb proofs or retreats for those having
charge OF the experiments are aarmingly close TO
the doomed boilers. They are situated near the
forward end OF each boiler not in any instance be-
ing farther distant than fifteen ieet The sides OF the
hill form two walls OF these structures, and then
there Is very thick wall OF white oak timber sur
rounding the remaining two Sides These walls
are OF the best white OAK timber procuraQle, ana
put together carefully and with an eye W great
strength. The roof OF the retreat IS q solid tim
Der, thlrty-two inches in thickness over which Is a
heavy deposit OF yellow clay. Above this Is laid a
covering OF railroad iron, nrmly riveted together
In fact, the bomb proof is made secure, and human
lie within Its walls Is absolutely safe from either
boiling water or fragments OF IRON. OBSERVATIONS
OF the test WILL be made through the agency oi