, 1873-05-09
THE TANK EXPLOSION.
Coroner's Investigation into The Cause
Of the Catastrophe.
Testimony of Ezperts---The Tank
Very Old and Worn Out,
The Jury Censure Schenemann & Co.,
and Make an Important Rec i.
oumendation. .>.:

h1u lAGAhO SAA AA1ASS4 b1&AAo ASeS@
ou1mendation. go, :. .>e.
The Coroner held an inquest, yesterday, at the
Fnnrth Precinct Police Station, Bridgeport, on
the bodies Of the victims of the tank explosion
nt schnnemann's paching-house, on Tuesday
evening. The jury impanoled were very in
tel.icent men, and several experts were sum-
tuoned to give their opinion regarding the cause
of the disaster. The explosion is almost forgot
ten in Bridgeport, only about dozen people
eopgregnting at the police station to hear the
testimony. subjoined is the evidence ELECTED:
TESTIMONY OF ME-. .FAaAN...
A Sfr. Fagnn was sworn :. He was at the packing
house when the tank exploded, and in the engine
room two minutes before It occurred. He went into
lbs yard with the carpenter, and was returning
when he heard the report and saw the timber ascend
into tho ai- He had talked with the engineer Fink
md the latter did not apprehend any danger from the
tanks.
TESTIMONY OF PAT au1Iro1l-..
Pat Guiifoil, Live at No. 12l Deer1ug s]feet
md an boiler-maker and machinist. Have been in
schnnenanns place Looked at the tanks a1nce LUG et
Floson hnew The engineer: he Vas Is ea1ne ecsuse
he did not keep the valves clean. aase w. e1nn. .s
inod the valves closely a There Teae aMe Gne
pounds would not raise them. Have heated similar
tanks and let o steam through the every
eontd have been carried By the exploded tank. The
ruie xas-the more steam we had, the Boomer would
tho be Is es sa n
eighth Of inch thick. Do not know how long the
tsnk had been used. Have known tanks to be used
derers to blow off the steam in their tanks, and the
rpiRgos had been taken off Of some Tho proprietora
ts nyaber e1s Of poans Of steam to carry Do not
know whether the City Boiler Inspector inspects
tanks. He should do it.
TESTIMONY or JOHN MURPHY.
John Murphy, sworn: Am City Boiler Inspector
visited. he packing house The tanks should have
aaste .ne Could not and The - bo1t Of the crown Head
Had been able to doso, could probably hare e1-
planned the origin Of the explosion The s5ea 9f @ the
vasted nway until it but Of an
tneh hick In the new tank he would al!owa pressure
tss inspection Of tanks. When I inspected
he boiler at schmnemanns, cautioned the
he crried and told him he ought to have indicators
10 that could regulate the quantity Suggested to
III. scbnnemann that he have the tanka Inspected
The engineer told me he could get along very well With
thirty pounds Of stesm that he wanted to keep good
hasd On 80 to render r.pdly Think the explosion
resulec from carelessnesl. would mol have allowed
lie tank to run under pressure Of ten pounds. I
think the valve regulating the supply Of steam from
lie boiler had become clogged and the tank receiged
s:dent. Know nothing of the competency Of the eng
nesr No noenae was required; but it should be. The
valves seemed to have been stopped mp Tor some time
In nv opinion the tank Was unsafe. 1shoud have
cqudemnedi it ii hsd inspected it.
TESTIMONY OF ROBERT ANTHONY.
Robert Anthony, sworn: Live at No. 148 Contre
avenue. Am boiler maker and one Of the proprie-
tors Of the Liberty Iron Works. Think the explosion
the tank wss old and worn ont: Know that schnne-
mann has ricked up old tanks around town and hsd
then dsed s fdr mp a o be
pounds. The exploded tank would not have carried
S .hS but 'sho Should 1hinR I sroand he
mann, md told him they we're not it to use. 20 not
know that any Of them were placed IN MS estannsn-
cnt Tho valves were 20 badly oegea up .aat ney ass
than from 800 to 500 pounds Nearly the same amount
Of steam that in the boiler would he in the tank
TESTIMONY OF wuAIAd WE1B. 49,.
william Webb, sworn. Live at No. 421 Archer ave-
hue; am engineer: Was IN the employ OF Scheme, ne
charge Of the engne after Left he had at odd
times before Fink d. did not claim to 30 p1o,
feaaioual engineer. Think he he Tas e capable ct
pbout having the tanks inspected Told him they we're
nnRaee. had been told they we're unreliable Think
hes tod thst these tanks were The rs made in Chi
eaeo Knew the iron In the t1nk heads was very
thin cleaned enc 2hee GF i"fo ba5
charge Of the entire machinery Ho YES aware OF the
necessity for cleaning the valves. There WAS not
tank In the house considered absolutely safe, mid
made up my mind to be cautious about tho steam I
carried. It required sixty pounds Of steam to raise
resuatins .es ia the steam to tho ensneer Wnen ho
fe1uired Rut little steam to cook the contents Of tho
tnks Kept the he ay va1sss ssra SO 2, .ni1 inss
pounds. Think the explosion Tas caused by too much
pressure, and that It would not have occurred the
wzs grsst danger Of tho tank-valve becoming gumed
and choked up. -
TESTIMONY OF JOSEPH pFRnaLE.
gs A f6o sna
ness. Worked for three yoals as eng-
necr Left there after the fire. Was acquainted With
++nv 10 n
In use latels ware there when run the engine Have
worked the tank which exploded Always considered
i va necessary to Tcep the valves open, 30 was
competent man. ran ne tanss s"o .y,s. yeafs
Thu baa aa use Ro. nce
Do not remember whether or not it was new when 1t
was put in. am not engineer, but al *tengine-
runner"
TESTIMONY OF RICHARD HUTcHrv6s.
Richard Hutchinge, sworn: Reside ut No; eco State
street. Have worked for schenemann eight or nine
one that exploded was old; it had been in about
.sven years. Had always regarded it as ests. kneT
Fink; thought he wzs capable and @ careful man;
do not think 1t necessary to have tanks inspected
md boi1srs; The latter sre moro lable to
tanks 10 let OF the gas There could not have been
outlet In this tank the explosion could not have 90
eurrot. Have seen the tank since it exploded Think
1woud have carried GO pounds Of steam in the boiler,
which would bo equal to SO pounds IN the tank My
sion" Have run I'VE tankH without safetyyalves de-
pending upon the boiler safety-valve.
MIR. MURPHY RE0ALLED.
Mr- Murphy waa recalled, and stated that, in his
opinion, tank would not last ten years. After
running that long. he would hnre 1t inspected. He
knew Of boilers IN this city which have been in uso
sixteen years. and thought the corroson in tank was
xs crest a. thnt In boiler. :
TESTIMONY or ]. TURNER.
J. Turner, sworn: Am proprietor Of packing
house. Have been IN the business twentythree years.
Have used iron tanks for thirteen years. The life Of
tank depended upon tie length Of its use. Have
tank which been pretty steadily for ten 5eas
liz tanks were never o1cia1ly inspected. The boiler
makers casually examine them fSeausnty H., Wsa ~ IN
there wna leak in his tanta somewhere, a.
had smelled tho gus escaping. Examined F. the
one, wadded with tow, and covered over with
rdeeo Of board Told him tho tank was 1ot It
to be used. This Was not the one which exploded.
Etve seen the remains Of the demolished tsni The
Iron Has very thin Would not huve used it in my
place. Gas corsodes iron very rapidly
ase not used in tanks, AZ it was thought they would
stand the pressure the boiler, the steam being
regulated by the sfetyyalre on the boiler Consider
them safe. Il steam blown from the tanks I
Euutd ha 1;a1,1 IN fine of the EXPLOSION