The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-04

The Polytechnic Branch Of the American Insti-
tute met last evening at room "a OF the Cooper
Institute to hear Mr. Charles e. Emery, Consulting
Engineer Of the Treasury Department, read paper
on .Marine Boilers" There was quito o full audi
ence, composed mainly OF practical engineers and
men of property. 1t was an unusually solid
congregation, as may be inferred from
the title OF the lecture that was to
be read and from the character of the association
under whose auspices the entertainment was to
take place. Mr. s. D. Tillman was in the chair and
Mr.. Robert Weir acted as secretary.
Mr. Emery was late, and as the solid audience
became impatient Mr.. Tman suggested that there
was probably some gentleman among the crowd
some engineer-whO would kindly entertain the
company with word or two about
STEAM AND STEAM BOILERS
until Mr.. Emery came. Mr.. Norman Wizard was
present and was at once called for. He reluctantly
came forward and as they insisted upon his saying
something, he said he would seize the opportunity
to confirm and prove by simple experiment some
OF the statements regarding superheated steam
which he had recently made In his communication
to the HERALD He produced glass tube, about
two feet long and about an inch thick, which he
filed three-quarters full Of water This he held by
one end over gas jet until steam was generated,
and then he showed
'If at this end, gentlemen" he said, pointing to
the end where the steam was escaping ~ were to
hold another fame the steam would become
superheated 1t would become hotter than the
water, simply because there Is more heat applied
to 1t than to the water That superheated steam
will take heat sufficient to produce fire II only
time and combustible substances are given 1t.
The trouble in regard to these fires that have lately
occurred is that steam, In the nature OF
things, is most likely to be superheated at
night. When the fires are drawn out the neated
brick work about . boiler retains warmth that is
enough to- superheat the steam that remains:
Given woodwork and the long night hours for that
heat to work In, and we have
THE SOLUTION
Of the burning Of Barnum's Museum and OF many
of our other fires whose origin Is now III doubt.
A gentleman in the audience here desired TO ask
Of MI. Wizard If any advance had been made in tho
matter of non-explcsive boilers.
MIR. wARD-Not step, sir; not on atom Of ad-
vance has been made Boilers will be heated un.
not heat the water hotter in one part than in
another. and it il this unequal expansion OF the
steam that produces explosions.
ANOTHER GENTLEMAN-Will you please to INFORM
u.s. sir, In regard to the fires that are originated by
superheated steam how 1t Is that these ires occur
above the steam pipes and yet steam gets colder as
MI. WIARD-when steam escapes upward 1t gets
colder simply because it mas more room to expand;
but heat ascends, and that accounts for the fires
But see here tonight, gentlemen,
OUR FIRE MARSHAL,
who has had great practical experience In fires,
and would suggest that he favor us with few
words on the subject.
ingly, and with some hesitation took his stand on
the platform. Mr.. Emery had arrived In the mean.
time, and busted himself drawing diagrams OF
steam boilers on the blackboard.
Nj. McSPRDoN said that he had been much sur
prised at being called on to speak, Tor ne was not
subjects, and had come mainly to learn something
from the eminent gentlemen about him that would
be OF benefit to him In his Office OF Fire Marshal,
over which he presided, and thereby OF benefit TO
the property holders and poor people OF the city.
IL he could learn ,,r xvv nm.
about the origin OF fires he would be greatly repaid
of superheated steam producing fire. But he could
cite number OF cases on record in his oilce where
there could be no reasonable theory adduced as to
the cause OF the fire except that. One was o case
in Crook & Duff's old eating saloon on Park row.
The steam table ran under the counter, and on this
had SsUID flung G his greasy napkin to dry In the
night the FIRE occurred, and when II was investt-
gated the napkin ana the Hndel pafs OF 1ne SEun
burned. The fire could have originated no way but
! by steam heat Mr.. McSpedon cited q number Of
other cases and told the tale of Barnum's Museum
how he had inspected and condemned 1t; had
ordered alterations and had insisted upon them
the very alterations that would have prevented the
fire, and how the fire originated just as he feared 1t
! would-frOIn superheated steam.
/ gentleman in the audience asked
now FIRES HAD ORIGINATED
| before steam heaters were In use.
"They originated then, as thousands do now"
Of which we can hardly have any suspicion: A
match dropped in stable may be rubbed by q
away away the e0 Stable goes. we the doors were
closed, the windows all down. no ,noi hre
] burning, and when all the other jets are turned
down this single jet flares up and probably being a
above it, and again we have another fire. 1t is our
business to investigate these matters, and We have
steady and hard work OF it; sometimes
/ A
Icall in all the help can get. asked Mr. Wizard
inform me On the question OF neat nom
steam, with which l must confess was unac-
quanted. I am not a scientific man. but | am
practical man. was in business here for thirty -0ne
years, manufacturing and mercantile, and failed
after was fifty years old-a pretty hard thing;
| and this place of Fire Marshal was offered me be-
cause was practical. took 1t, and though may
have sometimes seemed to be ridiculous, accord
ing to the communications in the papers, VIII say
meant WELL Inever courted
| NEWSPAPER NOTICE,
and after what telt on New Years Day, when
saw the storm OF communications directed againsI
me, don't think will ever want to be mentioned
In a newspaper again. My head and ears and even
my neck and shoulders tingled with the lash that
A GENTIEMAN-Why is not this knowledge Of
sUpERHEATED STEAM UTILIZED?
Mr.. MCSPEDON-I have asked that 1t be made
public and have done so TO some extent In the
newspapers, and have asked that the citizens
hold meeting, where the question might be dis
cussed. We have
MORE FIRES IN NEW YORK
IMAM Ill any Otner CITY In tne WOrlu prOpOrtlOHatc
to Its population, and we could not do better than
take means to secure safer and better methods OF
saving the property and in many cases the lives OF
| our people by preventing fires
Mr. McSpedon bowed and was about to retire,
when the chairman announced that the regular
business OF the evening was to hear Mr.. Emery
| read his paper on marine Boilers,n which had
been well ftgA forgotten in the interest attendant
upon Mr.. MtS1yeuon's speech, but that he supposed
the gentlemen present would rather continue the
discussion. 1t was arranged, however, that Mr..
Emery read his paper, as he could not be with
them another night and that the subject OF super
| heated steam be resumed at the next meeting.
| Mr.. Emery consequently read his paper, and the
meeting broke up at the conclusion much enlight-
Id q var iIun