The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-02
Norman Wizard Defends the Fire Nor.
shaPs Theory.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. 1872.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
Your correspondent in tO-day's HERALD-who.
suspect is member OF the firm that made the dan
gerous boiler used in the Fourteenth street Mu'
scum and Menagerie building-seems to have MAIDS
an attempt to cast ridicue upon the able and tear.
less report OF the Fire Marshal upon the cause 81
the late confasration in Mr..Barnum's establish.
ment, and essentially suggests the conundrum.
How could the steam become hotter by putting Gus
the fire Ibelieve myself to be even more familiar
with the subject than the Fire Marshal; fires re-
sulting from overheated steam and the cause Of
boiler explosions having been the subject OF al
most continuous experiment and study with me
for nearly fifteen years.
The Baker h Smith boiler used In the structure
referred to was simply large number OF slightly
inclined rows OF iron pipes, In q cubical form OF
cluster, inclosed within brick room of inside d.
mansions Just sufficient to contain the pipes. Be
low these, within the ROOM the fire was built upon
CRATES and one of the effects OF the fire was to
heat up the interior surface OF the brick wall and
its brick cover or roof to an extremely high tenn
perature. The pipes forming The cluster before re-
ierred to arranged In nearly horizontal rows
and also in perpendicular rows, but In the latter
adjustment they were connected together ut the
alternate ends, so that each perpendicular ar
ranpement of the whole was essentially one contin-
nous pipe, running back and forth across tina
chamber from the bottom to the top Hall or mora
than half OF these back and, and forth pipes pes
usually did contain water Above the water
for the remainder OF the length they
contained the steam generated oy the action OF
steam generated in that part oil the long, con-
tinuous pipe would, In passing rapidly through
such long column Of water, carry along with It.
considerable liquid, by which the steam above
would be surcharged in Sufficient quantity 70
absorb whatever superheat would be at any tiin9
communicated above the ordinary or supposed
level Of the water in the pipes. The surplus water
thus forced up into the steam mechanically w0uld
e crrent Of steam Would dow along The steal
pipes to the radiators used for heating the buit-
ing, and with the water OF condensation retYn'
this circulation of combined water "a.
steam would keep all parts OF Inc
apparatus nearly at the temperature OF the hor
heating, so long rs the IRE continued not eY..Eu
to cause this violent circulation. Now put Of inc
lower pipes would cease, the water level o So
fall down lower and the steam drained OF rs sur
Plus water, would quickly become dry am reauy
for the supcrheating process. TEen ~ neat.
stored up Tor the occasion in the redhot hrick Oh
surrounding walls, would quickly perIm tnas
nereare a on Tne
from the surface Of the pipes farthestiiom ms
boiler. would slightly condense thesteam at
s "ai pS' a to c Ss csrrs5 no.
steam Tor gas, for dry steam Is gas) : now aiong
the pipes from the boiler by which Y Pipes dTst w eoml
bustibe within their range, ana thI .l'c answs.
TO Mr.. Bakers conundrum. i maf tn,s stinc en- IN.
PLANTATION to the firm that made ~ boiler tnst Sc.
fire to the Museum four years ago. showed tnem
drawings often or twelve devicesfny one ., " n.cn
would, If applied to their boiler nave renaereu
idea that steam "coud cause FIRE" and ID NO, would
not listen to proposal for thqadoption OF the az
most inexpensive devices. " su,S tncy "e'e 4"
error when 'ney d'a So He7 NORMAN WIZARD.