The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-10
THE PATTEEBURc EXPLOSION.
mo Result Of the Coroner's Inquest-The Teur
MEN Killed by Accidsnt-Three Condemned
Boilers in Use When the Explosion o.
CURED reenhorn' Firsmsn and Enr
ginesrs in Charge Of Boilers Sur
rounded by Hundreds OF Non.

PATTENBURG, N. j., April g. 1874
Yesterday there was an inquest held on the
bodies OF the men killed at Jugtown Tunnel Soma
dfnculty was experienced in obtaining a Jury,
but finally twelve citizens were collected, and the
inquest was begun and finished in about the same
time as 1t took to provide the subjects for the
Coroner. Several of the jury did not seem to take
much interest in their work, and sought to
palliate their indifference by saying "they didn't
know nothing about fiues,u TACT which Is said "a
have had much to do with their presence on the
tribunal The verdict OF this jury was that "thd
men came to their death by the acc dental exc
posion OF boiler at the Pattenburg end Of the
Jugtown Tunneln The number OF sins that
that word "accidentan covers will never
be known, and as the jury made no
effort to find out the cause iG ID probable
no one else VIII take any trouble about 1t. No ex-
cuse can be made that information was not OBJ
tainable, for the men who were working In the
tunnel know and tell some ugly facts. among which
those contained in the following sketch Of tho
engine room and It's guardians previous to the
fatal accident OF the nve boilers in the room two
rom Erie, Pa the other three, ''S Which look
susplcousy like locomotive boilers, were
condemned condemned some weeks ago BY the boiler
measures to stop their use, as they were In full
work at the time OF the explosion -Four weeks
Killed, drew the fire from the number TWO con-
demned boiler, saying he did not intend to be
this, asked why it was done and Bower gave him
his reasons. Thereupon Mr.. Kelly is reported to
have told Bower that he did not
as tnere We're A' "l sG"s OF men Ha around
not afraiu to run the machine" AS proof Of this
the boiler has been working ever SINCE with q
slight interruption caused by q hole beng burned
extingnishing the fire. 'she got q patch and
boiled again. IL Is asserted that this boiler and
position to work again as soon as the debris is
cleared away and as there is naught OF condem-
nation in the verdict Of the jury there seems to be
no reason to doubt IT.
or the guardians OF the boilers, "they make a
fireman in nine days out Of Castle Garden green
hOrn,'" said one OF the to the reporter or the
HERALD, and before he had time to express MS sur
prise oystander put IN 'Snure any one that can
shovel coal, Is fireman enough for them"
THE FATAL BOILER.
The boiler which caused all the mischief was one
OF the so-caled new Ones and had 1t been properly
treated the probabilities are 1t would have out
lasted the one with the patch. The iron OF which
1t was composed is OF very poor texture. but no
iron would nave wlthstOod the pressure put upon
IT, 1t appears, from the position in which Thomas
Irving was found, and the condition OF the stop
cocks on. the water injector upon which ne had his
hand, that water was Injected into the bursted
boiler against the heated fue5. The theory based
water. ana Immediately went to the Injector and T%
turned 1t on. The water coming in contact with
the red hos nues, steam was instantly generated
IN such large amounts that the safety valve could
afford no relief and the sheetlng gave way. Thus,
1t will be seen. ignorance and incompetency were
the indirect causes OF the fatal catastrophe. New
Jersey is not behind New York In its provisions
Tor The protection or labOrerS
WHERE'S THE CORONER?
Some six weeks ago man named James Heguey
was killed at the Bethlehem END OF the tunnel and
the Coroner apprised OF the fact; but he held no
Inquest and the man was buried ana nothing has
been heard OF the case SINCE Several others who
were injured on that occasion and manned for lie
cannot commence actions against the contractor,
as there Is no official record Of tile accident.
THE DEAD AND WOUNDED.
The body OF Thomas Irving was taken to New
burg this afternoon, ana the bodies OF Bower Nc
Certify and Goughan await the coming OF their
relatives. DR.. Edward Powers gives it as his
opinion that Mrs. Slmms Will die, us she has sus-
tanned internal injuries caused by the wagon hav-
ing passed dlagonally across her body from the
right shoulder to the LETT thigh. Father O'Neill.
who has been ut the scene OF the explosion twice
day since II occurred, has administered the rites
OF his church to Mrs. Simns, who Is not expected
to survive.