The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-29
THE LAST EXPLOSION
rs ATTRIBUTED TO OTHER CAUSES
THAN A PRESSURE OF STEAM.

witnesses regarding the late Lessie Taylor ex-
plosiop. several being examined. as will be seen
by the following testimony;
MIR. r, g. Watson, recalled:
O.-Give the dim ensions of the donkey boiler
of the Lessie Taylor.
As2 inches in diameter and feet long;
hues of . inches in diameter. with steam pipe ~
inches In diameter about, and feed pipe or IA
inches In diameter: one safety valve, size un-
known, loaded to blow at ITO pounds.
Q.-Who loaded the safety alveS
A.-There was no extrs we ght attached TO IL;
IL had only Its regular weight.
Q'-When was the weight put on
Alt WAS put on by the builders.
Q.-Wbat was the highest pressure IL had on
at any time while under your charge
A. ITO pounds.
Q-Whst was the average pressure carried for
ordinary purposea2
A.-Between 30 and DO pounds.
O-Do YOU know the amount of pressure used
IN The donkey boiler when under inspection on
previous occasions on this boat
Al do not Tecollect
Q.-How long had steam been in the donkey
boiler that day before the explOsion2
A.-Not an hour.
Q.-Do you not think the donkey boiler eK-
ploded through admitting GOLD water, or water OF
too cool q temperature, when some OF the heat
ing surface exposedf
A,-Tbe donkey pump was not started. to my
knowledge.
Odd you Judge Of the amount Of wster In
the boiler by the ear or sound, or did you see the
gauge cocks as they were opened by the fire.
mani
Al judged by the sound.
Q.--How many gauge cooks were there, and
how were they situated with regard to the water
lines
A.--There were three gauge cooks. placed as
usual on high pressure boilers.
Q.--Had you glass indicator on the boiler2
A,-The water gauge was float and needle.
Q.-Where was the steam gauge2
nat tha mid hni ha1wppn
breechen
Q.-How many gauges Of water in the donkey
boiler had you when the water was last trled2
Al do not know which cook was tried. but it
was flush.
Q.-Do you think there Was sufficient water in
che boiler when 1t exploded2
Al do
Q III you think so, how do you account for no
one being scalded?
Al was scaded.
Q.-was IL your custom TO place licensed en-
gineer in charge Of the donkey boiler'
Myself or partner was always looking after
Q.-what pressure do you consider necessary
to get the desired pressure on the main boilers
Ter inspection
A.--About 100 pounds.
GLOW was the donkey boiler fed when work
ing the same constantly
A.--Bv the donkey pump.
Q.-How often was it necessary to pump to
feed water into the donkey boiler when working
the same constantly
A.-Somelimes one half sometimes three.
quarters of an hour, and sometimes every hour.
Q,--What was the temperature Of the feed
water when it entered the donkey boiler
A.-Uold.
Q--How long before the explosion did you give
the last order to pump up the donkey boilerp
A.--Not more than twenty-five minutes; when
steam was up on the donkey boiler
Q-Was there any fusible plug I'm the donkey
A,-There was when Was on her last April,
year ago.
Q.-Whst means was there for blowing mud or
other sediment from the donkey boiler
A regular mud valve.
VIM. aolding, proprietor Of the Novelty Iron
Works, testified that in his opinion the donkey
boiler Of the boat had been badly used. judging
from the sample shown. He also thought
that the sample had unquestionably been heated;
that II was ununiform, and OF bad quality. 1t
was quite possible, in his opinion, for the steam
TO be super heated by the exposure Of the heat
ing surface TO an unlimited extent, which will
not be indicated by the steam gauge. He was Of
the opinion that If the donkey boiler had been
exploded with anything less than 100 pounds OF
steam, there would be other causes producing
the explosion besides excess Of pressure.
Mr.. J. W. Mofett the local inspector. made
che following statement:
went on board OF the LESSEE Taylor to test
and inspect her boilers at about IL O'clock m.
met Mr.. Watson, who said that he was not ready.
and would let me know when he WAS ready. At
about ten or fifteen minutes to 1 O'Clock, Mr.
Watson called ct the office for me, saying that he
was ready. went right over to the boat, arriv.
ing there about five minutes to l o'clock. Went
on board and went to the furnace and looked all
around under the boilers TO see how everything
looked. Found everything all right, and told .
fireman standing at the furnace TO have the flue
caps ell ready to open when called on him.
Went aft to the after END Of the boilers,
to look at the mud-drum, and found it all right.
Started aft to the doctor and met Mr.. Watson,
who remarked to me that the mud-d had
been renewed last year, and about the time l
reached the doctor ssked him il he was ready,
and he replied yes. then a.ked him If his main
throttle valve was open, aud no replied that it
was shut. / then told him TO open it, as 1
wanted to test the branch pipes. He said that
sh Msi but that he would try IT, asked him il
it was. and that he had 100 pounds
pressure before m ! got aboard, board. l replied
es ns dooor s' ayd found ne vavs
pulled off the stem. Found that he had to take
the cap off to get the valve out. At this time
Mr.. Watson called to one of his seoond engineers
to have the hue Gaps and fire doors Of the donkey
boiler opened, and to start the donkey pump, all
of which Was done. Il took from fifteen to twenty
minutes to fix the doctor, the donkey pump run
ming oil the time, as supposed, supplying the
donkey boiler About the time the donkey pump
was started / heard the water in the donkey
boiler tried, and it sounded flush. In order TO
run the doctor a valve in nest OF valves on the
drum was used. Mr.. Watson gtarted the doctor
himself, then called to some one Of his second
engineers to come and attend to the valve
running the doctor. The second engineer
who was assisting them went up TO the valve and
attended to 1t. The doctor was regulated In itf
speed, but the pressure aid not start up for two
or three minutes. /, with Mr.. Watson, stood by
the doctor until the boats gauge indicated &c
pounds. then went to my gauge. which was on
the after end Of the boilers. On arriving at my
gauge, found 40 pounds on il, and was informed
that the boats gauge showed 40 pounds too.
Told the engineer to cry out the pressure on his
gauge at every s pounds, whioh he did. The
pressure went up very quick. AT 2iO pounds !
ordered the pump stopped. At the time got &c
my gauge, when IL showed 40 pounds, heard
the water tried in the donkey boiler, and
1t sounded flush. / came down The steps
after the gauge showed 2lQ pounds: tod