The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-22
THE LAST EXPLOSION.
second Days Invcstisat Ion--OpiniO q
to the Cause Of the Explosion.

to the Cause Of the Explosion.
The Board Of Local inspectors (steamboat
met again yesterday, pursuant to adjournment
II. G. Watson, first engineer Of tho Lessie Tay
Tor. was the irst witness examined He testified
that he had been by profession an engineer fol
che past forty years, and was on the Lessie lay
lor ~ the time OF the explosion. The inspector
MIR. Moffett, came on board little after one
o'clock and asked him If he was ready for test
witness answered yes; attempted to
START THE "DooroR"
TO test the main boilers, but the stem on the
throttle valve stripped and we then worked q
Salye In nest Of valves on the drum. went
from the drum to the doctor boiler and tried The
water, 1nding plenty, everything being open
fro doors and tlue caps. At this time there was
one hundred and five pounds Of steam on the
donkey boiler gauge, which was ten pounds
Light was standing at the nest of valves be-
fore referred to, after having left the donkey
boiler, when the second engineer Of the Big Sun
Flower came up and relieved me ct the valve.
Witness then went TO the steam gauge Of the
boat and the pressure (hydrostatic) was run mp
TO 400 pounds onithe inspectors gauge and ours,
both corresponding, as near a. know; the in
II
then went forward and looked at the inspectors
gauge, there being still 2lO pounds on the gauge.
The second engineer Of the Big sunAower and
Wr. D. G. Mclean remarked to me how well
SHE HOLDS HER PRESSURE.
then walked into the coal box forward where
Che inspector was. While in the coal box called
out TO the fireman whom had placed at the
donkey boiler to try the water In the donkey
yx,tt1 AttA hAa~1 tINnA uSrL
plenty. then looked at the donkey boiler
gauge. which could see from my position, and
saw that there was 30 pounds OF steam, and told
him that we did not want any more than 70
Che inspector, who was standing at the FIRE doors
of the main boilers. He wanted o few sticks in
the furnace moved to one side, and called an
other fireman and had il done. Mr.. Moffet and
myself stopped down and looked under the main
boilers. / remarked to Mr.. Motfet that there was
net leak to be seen. Mr.. Moffet then called for
Che torch Ut the after end Of the furnace. The
torch was put in at the starboard draft door, and
pushed over to the larboard draft door, and just
chen the donkey boiler exploded, and knew no
more. To the best OF my knowledge. the donkey
boiler was new when the boat came out, and
never gave me any trouble. / cannot say that
know the cause Of the explosion, nor can l
assign one.
There was no extra weight
ON THE SAFETY VALVE
j.
was on the top OF the boilers went over to the
eafety valve Of the donkey boiler and found IL
free. When the inspector came aboard l had
made oil my arrangements for him to 20 to work
and everything was in good order. had placed
my men in their proper places.
A. p. BuchholZ was called next HAS been an
engineer for thirty yesis. has examined the
iron hare presented, and was Of the opinion that
IL had been burned. His opinion was that the
water was low and the heating surface exposed to
the action Of the fire, hence the cause Of the ex-
the size of the one which exploded on the Lessie
Taylor would be perfectly safe in fair usage
WITH $50 POUNDS OF STEAM.
Wilson Youngblood sworn-Was an engineer
by profession and had been first engineer twenty
years; had been on boats with donkey boilers
ever since they have been in use. Always con-
sidered that the donkey" was under my charge
as much so as though there were no inspectors
on board, and never heard or supposed that the
inspector was required to give tho donkey boiler
his attention while inspecting the main boilers.
Have known Mr.. J. A. Moffett ever since he has
been q boiler inspector; consider him as COM
potent, careful and capable man as ever had any
thing to do with steam Have known Mr.. Watson,
the engineer of the Lessie Taylor, fifteen wears,
and have always considered him q good engineer.
After q careful examination Of the eample Of iron
shown me here am Of the opinion that it has
been good
BUT SOMEWHAT coRRoDED;
should Judge that it would take over $50 pounds
of steam to explode it. am Of the opinion that
in changing assistant engineers and both remain
ing to assist in inspection that the discipline
would not be SIS complete as though one was
present.
Adjourned until to-day. .......