The New York herald., 1878-03-24

on the bodies OF Alfred Rey nods and Stephen Wright
tho following testimony was elictcd:--
, Ephraim Houshtailns being duly sworn, tcsiided;-
reside IN the city OF Now York; engineer aud
have been such since 1861; was engineer OF tho
steamer Ma -enta on the morning OF March 23 we lett
iaverstraw At twenty minutes aud arrived ut
Sing Sing at ten past seven nothing occurred
on board the steamer until eoI OF the Hats; We
naa JUS. got INTO deep water at point on
scarborough, when the shell of tho right
hand boiler blew out. partly on the main deck
and partly on the upper deck about amidships; the
explosion sounded like the going oil OF a cannon;
lad lust left the eneine for a momcnis left
william Flood, the fireman, VINO is also second enei
neer, In charge; the amount o. stcam Is indicated
the gauge; when lett the engine room II WAS thirv
seven pounds: the steamer is registered nj iity
; pouoas; 'ne amount OF steam had not been
about three minutes after iet the engine that
mo explosion occurred; have been on the boat
about three wecks; 1t is my opinion the boilers ap
peared all right: have examined the specimen OF
iron IN the chimney, and inced that IL is
INN; It showed three eiehis OF an inch thick:
the boilers aud chmpeys arc three years
Ola, ana gong on iour; when the inspec
tors made an inspection OF tho boilers
tho pres uro was equal both boilers and the chin
news; when lcfi the engine room obs ervcd nothing
unusual IN regard to either the bocrs or chimncys;
after the explosion saw the bodies OF Mr. Wright
and Reynolds one OF he bodies lay he ward
gangway and the other about half way TO where the
stove Stove stood ihs Stove stood near midships; the
OBJECT OF having the DoiiIrs ana tho chm
ncys Is to keep the pressure evcn hive seen
hecertlcate oil inspection ssued by John Mathews,
the principal Inspector OF steam DO ers; according
tho certificate the inspection ia June 1877:
when became engineer OF n steamer generally took
the certificate guarantee also generally ma ke as
thorough An Inspection as l can; aia so on the
steamer Magenta; have known that steamer since
1864, when she was built; was engineer
her TO 1865; had no reason TO suppose
that the boiler or chimneys werc not
in good order when | took charge OF them
ncys are put on 10 Keep the heat in ihcs
put on except with thus view; the explosion
he clock stopped In tho engine room; did not
Instructions TO my assistant Fiood To steam
when | lett the engine room; got no INSTRUCTIONS
from tho pilot or captain TO Increase steam.
STATEMENT OF FIREMAN
William Flood testified as toIlows:l reside In Now
YORK city; am fireman on steamers and have been
In the business since 1855 hold ng tho piston rod
on the steamer Magenta ON the morning OF March 23
1868; had been on the steamer about thrcc weeks
have had an ongincers license but do mold ruch
license now and havo got such n post
ton on tho steamer Magenta; on tho morning
OF March 23 1858, the engineer Ephraim ng
lett me IN charge OF the engine while he went 10
breakfast; this was his common practice; some four
or 0vo minutes after he lett the bell rung go
ahead ''wde opeu;' opened tho throttle IN answer
10 the bell and while mad my hand on the throttle
steam S'0 gauge when wen. into n. "sk room s a,
tho time 0 the explosion the steam gauge
Indicated below forty or orty ive pounds; the open
Ing OF tho throttle did not increass the amount OF
steam but only Increased the speed OF the boat have
seen the certificate OF inspection board The boat
and know the same was guaranteed at nifty 30 unds:
tho engineer said nothing to mo leaving ex-
cept TO 20 easy so AS to keep up the usual
rate Of speed; tho sound OF tho explosion Ike
the specimen of the steam chimney shown, and do
not consider It thick enough for the purpose; the
amount OF pressure Is equal on the chimney the
on the boiler; believe the amonnt o. pressure TO
be greater before tho explosion than At the time II
thrfy-nvo forty pounds got out Of the en-
gne room as soon as possi6e saw the bodies after
the explosion.
THE CAPTAINS TESTIMONY
John r. Smith testned:-I rcsidc IN Nyack Rock
land county my business has been mostly steam Uoat-
ine have acted in tho capacity OF captain plot and
business is a. n wlpdgad Al
captain OF tho steamer Magenta; had lett Havcr.
STRAW at 6io, March %, 1878; We arrived a, Sing
utes later; We took on board ABOUT hiiy pas
sengers at Sing Sing; after We left Sing sing
breakfast and then went up on the hurricane deck 10
relieve The pilot to let him 20 breakfasts had just
stepped into the pilot house ana took hoid OF the
wheel ana asked HIM II ne had gwen the "Jngle" TO
denote that wo were on The fats; he SAID sho
was just gong OIL the flats; / pulled tho
tel Conclusion anu heard a rumbling noise,
not very loud noise; turned around and saw tho
steam flying; then stopped o, pilot house aud
tried to get att; succeed steam
and hent, SO stepped down to the forward promc-
made deck and then opened the upper saloon doors
climbed back on the hurricane deck; from there
1 reached tho upper deck ana succeeded In
the main deck forward, where | saw The bodies OF
two men lying; examined ana found them dead an
other man lying there spoke to. but he could not
answer me; saw no Others lying around, but there
we're a few gentlemen near who slightly IN
jured by 'ne explosion; the explosion tore
cabin and It's chmncys. blow out tho two
buIkheads on tho saloon deck and on tho
hurricane deck, raising up soine the joiner work
at The time of the explosion the boat was ncary IN
tho same position that she Is now in the RIVER the
owners OF tho Magenta believe are the Stephens
a. Condit Transportation Company, OF Newark, n.
j.; am employed by ID. ID. Smith, OF Nyack,
as captain OF the boat; understand how tho
pieco ofiron shown and recognize y as part OF tho
boiler chimneys; IN my opinion The specimon shows
that the iron Is 100 thin TO carry the amount OF pres
sure OF steam; IN my opinion tho iron has been
corroded and worn by the water and steam; have
been on the Magenta about two weeks.
WHAT THE PILOT
Edward Carman testified 81 reside at Canarsie.
J.. l. my business Is steamboat pilot, and have been
IN toat business about ten years. have occupied
position on board tho steamer Magenta about eight
years; VIC came on tho Haverstraw and Now York
route weeks from to-day; shorty oftcr leaving
tnen saw sioam ami water coming up through tho
hurricane deck; when It was possible / got down
on the promenade deck and opened the windows and
then saw the bodies OF the deceased persons; cav
number oI parties injured had free charge OF the
boat being piiot and master; mad control OF the en-
g;ueer Dy The bell; gave instructions 10 increase
speed, as our habit mas been 60 a little faster
after We get or tho flats; have examined
the piece of IRON shown and recognize
IL as portion oil The steam chin
ney OF tho Magenta; Is not the usual
thickness OF iron used In steam chImneys;
thlnk Is altogether too thin tor It's purpose there
repairs made on board tho boat ia tue past
winter; sho was inspected IN June, 1877, but do
not know the name oil tho inspector; she had new
boilers aud chimncys put IN ner about iour years
ago; ,he chimueys we're ronsd about one year ago !;
TINS is tho hrst accident that has ever occurred
board the boat the amount OF steam that she regis
tered 10 carry is lfty pounds.
Al this Stage, aud for tho purpose OF procuring ad-
ditional testimony the inquest was adjourned until
next Wednesday morning AZ sing sing.
ExcfrEagST IN THIS cry
AS soon as tho news 0i the disaster received IN
Now York there the utmost anxiety prevailing
among those whose friends relatives resided in The
negbborhood OF tho accident and who were IN the
habit since tho opening OF navigation, OF coming 10
and returning from the CITY on the steamer ho tee
graph oifces crowded with ANXIOUS ones.
1t was not very lons. howevor before the
arrival OF the Thomas J.. Way and Alexis
at Their wharvcs-tne former conveying some OF tho
nded men and the latter the bulk Of the Ma
gentas passcngers--unioluod tho true story to aux
ious inquircrs throngIng tne docks An ambulance
was tciegraphed Tor 10 ho New York Hospital, an d
when It arrived AT Pier No. % North RIVER William
ylor, tho watcbman on BOARD of The Magenta, was
conveyed to ii and rapidly driven TO tue nsiituton on
Fifteenth street.
Tng WOUNDED wATcnnAN's STORY
A HERALD reporter visit Il tho hospital, and after
the doctors mad dfessod Tue sufferers burns the