Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-07-07
THE SAINT PAUL DAILY GLOBE WEDNESDAY MORNING.

stand a heavy pressure of steam. Their style
of construction is defective. Not properly
braced. Nothing to hold mp the crown sheet
there should have been brace from the top of
the ire box to the outer shell. 1t could have
been made stronger. do not consider any
boiler absolutely safe. 1t could have been
stayed as l stated. Never been called upon to
examine boilers of this kind, as we do not deal
in that kind of material As boiler
maker myself, l feel a deliOacy about giving an
opinion about boiler never examined. Mr..
Glenn then at some length described how
safe boiler is made. l consider that the crown
sheet OF the boiler in the Mary was detective
in make and material, aud was the direct cause
of the disaster. 1t ia very essential that the
engineer should know that his steam gauge is
right, and it should be tested by one known
to DO right. There are Instruments made by
which gsuges are tested. but they cost hundreds
of dollars; therefore take a first class guage
and see that it is right, and take the two in
connection with pressure pump. You can
determine upon the dial if they are alike. AT
ter that is done it is a very convenient way to
test the safety valve to show at what pressure
the valve will blow off. After these two ap-
] pliances are correct, if it is required to know
what the boiler will stand, itsis an
easy matter to test it with the
same pump. A man who is competent
to take the size of the safety valve and bevel,
and the weight of the lever and bar, can deter
| mine pretty near if his steam gauge ia correct.
1t is an easy matter to destroy a boiler. 1t
may give way without any fault of the engi-
neer. There ia contraction and expansion and
| other causes to make them unsafe. Such was
the case with the boiler under consideration.
| They are made of inferior material, but will
compare favo5ably with that class of boilers
which come from the east. Found three diff
| ferent qualities of iron in the wreck of the
| boiler. Iconsider that. taking the size OF the
boiler, it would explode with 65 pounds of
pressure. Have no doubt but the hire box of
the Mary collapsed and the explosion followed.
| Was on board of the Mary two years ago, and
| told the then owner that he should put in stay
bolts in the crown sheet. Last year was on
board of her again and noticed that there were
blisters on the boiler. Had CONVEX
sation with Major Halsted both before and
after the sosion of the May Queen, and
| told him the boiler OF the Mary was
| not safe and told him how it could be fixed, as
1 have stated. Two or three men asked me how
much it would cost to have the necessary re-
pairs. The last one was gentleman named
Gray. told him about $780, but did not
want the job at any price. Think gave the
same figures to Capt. May in answer to an in
quiry. I told Major Halsted that did not
consider his boiler safe, and did not wish to
ride with him. The Major said he thought the
boiler was safe to carry fifty to sixty POUNDS,
and said that if he made the improvements it
would do more to impair the public confidence
| than by letting it alone. Dent think it was
an ACCIDENT; it was caused by the general de-
bility Of the boiler.
| TERRENCE KENNY.
| Live in st. Paul. Member of the firm of
Kenny Bros, boiler makers of that city.
Think the boiler exploded from the crown
| sheet sagging from not being properly braeed.
Mr.. Kenny described the make of the boiler at
some length and drew the conclusion that it
was not safe boiler illustrating his remarks
with diagram Of the boiler. Had examined
the wreck and broke off a piece of the iron. 1t
was quite Short not far removed from cast
iron. The explosion was NO accident, the
boiler gave way Heard the testimony of Mr.
boat last year and expressed my opinion that
| it was unsafe. Don't know as ever saw Ma
| jor Halsted.
| JOHN MILLER.
| I am boiler maker by trade, and am fore
man of the shops of the Chicago, Milwaukee d
| st. Paul company. Saw the boiler o year ago.
Noticed that the crown sheet was not sufficient
| ly stayed and braced, IN fact not stayed at all,
| and did not consider it safe. Expressed my
opinion of it at the time in the hearing of those
on the boat. Don't know whether Major Had
| sted was among tbs number or not. CorrObor-
ated the testimony of Messrs. Glenn and Kenny.
| JOSEPH CHADWICK.
Lives in Minneapolis. Brother of VIM. Chad
| wick who was killed by the explosion of the
Mary. Never had any conversation with my
| brother about the safety of the boiler. His
brother said he took the job on the steamer
| because he had other. Both his wife and
myself wanted him TO quit it,.
| TERRANCE KENNY RECALLED.
@. How many grades of boiler iron are used
| in the manufacture Of boilers?
Ans. There are four grades used by most
| mills. They are all stained
| No. 1. They are from Anthrs-
cite to solid fire box iron, and the price at
present is from 81 to 8 cents per pound.
| according the grade. Poorest is @. No. 1; next
| G. II. No. l; G.. FL. No. / fange; special, the
best made, is the solid fire box iron. Some of
| the iron found in the wreck of this boiler was
G. FL. No. fange and the balance of q still
| inferior quality.
This closed the testimony and the coroner
| announced that that the jury would adjourn
| until this evening at o'clock to afford an
| opportunity for rebutting testimony if any was
! offered, and if not the case would be closed
| and the matter left with the Jury for their
verdict.