Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-01-13
coRoNER's INQUEST.
The Deash eff. W assaanssiss In.
quired Isto -restimsay Fakes
asd verdics or the Jury.


Coroner Brodeck at 5 o'clock last
evening held an inquest as to the cause
OF the death OF ]. W. sonnanstine.
killed last Thursday by the exposition OF
an air receiver which was being tested
a. the ophir mine. Following 10 con.
dsnsation Of the testimony taken:
Thomas wooley a sworn and bis
testimony taken at bis Office because Of
bis being unable to come to the inquest.
He was present at the time OF the acct.
dent; the mar at the gauge reported 120
pounds pressure /; told him I thought
there was pressure enough just at
that time I heard something snap ;
I thought It was q rivet or o
brace; Il IL customary with mo to
test my boilers with water; came around
from between the boilers and went to
the other side; could not say how far I
got; the first thing I knew I found my.
self lying on the ground; heard NO ex.
plosion, no noise at all; don't know
what struck me; the boiler came from
the Gould & Curry; 1t had been used. /
should say. about IA years; 1t had not
beou condemned; there were two Of
them; these boilers are very explosive
on account Of burning much fuel; they
were in good condition whom / took
them; they were Of iron OF tho Low.
Moore brand; the shells were OF Curry.
Croft iron, which Ii considered the best
brand for boilers; they had been used
with 10 pounds Of steam; water Is q
little stronger; have seen boilers tested
in the same way before; never saw q
boiler move from its place before, and
cannot possibly tell how this q did.
James Brown was also unable to be
present, and his testimony was taken at
bis house: Am chief engineer Of the
Ophir; q couple Of boilers were being
tested by Thomas Wooley for air 70.
ceivers; l had them filled with water and
put O steam gauge on; tested them with
hydrant pressure; got the pressure up
to 100 pounds; then heard the stay bolts
breaking; had q man at the hydrant to
shut of the water the moment I called
to him; water was shut of at 100 pounds
pressure; il then bursted; I stood ak or
seven feet northeast OF the boiler; the
man at the indicator said the pressure
was 100 pounds; did not know the con.
ditiou OF the boilers; they were brought
to the Ophir for testing; II in good con.
dition they should stand l60 or ITO
pounds to the square inch; the boilers
had been weakened by the removal OF
two OF the large faues; in my opinion
there ought to have been more stay bolts.
DIR. Grant testified to tho nature OF
the injuries sustained by the deceased;
he died from the shock consequent upon
those injuries.
Thomas Rowland Was working
around the boilers ct the time OF the 40.
cident; heard Brown soy 1t showed ITO
pounds pressure; went about three steps
and 1t went of; helped pick up deceased
from under the boiler: rolled 1t of a
little; remained with him till no died;
he was about 40 years OF age, and l
think was q native OF Ohio; no precau-
tons were taken in regard to men work
ING around or near tho boiler while It
was being tested; some seven or eight
men were working around there; do
ceased stepped ont OF the fre.room just
before tho accident; tho boiler was
standing near the fire room door, near
the south end Of the building.
Thomas Simpson {: Was assisting at
the time OF the accident; was at the
valves In order to shut them Oh when
the order was given ; did 10 ; heard the
crash (; saw deceased lying with his leg
under the boiler {; helped roll II Of and
carry him in (; have no idea what pro-
duced the explosion.
James Gee Was working there also /;
was at the gauge ; called every five
pounds ; when 1t got to % We thought
something burst; Brown asked Woolley
IL he had hit the boiler with q hammer |;
when she got near 100 Brown said shut
her off there were from 100 to ITO
pounds when she exploded; Brown eau
toned US to DO careful he told q man
who was shoveling snow to look out |;
saw no men passing around don't see
any harm in testing the boiler where 1t
was.
The jury found that deceased was .
native Of Ohio. aged about 40 years. and
that he came to his death by the eIplo-
sion Of q boiler at the Ophir mine, and
that In their opinion the parties having
in charge the testing Of the boiler did
not use proper precautionary measures
for the protection Of those who might
happen 10 DO near or around the same
during such testing.