New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-18
THE UPHEA II ELEVENTH-ST.

SEEKING THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
THK CURIOUS CROWDS At THE SCENE OF The &C
CIDENT-wHAT MR. MCREEEY sAYS-oFFiCIAL
EXAMINATION.
The scene Of the explosion at Broadway and
Eleventh-st. was visited yesterday by hundreds
Of people, many Of whom were women A temporary
railing inclosed the large opening in the sidewalk
and served TO keep the crowd back. Several police
men were the ground and exercised their ali-
thoritv in REFRESHING the OvercuriOus. Many OF the
results of the accident could vet be Fragments
Of the hagstOncs that composed the sidewalk, ana
the heavy iron beams which supported them, were
lying the street. and the fronts of the houses OPP
nosite, in Eleventh-st.. wcrc spattered with mud.
Workmen were busy in repairing the windows III the
store of James McCreery & Co. from which the
glas, had been shattered and removing the debrs
from the GAP in the sidewalk where the explosion
took place. The tops OF the boilers. which were
directly under the sidewalk. we're buIcd under a
confused mass OF bricks mortar, wrenchcd and
broken iron and glass.
Mr.. McCrcery said yesterday that he was COM
pleteIy at loss 70 account for tie accident. The
engineer Samuel Rushworth had proved himself o
careful and trust worthy man. and he did not be-
lieve that the explosion had occurred through any
negligence on his part. AS proof that the hampers
were down. as stated by the engineer, he said that
the StOrcTOOmS Dccane so lull OF gas from the luI
naces i'm the afternoon that the windows had to be
thrown open. This wCuld not have happened had
the draft in the furnaces got been shut of. Some
of the employees Of Blake 4 Higgins, by whom the
boilers put III. inspected the boilers yesterday.
and reported that Ill the parts III good condi-
ton, save the dOne from which the head was blown
OFT.
Inspector Ioferts. of the Sanitary Police. and Ex
aiming Engineer Horton also visited the scene oil
the accident and examined the boilers 1t was
found that tue head of the steam drum was blown
aft nU hpen 4 pUpP
The heads of the three. quarter inch Iiyets Inch
had served TO keep the head of the drum III place
had been wfencled from the rods Ia which they
were attached. Mr.. Horton SAID TOT Il;lBUNE re-
pOrter that an examination of the edges OF tho
broken drun-head showed that 1t had not been
made ont of fist Glass ~ II was shelly and had
the appearance Of not lyIug been properly welded
IL tho iron had gwen way in any degree before the
accident Happened or was rs detective rs II looked
IL might havo burst IRON pressure OF lcss than
seventy pounds-the amount necessary % open tue
Saicty-ValVe.
The engineer and fireman were examined at Police
Headquarters in the afternoon. Samuel ku5hwtrlh
this engineer said that tho boilers, Ol winch he had
charge were 10 ieet long snd - inches ~ Gl1meser
the dome was - inches ~ diameter ana II inches
high. H. WIS IN the habit o; carving oIy twenty
five or thirty pounds OF steam. The boiler that ex-
plOdcd was tested IN August las: up TO 100 pounds
In July iasi he had made III rough examination
aud found no evidence OF weakness IA any of the
plris When ne left the boiler room 1T l2io p IN.
SUNDAY the daiurcrs were dOEn and Tie gauge III
dictated Il pressure OF oIly thrcc pounds. Thomas
lialigIn. the icinan said That on sunday before
leaving thc boIrr-rnom at haif.paSi II rclOcA. no
settled aud the fires aud FLIED M the boilers
with wafer. here was thcn steam pressure Ol
only three pounds.