Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-22
wednesday evening. June AZ, ISaI.
BOILER
Valuable Scientific Experiment
-LawsOn's Theory.
Pittsburgh Post, NIL
Z. WHTTHORE,
Publisher snd Proprietor.

Pittsburgh Post, 1Tth.l
The first successful scientific at
tempt to explode a steam boiler was
made by Mr.. D. T. Lawson, Of Wells
vile, Ohio, at Munhall farm, yester-
day afternoon. The experiment is one
which will be wildly discussed in
scientific journals, and goes far to
prove that Mr.. Lawson's theory as to
why boilers accidentally explode is
correct. The government commission
spent$ BOO, 900 10 scientific experiments
at Munhall farm and Sandy Hook,
and were never successful. The
scientists held theories as to why
boilers exploded, and applied the
tests on these theories. Mr.. Lawson
entertains a widely different theory
from those generally credited, and
succeeded in exploding the boiler on
the tests Of his theory.
THE EXPLOSION.
The boiler was thirty inches in
diameter and six feet in length, and
the iron was GA pounds tinside Of
strength. The frst-.est was made
unsuecessfully at a pressure Of 225
pounds. Then the steam was run up
to go pounds pressure. when followed
: terrific report. The boiler was
blown to atoms. One Of the boiler
heads was found with pieces of the
sides still elinging to it and the other
head was blown probably half a mile
distant. One gentleman thinks il
landed near his place. aud boys we're
sent on the search OF it but had not
found it yet. when Mr.. Lawson re-
turned to the city. Practical men Of
this city predicted that the heads
would burst first, but the facts prove
them mistaken. The boiler was more
than three .fourths full Of water, and
the water was from seven to eighi
inches above the FIRE line at the time
Of the explosion.
MR. LAwsoN's THEORY.
Mr.. Lawson claims that his inYen
ton is based upon the irrefutable fac
that the only explosive element IN
steam boiler is superheated water
that water, when highly su~perheated
is as explosive as g%unpOWder, but tina
it does not explode from the SAM
cause, nor in the same manner. Gun
powder explodes by chemical uniol
upon indition, and the fash is plsinlt
visible. Superheated water explode
by a sudden reduction Of the pressur
from its surface by bursting int
steam, which instantly fills over 40
times the space occupied by the Watei
No mar has ever truthfully elaine
that boiler explosions are %accompanie
with a fash, which must be the cas-
If caused by gas, nitro. glycerine, q
other like explosive substance. whic
cannot explode without a fash. Nc
thing is seen but a cloud Of steam
into which the superheated water ha
been instantly transformed.
sUPERHEATED WATER.
Uader the normal pressure of Ii
atmosphere, water bOils at a heat
2l2 degrees Fahrenheit, and it cannt
be made any hotter unless confne
under pressure, for the escaping steal
will carry off the heat as fast as I'll
can impart it. When confined in
steam boiler, if a pressure Of tC
pounds to the square inch is require
the water must be heated to 238 d,
grees, at which heat we get the desire
pressure. If fifty pounds pressure
the square inch is desired, the heat
the water must reach z98 degrees;
100 pounds pressure, the heat in wat
must be raised to 1888 degrees or thi
pressure cannot be obtained.
When water is thus superheatel
the engineer opens the cylinder por