Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-31
The Navy Yard Expyo>iou.

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The Navy Yard Explosion.
THE INQUEST ovER rHE REMAINS or LAWRENCE.
TESTIMONY or NAVAL oFFIcERs-soNErHISa
ABOUT THE MANUFACTURES or THE ROCKETS.
AT II O'Clock to-day the jury empanneIled on SAT-
urday over the remains or George l.. Lawrence tho
victim OF the accident at the navy yard on Friday
last, met at the residence OF Mr. f. NJ Boteler No.
80 Sth street southeast The Jurors were J. n.
oD0nnell, Adam Ga1dls, VI. McNelly, Jasper Scott,
"loert Cannon and George keil.
IIRUT. RoHRER's STORY
Lieut. Carl Rohrer. the first witness examined.
testified that he was in his Office engaged i'm
writing at the time OF the explosion FRIDAY at 2x
oclock); heard the explosion, aud saw smoke
arising from the hydraulic press house; thoughC
that there Were one or more explosions after the
first: 20 the fire hose. IN the west end OF ths
machine shop, aud called on the men, who seemed
Inclined 20 run out of the shop, to come back and
help him. The hose WAS run out, and they CONF
menced playing on the fire: the deceased
lying though he had fallen out OF the west door:
his feet in the doorway and his body along side
the steps; had the inen pick him up. His clothes
being on fire, the flames We're smetbered;
dd not know exactly how the accident occurred,
not having been there. Witness explained that
the rocket furnished the prolelIing power OF the
feet long ana six inches in diameter; the inside 10
ease OF sheet irOn in which the composition is
placed. a small quantity at time, and pressed
under hydraulic pressure,-it0 tons TO the nch,-
this process being continued until the rocket is
finished. To prepare II as propeller for tor
pedo more surface than the simple face must be
exposed TO burning, and therefore a
hole is drilled the length of the rocket.
The composition is made OF nitre charcoal and sui.
phur-the same ingredients as are in powder-but
the proportion OF nitre is much larger than In pow
der. Any work in explosives Is dangerous A large
number OF these rockets have been successfully
made at the yard without accident, the persons en-
gagged being very careful and taking every precau-
then there would be danger or foreign substances
getting into the aperture. Witness did not regard
the manufacture OF these rockets as being as dam
gerouS as the manufacture OF powder.
COMMANDER J. A. HOWELL,
In charge OF the ordnance department. testified
that he was at his residence when he heard the
explosion, and at once FASTENED 10 the scene. The
matter OF manufacture OF these rockets had been
it had been determined TO have them
made at Newport These were in no moro
in cases Of accident the greater damage would 10
done 10y the largest rockets The deceased, he
that no accident has happened there emu under der hin
before this was the best evidence OF his capabty.
There had been 50 OF these rockets made here, and
in all probability been the last There was no
Illuminate about this rocket, and while the ingre-
dents Were the same as those Of powder, IL burned
much more slowly.
LIEUT.. r. d. HITCHCOCK =
testified that he was about fifty feet from the
building when the rocket exploded. He saw q
flash, heard an explosion, and the rocket whizZing
and the whole thing occupied but a moment The
flash took place 1T The bottOm-in the pan through
rocket Went up Two other m rockers wers WINS inns
down when they exploded and shot over pile q
timber There was no way OF accounting for this
accident; IL was one OF those which VIII take
place in the business which, as is well known, wad
dangerous
PyRoTEcBNIsT's TESTIMONY.
jeremiah Cross, pyrotechnist, testified thaS
there were three men engaged I'm drilling at tiD
tnlp ,a dan hrftfl yv,nn
no peculiar danger in the manufacture OF this kinA
OF rocket excepting that when an accident 90.
quenoes would likely he more serious He shaa
been engaged In the business for years and nevdr
had rocket TO explode the deceased was ro.
garded as a Shfliful man In the business.
JOHN w. THOMPSON,
who was fin charge OF the naval laboratory, testS-
fed that IL was one OF those unaccountabe acol-
dents incident TO the business. Lawrence seemed
TO be more careful in handling these rockets than
he had ever seen him before. He regarded these
rockets less dangerous than the ordinary
rocket, for IL was not SO explosive.
A rocket made on q spindle was more dangefouS
The pressure was about 5.oo0 pounds 10 the inch
100 tons 10 5.35 inches. In no way is Illuminating
powder used in these rockets; they are fired by
electric fuse. It possible TO turn the driil at
such speed as 10 ignite powder. 1t was usual 10
examine the drill as To its temperature about onc0
minute The inter, sulphur and charcoal 10
passed through sleeves both before and after mix
ing To be sure that no foreign substance had
Mr.. Thompson explained, I'm detail, the manner
OF work, showing the care taken; that after tho
ingredients are prepared, the mixing Is made att
distance OF 500 yards from the main buildings; thu
IL is carried back and forth In covered pots, &C.
THE VERDICT.
The jury, at I rs O'Clock, rendered the folownW
verdict: "That the said George L. Lawrence CAM
to his death at or about 2:30 O'clock october II
1881, at the press-house ut the Washington navy
yard, In the city OF Washington DC, from fnADs
ture OF the skull caused by the explosion Of q
'Weeks torpedo rocket which he was engaged IN
drilling at the time. From the evidence addueeQ
We believe that every precaution was taken 10 pm
vent accident, and that the cause Of the explost0
is unk known"
THE FUNERAL OF THE VICTIM.
The funeral OF Mr.. George Lafayette Lawrence
the victim OF the explosion at the navy yard a
Friday last, took place from his late residence, M
646 e street southeast, yesterday afternoon, an
was largely attended. The pall-bearers were mon
his fellow-Workmen. The floral oneT1ngs wen
numerous and many OF them exceedingly beaute.
ful in design and elaborate fn fniSh. One was q
anchor from the officers OF the steamer Corcoran
The remains were Inferred in the CongressionQ
Cemetery.
THE COAL TRApE.-Thfrty boats left Cumbeux
land Friday. with 2S04 90 tons OF COAL as folowSg
For OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Co., ,3l2- - tonSs
Maryland Co., 569 tons; Borden Co, 47l.0l tonss
Georges Creek, Co., 2So.0S tons; New Central Co..
9e.O4 tons; Carbon Co., 9S.ls tons