The Portland daily press., 1882-02-15

Boiler.
The coroners inquest on the boiler explos-
ion at Fairfield was concluded Monday night.
The taking of testimony concluded at late
hour.
W. f. Bacon, expert, testified that he told
John Smith when repairing the boiler In 1873,
that the boiler was unsafe; that the examina-
ton showed the iron of the boiler to be crys-
talized, brittle and rotten.
w. w. Rice testified that he knew nothing
OF the unsafety of the boiler.
Mannasseh Smith deposed that he was in
Fairfield in july 1881, with view of engaging
to run the boiler and engine. He examined
the boilers and deemed them unsafe to carry so
pounds of steam-not safe for over 60 pounds.
Came away without accepting the position
He did not deem the repairs since made suf6-
Gent to render the boilers safe.
j. w Philbrick, ex-master mechanic of the
Maine Central railroad, considered the explo-
sion due to overheating the boiler. Tha color of
the iron shows that the boiler was over heated
in spots. He saw no indications that the boiler
was unsafe for ordinary use.
hyatt uiuOf, DOiltr ulakcrs u w dteEflu6s
made repairs on the boiler four years ago. He
told Mr.. Smith and Stafford, the engineer that
the boiler was unsafe. Mr.. Smith said he
should have it repaired The burned condition
of the iron had destroyedits life. He thought
the cause of the explosion was in the iron for
one thing
Winslow Titcomb, boiler maker, of Water
vile, examined the boiler and found it badly
burned, brittle and rotten. He assisted in the
repairs last August Had some talk then of
the large amount of scale on the boiler.
Frank A. Pierce, former engineer for the
Framing Company. at the time of repairs in
August, discovered cracks in the boiler, filed
Them and had the boiler cleaned and scaled.
The repairs made then left the boiler poor. He
attempted to test the boiler, but could not get
only rs pounds pressure. There was no brick
on the top of the boiler, aud the fire drew over
the bare iron directly across the high water
mark.
The following verdict was found
An investigation was held at Fairfield, with.
in the county of Somerset, State of Maine, the
9th day of January, A. d. 1882, and continued
until the 18th day of February, 1882, before
John Hammond and r. p. Mayo. eoroners of
Sdiu county, upon Wow Oh bH6 DOd16S Ol NUdH
Rice, John Avery and Charles Lamier, there
lying dead, by the oaths of J. w. Charming, 81.
G1iaas x aS Good and iawfni
men, who being charged and sworn to inquire
for the State, when. how and by what means
said Noah Rice, John Avery and Charles
Lamier came to their death on the 28th day OF
January, A d. 1882, at Fairfield, on account
of the exploding of one of the boilers situated
in the mill of the Kennebec Framing Company
locatad in Fairfie Id Maine.
The boiler was tubular BOILER of eighty-five
horse power, and had been used about nine
years. An examination since the explosion
shows the iron to be badly crystalized ON the
inside, porous and brittle.
We find that at the time of the explosion the
water was low in the boiler, there not being
a sufficient amount to ensure safety, and very
hot fire under the boiler.
We find that the water used to supply the
boilers was very hard and full of lime deposits,
which being precipitated formed hard scale,
covering the tubes and bottom of the boiler,
rendering more fuel necessary to maintain the
requisite heat, thereby oyerheating and burn
ing the iron.
amount of work required it has been necessary
to force the boilers beyond their capacity.
We find that the explosion took place just
at the instant when the engineer was starting
the machinery, and that the steam gauge indi-
Gated eighty pounds, the amount usually car
ried.
We find that the management has required
of the engineer, not only the care OF the engine
and boilers, but also a personal oversight OF re-
pairs, thus frequently taking him away from
his post of duty.
We find that during the past few years fire..
quent repairs have been necessary upon the
boilers, and constant overstraining had weak
ened the iron, and on the morning of the ex-
plosion the heavy fire under the boiler that
BURST combined with the low water and the
increased strain caused by agitating the water
in opening the throttle, produced the explosion
by bringing the water IN contact with the over
heated surface.
We fail to find any criminal neglector care
lessness ontbe part of any person OF persons,
but we do feel to censure the management for
knowingly putting more work upon the boilers
than they could safely perform, for knowingly
ing Of an engineer duties which took him away
from the immediate care and supervision of
the en- inc and boilers.
We fail to find any law of the State requiring
an inspection of stationary engines and boilers,
and we urge upon our legislators such action as
will secure a legal enactment making 1t obllga-
tory upon all owners OF such engines and Doll-
ers, that they be thoroughly inspected and ex-
amined at least twice year.
In testimony whereof the said cordners and
the Jurors of the inquest have hereunto set
their hands and seals this thirteenth day OF
February, A. d. 1882.
JOHN w. CLAIMING,
H. G. HALL,
HENRY FoGG,
A. I'll. DUREN,
S. G. MULLEN,
GEORGE M. TwITcHELL,
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