New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-18
THE RIVERDALE EXPLOSION.
STARTLING STORY OF A PASSENGER.

oihhi otOh1 Of A fASSENGEhs
WHAT HE HEARD THE FIREMAN TELL THE ENGINEER
ABOUT HOLES IN THE BOILER.
Albert H. Hyatt, formerly express agent on
the steamer Rverdale made a statement to TRIB-
UNE reporter last night. which, if true shows ex-
treme recklesness the part of the officers of that
illfated Hyatt in his capacity of ex press
messenger made the trip from Sing Sing to this city
and return on the Riverdae every day. On
the day In which she was blown up he was ON
board the steamer as usual He was seated
the door Of the engine before the steamer
left her pier. He saw the fireman come up, and
heard him saw to the engineer:
"She has blown hole in her boiler"
"ls it the old hole or q new one ~ asked the en-
gineer
"ICs new one" replied the fireman. ut IL
going just so" and he made gesture to indicate
that the steam was coming out in Jet. There is
much steam that can't stay down there" added
the fireman as he turned away.
The steamer then got under way and
proceeded up the river Hyatt was
near the bow of tho boat and saw large
volumes of steam coming up out of the fore-hatch.
which was not far from the end OF the boilers.
Pretty soon the Captain came and ordered deck
hand to put down the fore-hatch. The hatch was
closed tIghtly aud the steam no longer came
through IO Jne ueck III IOur mluuJts lTOIu budu
time the explosion took place.
On the Friday following the explosion
Hyatt told this story to gentleman at Yonkers,
saying that weighed his mind aud he must
tell one. Subsequently he told the same story
of TWO other people, The man to whom he Iirst
related the story went TO Coroner Martin, but was
told tnat the inquest was closed. The foreman Of
the ury in the case, however, hearing the story.
said that no would have tho reopsned
for the purpose of taking Hyatt's testimony.
subpoena was issued for Hyatt. but was returned
not found"
TRIBUNE reporter found Hyatt last night at his
home in Sing Sing. Ho was disnclIned to talk
about the matter at drst but finally made a clean
breast of it. he dec ared that his statements were
absolutely true. and that he was willing to testify
to their truth. When asked If he was
not frightened when he heard the conversation
between the fireman and engineer he said: swell,
was, but when | saw the steam coming up out OF
the IRE hatch felt relieved, for thought that IL
the slean was escaping that way the boiler would
not explode. That shows what | knew about
boer-. III know better next time, though" :,
Hyatt Is about thirty years old. and IS well
spoken OF by those who know HIM. As far az
tie reporter able TO ascertain, ne mas
no possible object IN telling the story II 1t Is not
trur wlle tile fact that his brother IS express
messenger on the CbTysteuah, steamer belonging
10 the same company, would % an inducement for
hIm To keep back anythlDg tndt wcuIu lnJure tnd
company.
THE INSPECTORS INQUIRY.
The investigation into the causes of the Rverdale
explosion resumed yesterday at the office OF the
Supervising Inspector of Steam Vessels, George IL.
Starbuck IN the Post Office Building. The first
witness was Thomas McGee a boiler maker employed
at Nyack, where the boilers of the Rlverdae
wero repaired. He said that the repairs consisted
of putting on "soft" patches. The double
patch on ono of the pieces taken from tho
exploded boiler showed that the iron was too thin
10 hold bolts without beiug reinforced. The do0bie
paich would also i've likely 10 prevent the boiler
IRON beng eaten away more az that point. Nr.
McGee. when asked to what he attributed the ex-
pOsIOu, replied tlat under the boilers there was
more or less dampuess and consequent corroslon,
and the boilers were corroded inside from
the fact that water remained IN
Thought that there something III the iron OF
the boilers Impaired probably in tho pudding.
winch rendered II particularly susceptible 10 cor
rOslOn Tom salt water.
Nrcnol,s 81. Pierre, foreman of Mr.. McGe.s shop.
sad that he put cylindrical patches on the
boilers OF the RIycrdale by direction OF Boiler
INSPECTION CaulITcll. lie discovered at that tine
salt on the caukng edges OF the seams. The double
pa ch was put Oh because there was not strength
en- Il IA IN tue shell To hold single one lherewaz
no Ot his getting TO the bottom OF the Doller on
the inside, and he only way no could test 1t was to
sound with q hammer. lie aScrlDed the eorr0sion
to the salt water, some oil which lay IN tho boiler
the year round Some galyanlc action might have
taken place on account OF the copper oil the iced
pipe 81,
Inc next witness was Daniel w.
Tauman. tho engineer of the steamer. ho cGI-
tradlcted the previous witness and said that not
only the three cy DducIl patches but all tho
patches Excepting one which he put on hImselD
were pu, on by McGce's man. Ijarck Creyert OF
Yonkris assistant fireman OF the Riy-rdale, testl-
fed that tho boilers cleaned once week. The
uoIlrrs were blown OF, the hand-pole
plates in the leg" taken of aud the
leg washed. lie said that he had been lusIde tue
boiler but ha seon scales III It, John .NcCurdy
testified that ne repaired the boilers Uf tho RIVER
dale some time Last spring. His foreman is to ap-
pear to-day and testify TO the particulars of tue
pairs.
The United States Grand Jury is making an in
yestlpatIon into tho Rlverdale explosion, with q
view to indictng those responsible for the acc-
dent.