Smyrna times., 1884-07-23
F0T the Smyrna Times
Boiler Explosions,

mate the causes leading to these
occurrences. This does not arise from
any unwillingness of the press to state
them or in the inquest of the coroner,
but from the fact that those who could
or could not give the desired informa-
tion have their lips sealed in death
Then the recOunting Of these things F.
only panders to the taste for the horri- /
bic which sufices but for day, leaving
all to conjecture and with it the warm /
ing for others to avoid similar calamity /
by an adherence to well known rules /
applicable to the generation of steam
in enclosed metal vessels. 1t is Il sad
commentary on the mechanical and
scientific knowledge acquired through
this century of wonders that SO much
mystery should surround plain law
In physical science as the press and
these cases indicates, or an Indifference
that is almost criminal by the familiari-
ty it begets in these kind Of horrors.
Perhaps it may not be too much to
maintain that no State Government is
complete without adequate boiler in
spection laws annually enforced. Thisit
is true aims blow at the cupidity of
proprietors who will persist in using
old and worn out boilers, and assures
to this extent the safety Of those who
work near them. Still this is but of
secondary Importance, as boilers have
been known to explode Immediately
after a satisfactory inspection, and it
therefore brings into more prominence
what is clearly the fundamental law in
the management of steam boilers that
the iibrous construction of the metal
forming the shells should be better un-
derstOOd. Now we will take the ordi-
nary portable boiler with engines at
tached and altogether used for thresh-
ing purposes. In this kind Of boiler
the upper half extends over to the
front and forms the upper part Of the
furnace and e-boX, terminating with
the CRATE bars at the other end. Here
it must be borne in mind that where
the fire is hottest the water is lowest,
for this upper part forms a fiat crown
sheet; still the upper gauge is above
this again seven inches OF more. Now
nothing would occur to this boiler un-
less super-heated steam was generated
to cause an explosion, unless this flat
crown sheet being the place where the
water was the lowest as well as the fire
the hottest should-should do what?
This is the question that the owners
of this most treacherous class of boil
ers are more concerned in should be.
5 come bare Of water. Weasl permission
to again refer to cohesive attraction in
iron at common and at high tempera
lures. If there were no difference, nc
difference would be perceptible ever
with these crown sheets becoming bare
= of water. the iron would be Just a:
strong. Still, as we cannot prove sucl
+. to be the case, we must take it as i
of heat lose one half their adhesiv,
strength, and at 500 degrees of hea
entirely all, brings us down to the tru,
theory of the cause of boiler explosions
: from low water, and very easily, is
this low water business brought about
!. In addition to the usual water guages
three in number, there is placed glas
. tube to also register the height Of tn
water in the boiler, an arrangement
that is very good to look at whel
working well, but one unsafe to trus
on account Of its liability to becom,
choked in the pipe leading to tn
boiler and when such is the case will
, the resultant water product If tn
fingers Of each hand are interlace
with each other, there is represented
the fibrous interlocking of a hOrizOnta
section of bar of iron. No more o
less can then be obtained than tina
they are a mass of thread like ibres hel
together alone by cohesive attractio
at common temperatures. When theI
it is found that this cohesive force
greatest at common temperatures,
departure from the perpindicular of
i. quadrant to the diameter of n circl
will bring about two different extreme
RE of temperature, viz, hot and cold. an
with it the phenomena of fibrous iron
expansion and contraction. Beyon
this science cannot go. All that is
be regretted is that law of so muc
IL importance should be so little unde
stood, and still less cared for. Now
this principal of cohesive attractio
were the same at rising temperatur,
as it is at common, there would neVC
be any explosions because the iro
would have the same tenacity as if
"a, were cold, and would resist pressul
h the same. Again, let it be understood
what is meant by pressure of say
= pounds of steam to the square inc
:. Enormously this is supposed to mea
- that the boiler or iron is bearing a
outward or bursting pressure of
pounds on every square inch of surfa'
q contained in the boiler. Nothing cou
- be farther from the fact. An examin
Uion into the law of cohesive attra
M ton shows that the 60 pounds pressu
IN, is in the direction of that attractio
and not at right angles to it, Here
where the almost criminal blunder
Tn, made, when wreck and destruction ft
~ low in its trail. The line of pressure
always in the line of attraction, al
EN- this pressure acting against this attra
ton and overcoming it is the chi
cause of boiler explosions, on accOu
:. of low water, the glass registers thr
gauges or more of water, when proba
e eto, o. " the crown sheet is already bare, ai
IT the fire in the furnace soon causes {
bare iron to lose Its cohesion, and
explosion is the result, simply beeau
at high temperatures iron expands al
eN