Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-15
CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION.
A Trusted EmpIoye Of the Shop Says There
Was Enough Water, and Thinks Too
Much Steam Was the Cause.

A Trusted EmpIoye Of the shop Says There
Was Enough Water, and Thinks Too
Much Steam Was the Cause.
The boiler was tubular, 81 inches in di-
ameter, 5-16 of an inch thick and 16 feet long.
1t has been in use for nearly ten years, and
has been tested once year. The Boiler In
spector's permit shows that the engineer
was allowed to carry $50 pounds of steam.
He usually carried from 80 to 100 pounds.
There are number of causes assigned for
the explosion. About every other man
around the shop last night had q reason of
his own. Each time he would tell it he
would magnify the supposition until many
people believed the stories.
The most probable cause of the explosion
is given by George Kunkle, of Twenty
fourth street. an employe of the shop
who miraculously escaped being killed.
In speaking of the matter he said:
About Is seconds before heard the whistle
blow passed the head of the boiler, and. ac-
water tube. As usual, it showed there was suf-
fcient water in the boiler. / remember this
distinctly, as it all came back to my mind after
the explosion. l walked few feet beyond the
gauge and picked up hammer wanted. As
picked 1t up the whistle blew to knock off
for dinner. accordingly threw down the ham,
/ heard something that sounded like a gas
explosion, and the next thing l knew was
knocked down.
think the cause of the explosion was too
much steam in the drum of the boiler. We
. have belt running to the riveting machine
which was run by steam from the boiler. l think
the man who ran the machine threw off the
belt without notifying the engineer. At the
same time the engineer shut of and there was
a rush of steam to the drum of the boiler. In
less than three minutes the steam may have
dc
drum could stand. 1t consequently gave way
When the power necessary to run the rivet
ing machine was taken off it made more steam
in the boiler. The man who was running the
machine should have notified the engineer that
he was going to do so, and the engineer could
have shut off in accordance with the amount
of steam taken on by the stoppage of the ma
chine. The boiler was good one and made OF
the very best iron. The engineer had beer
working there for years and was perfectly
competent man.
Another man who worked for the firm fol
a number of years, but who left some tim,
ago, said:
The engineer of the place had entirely TOT
much to do. In addition to watching the en-
gine he had to run two planning machines. Or
one occasion in the shop knew the man who
was running the machine to shut off withou
notifying the engineer, and if the latter haC
. not discovered the steam rising on the gaugl
there would have been an explosion then.
the engineer had been watching his gauge to
day do not think the explosion would hav,
occurred.
A well-known engineer of dozen years
experience said last night:
1t is the easiest thing in the world for tn,
steam to rise in a boiler when any power ha
been thrown off. Suppose am running thesI
boilers and one of the engines meets with al
accident. The engineer hasn't got time to ruI
into the boiler house to tell me. and thinking
that am attending to my business he does no
DO SO, If he takes off an engine of 100 hors,
power he makes perceptible difference on thu
boilers. The decreased pressure causes thu