Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-13
TIE GAsCOGNE'S MISIIAP.
\ Fuller Description of the Accf-
Jcpt-FInv I'm New Machinery.

NEW YORK. February l2.--From Chief
Engineer Adolph Martin was obtained to-
day a more detailed description Of the
nature OF the break In the Gascogn''s
machinery. The break occurred in one Of
the piston-rods abou, half way betwe n
the traveller and the piston. 1t was due
70 naw Though IN re- were facilities
aboard for making repairs. the location
Of the break was such that an attempt TO
r pair IL would have required the moving
Of machinery. and would have been at
tended with even NOR" delay ana diih-
Guilty. Therefore. II vas decided 10 as
connect the affect i cylinder from the
other two, which are constructed 80 mat
N can be used Independently. This
neceSstated the taking ont Of the injured
piston and occasion d a delay Of seven
teen hours The cutting Of this cylinder
reduced the power from 900 horS power
10 g.J0o bringing the speed down one htlf.
Later, the crank shaft got heated, and
the bearings had 70 be changed.
The break was not cauS u by any strain
from bad weather. but simply 70 the ilaw
which existed In the new machinery
The engines are Of the ql.1drupie eX-
pansi0n type Tire are six cylinders. s"t
tandcm-fashion in two tiers Of three cylin-
ders Of 20 inches in diameter each, one
Intermediate cylinder Of "a inches. one
high-pressure cylinder of i2 inches. and
two intermediate cylinders Of T. inches
diameter.
TIE ship has twelve boilers Of tn" single
end type each feet 6 inches in length
and J., le-i 10 diametci
Before the first break down the average
revolutions 10 the minute " r. o.. When
the rcnliIs had be II made they could
i. nj tft
the storm It became nc ssary to reduce
n 20 80 The first brcakdOWn occurred
.230 knots out at sea. 1t was the piston
Of the Intermediate cylinder that cracked.
The second mishap was the occasion OF
th~ most 4 lay. II waS on the 1th OF
February thlt It occurred.
The isolatinE Of the injured cylinder
affected the control of the steam. which
pressed directly from the hish-pressuro
TO tn quadrupl expansion cylinders.
The after-cylinder became so heated that
the centre became disabled. 1t was ucces-
sary to wait for II 10 cool before anything
could b done.
After the second repairs lie Gascoene
got along without further trouble TO her
engines. Before the repairs were made
the second time however La GascOgne's
passengers learned something of the ter
rOrs of the sea.
Ihe storm INTO Wb'Ch the steamer ran
on February ith was. doubtless. respOnsi-
hle for the second accident. because of
the strain il put on the iessencd power
facilities which had been strengthened
by some new work. This new work
readily heated from friction. Steerage-
way was lost. and the steamer rolled in
the trough OF the sea. The passengers all
remained below.
II was 10 \. VI. on the 4th that the
cyclone started That night and the fol-
lowing were sleepless ones. Many who
retired oa. he second night got IN after
the accident The rolling OF the vessel
was frightful. High seas dashed against
tho port-ushts. and one heavy wave
reared it, bulk w nearly TO the bridge
II damaged one boat and carried away
twenty feet Of rail on the main deck.
The broken rston-rod weighed seven
tons
chief Engineer Martin SAYS that IT will
take about five days - repair the dam
age ard that the cost will be about 5000.
la GasC0cno Vil hc started out on Wed
nesiay next. Eighty men, the full com
plcmcnt OF o." engineers staff. are en-
gagged IN diecouneciing the broken rod.