Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-03-19
THE INVESTIGATION ON.
INQUEST JURY TRYING TO LEARN
ABOUT THE ACCIDENT.
d. s. g. S. Employees Give an Account of
the Explosion of Engine No. 4--Shop
Men and Mechanics Testify as to the
Condition of the Boiler.

Condition of the Boiler.
The jury appointed by Deputy Coro-
ner McCoombs to investigate the acci-
dent on the d. S. & S. Railroad began
its work on Monday evening at Halle
ton. All of the witnesses have not yet
testified, but the following, from the
Plain Speaker, gives the proceedings as
far as they have yet progressed.
The first witness heard was Henry
Tully, the rear end brakeman, who es-
capped injury. He said: 81 reside at
Freeland and am brakeman in the en-
ploy of the d. S. & S. on a mixed train
Was on the train drawn by Engine No.
which exploded. The accident occur
red at Gum Run tower. No person eX-
cept the crew assigned to conduct the
train was on the train. Chambers was
found twenty-five feet from the engine
His eyes rolled, but he did not speak
Jonas Stewart was found three hundred
feet from the tower. Brakeman Boyle
was discovered about the same distance
from the engine as Chambers. Frank
O'Donnell was found on the west side OF
the track. ] fired for Chambers for
three years and have braked during the
past three weeks. There were nine cars
in the trip. The engine was not over
worked, nor running at high rate Of
speed, probably between four and five
miles per hour. The road is in good
condition at that point. She was on the
road about four years, having been built
at the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Phila-
delphia.' In answer to an interroga-
tion Mr.. Tully stated that nine cars, the
number which constituted the trip, was
an unusual number. 1t carried gener-
ally about 135 to 140 pounds of steam.
William ii. Goyne was next sworn.
He is resident of Fern Glen and looks
after the boilers, pumps, etc, at the
Derringer colliery. He testified: 81
was about mile from the accident and
went Immediately to the scene accom-
panied by Stephen Singly. 1t was first
thought that a powder magazine had eX-
ploded. Saw all the dead bodies after
the explosion. First saw two bodies ly-
ing west of the engine and saw the four
in the tower / noticed that the crown
sheet was bulged between the stay bolts
1t would Indicate that the accident was
due to no water being in the boiler, al
though nothing definite can be stated as
the direct cause. The stay bolts were
nearly all pulled out, several of which |
noticed were weak, although none OF
the weak ones were broken. Some of
them were reduced in size and quite a
number were considerably reduced. 1t
is possible that it was caused by water
contaminated by sulphuric acid. No
cause other than that of a lack Of water
can be attributed to the explosion. Did
not consider the boiler in extra good
condition. They receive water at No. 4
Tomhickcn. Nothing could reduce the
size of the stay bolts other than bad
water"
Il. j. Minnich, of Tomhicken, next
man at the Tomhicken colliery. Upon
my arrival" he said, Il witnessed the
dead bodies of the crew, and assisted in
their removal. The-accident occurred
about 1.20 o'clock. Am, connected in no
way with the working of the road"
The next witness sworn was II. w.
Petit, of Nuremberg, who was in the
Gum Run yard inspecting cars, in which
vocation he is employed. Was only
about 300 yards from the explosion.
Never inspected engine No.4, only repair
cd thu brake at one time. Partly exam
ined the boiler after the accident. Saw
the bulge mentioned by Mr.. Goyne, also
the poor condition of the stay bolts.
The broken ones were located near the
mud ring. 1t may have bulged many
weeks before the fatal day.
w. L. Richards, of Woodside, foreman
of the Drifton boiler shops, took the
stand, and stated that he had inspected
the boilers. An order from Daniel
Coke that the boilers should be inspect
ed every two weeks was never recalled.
Inspected the boilers by steam power at
14O pounds pressure instead of water
power. The practice was discontinued
six months ago. The engine was put In
the shops on February and was taken
out on February 10, at which time thir'
ty-one bolts were put in. When bolt
is discovered broken about three are
taken out and new ones inserted. Nc
engine should run when two or three
bolts are broken. The bolts are tested
with hammer. The engine has beer
used continually for four years. Saw
no bad bolts in the crown sheet, but die
see some near the mud ring They were
all new breaks excepting fifteen. Th'
tubes were all right when tested. Bat
water will eat the bolts in the mannel
described. His opinion is that the ex
plosion was caused by want of water
Did not know whether the engineers ar,
examined.
William Miller, of Freeland, an EN-
ploye at the~Drifton boiler shops AM
inspector of stay bolts in the engines o