The Portland daily press., 1899-04-11
OF the Boiler Of the Engine Pre-.
SumpstOt.
Railroad G Commissioners
Hearing Continued.
Sensational Evidence Regarding
the Saccarappa Accident.

The adjourned hearing of the railroad
commissioners on the accident at the
Saccarappa ,station on the Portland
Rochester railroad by which the locomo :
tive Presumpsoot was blown up and two
lives lost occurred yesterday afternoon at
the Wsst End hotel The most important
evidence submitted to the commissioners
was the report of the experts who ex-
amined the locomotive after the accident
which showed that 70 Of the stay bolts,
being about one-quarter Of the whole
number, were broken previous to the ex-
plosion of the boiler and from 75 to so
had been partially broken before the acci-
dent. A leaky stay bolt was discovered
by q machinist In the round house the
day before the accident and reported to
the master mechanic but the Presumpscot
was sent out on run Of l04 miles that
day and on the next run her boiler ex-
ploded. One Of the experts when ques-
toned regai ding the prudence of sending
an engine cut on O long run with leaky
stay bolt said that he thought 1t was a
little imprudent as one leaky stay bolt
would show that there were several more
and the breaking of one bolt weakens
the boiler not little.
At the conclusion OF the hearing the
railroad commissioners stated that they
would not give their opinion on this mat
ter at once, but would render their de-
cision In few days.
WHAT A STAY BOLT is.
1t may be interesting to know just what
o stay bolt Is in order 90 understand the
following full reportof the commissioners
hearing. A locomotive boiler Is one Of
the internally fired boilers which has a
rectangular fire box surrounded by water
to be evaporated on all sides excepting the
hottom. From the front side of this fra
box the tubes carry the hot gases through
the water In the barrel of the boiler to
discharge them onto the smoke box at the
extreme front.
The fistuess OF the upper side of the fire
box or the crow sheet necessitates an
elaL crate system Of bracing or staying for
that exposed surface. The sides or water
lsgs are prevented from bullying by being
united together by "stay bolts.''
ENGINEE R FOUND LEAKY STAY
BOLT.
The first witness called at the COM
mencement of the hearing was Engineer
Frank Elwell o. the Portland and Roch-
ester. who was present at the request of
County Attorney George Libby. Mr..
Elwell stated that he ran the PresumpscOt
on her round trip to Rochester the day
before the accident. His fireman was
william Ferguson, who found a leaky
stay bolt in the boiler. Mr.. Elweil's at.
tsntion was called to this lesky bolt by
Ferguson. 1t was on the right side of the
fire box, the fourth bolt from the end.
County Attorney Libby-"What was
done about it?"
Z Engineer Elwell-"Nothing that am
aware OF"
Commissioner Chadbourne-"Did you
say anything to Biokford about it!"
Engineer Elwell-''I didn't see Bick.
ford"
Mr. Chadbourne-"Did you examine
any other bolts to see If they were leak
ingf"
/: Mr.. Elwell-"Yes, made an eIaInina-
ton, but found no others leaking
Fireman william Ferguson was the
next witness called. He had also been
summoned to appear by the County At
torney. He said that when fixing his fire
the day before the accident he noticed the
lsaky stay bolt and called Engineer I'll
wells attention to 1t. Ferguson also told
Fred o. Edgerly, a machinist in the
round house, about it. 1t leaked little
down upon the sheet, but dried as fast as
1t leaked.
Mr.. Chadbourne-"Is it usual to lind
such thing in an enginer
MIR. Ferguson said it was common
thing to find such leaks.
Mr.. Chadbourne asked him what
done when such leaks were found
MIR. Ferguson replied that he Away
called the attention of the IL aster me.
ohauic to the matter. The fireman salt.
that he was not aware that anything was
done to this lsaky bolt on that day and