Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-09-25

Zebley, David III. Megill, Paul ellis,
William +. Robinson, James Kitchen
and John w. Stetser, comprising a
Jury empaneled by Coroner John Il.
Friok, with Mr.. Woodward as foreman,
held an inquest in the court room at
the City Hall Monday afternoon to
determine, If possible, the cause of the
explosion at the Delaware pulp mills,
on August goth, in which II men lost
their lives and several others were in
iured. After making personal inves-
tigation at the plant and hearing the
evidence of number of witnesses, the
jury decided that the deceased "came
to their death on Wednesday, August
goth, 1902, at about 2 O'Clock, p. M,
by tho accidental explosion Of diges-
ter at the wood pulp works OF the
Jessup & Moore Paper CO., In Chris
tiana hundred, Delaware, the cause of
the explosion being unknown to the
jury"
Those who lost thoir lives as a result
of the explosion were joel Hutton,
William X. Scott, Joseph +. Henry,
William Ruf, Edward II. Mousley,
BARLEY Sweeney, James Il. Jester,
George Durham, William Il. Rurke,
Granville Walter, Franklin T. Harris,
George w. Wright, James Nanglc,
John Mccormick, James B. Stokes,
Joseph LauEacher and Zachariah Col
Inns.
The most seriously injured we're John
Collins, who is still at tho Hompo-
pathic Hospital; Thomas Reese of go
Jefferson street and John White OF
Lancaster avenue and du Point street,
both of whom have recovered sufficiently
to be about.
Coroner Frick was assisted in holding
the inquest by James T. Chandler, his
undertaken. David Lindsay, general
superintendent of the Jessup & Moore
Paper Co: James w. Ponder OF Sauls-
bury, Ponder g. Curtis, the company's
attorneys, members OF the families of
some of the men who were killed and a
few Others we're present il addition to
the jurors and witnesses. Mr.. Gnyer, a
member of the jury, took stenographic
report OF the evidence and saYeral of
the jurors examined the witnesses, as
did also Mr.. Chandler, acting for them.
In addition to tho people employed at
the pulp works, several experts were
examined, but practically no new light
was thrown upon the mystery surround
ing the explosion. as is indicated in
tho verdict.
Before going to the City Hall the
jury, accompanied by Coroner Frick
and his undertaken, James I. Chandler,
went to the pulp works and examined
the exploded boiler and tho damaged
buildings and conferred with employees
there.
They also went to the homeopathic
Hospital, where they took the testi-
mony of John Collins, the only sur
viyor who has not recovered. Collins
is able to get about the hospital, but
cannot go out. He stated that he was
working in the wash room at the time
lie was about 70 feet from the diges-
ters, with a brick wall between him
and the digesters. All lie knew. was
that there was an explosion and he was
struck by the debris. 4 door was
blown on him and he did not loose con-
seriousness, the door protecting him
from further injury. He did not know
what caused the accident.
The only real new information was
obtained from the experts,
Baynard Ii. Morris of Fourth and
Chestnut streets, PHILADELPHIA, an
analytical chemist, testified that he
had the steel broken to test its tensile
strength. There were three pieces, tive
from Lne bottom and ono from the side.
Those from the side tested So, iO(
| pounds to the square inch and 81. 40C
| and that from the side, %, 100. The
usual test of good steel is between
so, 600 and 60,00o pounds. He consid
cred it good steel. The caustic soda
used in digesting the wood has ne
effect upon tho steel and did not injurt
1t in any way. He could not assign any
GaIIse lur une explosion.
William j. Earran, an expert boiler
ig1aker, OF 1873 North Thirteenth street
EPhiladelphia, testified that he hac
examined the boilers. There is no lay
in this State for tho inspection o
boilers, but the United States govern
nent provides for inspections of steam
| boat boilers,
Witness was unable to assign an,
cause for the explosion. The boiler
we're made in the usual manner, will
welded seams, which had been adopted
by paper makers. The seam has iron
81 to 9o per cent of the strength of tn
solid plate, whereas the riveted sean
has about 10 per cent Of the strength
lie explained the method of Welding
lie found the least thickness at til
point where the fracture took place t
be seven-tenths of an inch and it RAJ
from that to seven-eights. He woul
not have considered that the weakes
part of the boiler. He would hav
thought if there was break it woul
have occurred in longitudinal di
rection. II have not been able to soly
the reason for the explosion no said
The total resistance was 8, T0l, 0O
pounds, l,925 to the square inch. 4
1914 pounds pressure there was tot;
load of I9S l0S. Placing the LIQUID a
10000 pounds, there was o total re
sistancs Of S,70l, 600 pounds to tai,
care of load OF 5Sl, los pounds. Th
explosion was mystery to him.
John w. Dixon, aged CO years, n
expert paper maker, said there are z
digesters in the country, and this
the FIRST one that ever exploded. II
had seen the digesters here and foun
/ that they were above the standard. II
explained the method of using til
boilers. When the wood begins to d
gest, he said, it absorbs tho alkli an
! there is steam space in the top. Wi
, ness has built over 20 pulp mills in I'll
United States and some in Canada.
Jonn T.. Saunders of 1907 West Eight
, street, superintendent Of the Delawai
, mills, testified that he noticed IL
steam gauges on the digesters durin
the day Of the explosion. 1t takes fro
, three to four hours to fire up a d
gester. Fire had been under the d
gester which exploded three hours b.
, fore the explosion. The digesters al
guaranteed to stand pressure of Ii
| pounds. He heard the explosion, il
J vestIgated immediately, called polio
headquarters and the ambulance, wit
, a view to getting all the assistance pc
| sible. He had been in the digest,
room between 8 and 8 O'Clock in tt
morning. The digesters are separate
i from each other. Thirty-seven d
gesters are blown out every "A hour