The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-22
CORONER
BEGINS
INQUEST

Coroner Joseph p. Duxbury, M. D., OF
Lincoln, began an inquest yesterday at
ternoon TO determine the circumstances
connecting the death OF James Allen and
Michael r. Mitchell. the two men who
met death by scalding at the Saylesville
bleacheriss on Dec, s.
The hearing took place In the Sayles
library. Coroner Eugene III. Lincoln or
Providence. representing the attorney
general was present. and propounded
most OF the questions TO the witnesses
The first witness examined was Alex
ander Stewart. boss machinist. Mr..
Stewart said that he had known both the
men during their lifetime.
The witness identified the sections OF
pipe which were shown him as the parts
OF the main pipe which had como apart.
He INST saw the men lying dead under
the pleating machine when he got in
the room whete they were. He could
not tell whether the pipe was defective
previous to the accident but found that
the thread of the fitting was all gone
and was unable to state what might
have caused II. From IS to 80 pounds
of steam is the average pressure for
pipe of the same size TO carry. and TO the
best of his knowledge there was about
IS pounds pressure on II every morning.
but he could not say what pressure was
on II the morning In question.
His attention had been called TO the
leak In the pipe on the afternoon preced-
ing the accident, and four or FIVE times
during the last year he had been remind
ed OF a similar defect. He had talked with
Mr.. Wood the superintendent. In regard
TO the matter on each occasion. and the
latter had told him TO have the necessary
repairs made then, and In the spring a
new pipe would be procured TO supplant
the whole OF the present main pipe.
Coroner Duxbury questioned the witness
at length In regard TO the pressure OF the
steam In this pipe and Its ability TO with
stand the pressure. He denied having told
Superintendent Wood that 1t was neces-
sary to shut OF the steam In order TO
make the repairs required. but stated that
hs knew that there was defect In the
pipe when II leaked. The company had
been desirous OF carrying a pressure OF
100 pounds in this pipe. and that was what
the intention OF getting the new pipe was
for.
Lindsay Reid. 10 years Of age. was next
witness. He heard the burst of the pipe,
which was the first intimation he had OF
the accident. The room where he was was
Immediately filled with steam and he ran
and jumped through a window In order 10
escape.
He had never heard any person say that
the pipe was dangerous before the acci-
dent occurred.
Thomas ]. Dwan OF Prospect Hill was
there on Dec. s. He was OF the opinion
that the pipers came to work about 10
minutes OF Z. He saw them when they
commenced to put up the dripper from the
msir steam pipe. Allen stood on the lad
der which rested against the steam pipe.
and Mitchell on the one which rested
against the wall The men had been at
work VI on the job five minutes when the
explosion occurred. and the witness was
about six yards away.
James Sweeney helped TO carry the
bodies of the two men TO the dry sheds.
Was not aware that the pipes had been
considered dangerous.
John Asquth, foreman of the calender
and winding room, testified that on the
morning In question he had just entered
the winding room and could see the forms
of the two men on the ladders. In LIS
opinion the men had not been. at work
more than five minutes when the ac-
cident occurred. He escaped from the
room by getting down on his hands and
knees. He returned in about 10 minutes,
and the finishing room was filled with
water and steam, but he never saw the
men again. He had seen a number OF
leaks in the pipe during the past twelve
months.
John F. Brassell. one of the steam ft-
ters employed In the night gang at the
bleacheries. testified that on the morning
when the accident occurred he saw Allen
and Mitchell come in the shop at the time
when he was getting ready to go home.
During the night he had been NJ work
on this Joint, but did not know that II
was bad bne. He had never worked
on this particular joint before. He had
never heard anyone say that the pipe
was defective.
He was OF the opinion that just be-
cause water dripped from a joint the pipe
could not be considered defective. as there
are very few pipes which do not leak
some at the joints. At $50 O'Clock on the
morning OF the accident there was 40
pounds pressure OF steam on the pipe. and
at o'clock this was Increased to 80
pounds He did not know that that was
considered too great pressure for pipe
OF the same dimensions as Z 8 one. He
had not talked with any person In re-
gard to the matter since the accident,
and no one had approached him on the
subject This concluded the testimony
for the day and the hearing was ad-