Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-07-28
CAUSE OF ACCIDENT
"BIubber" CIOgged Hose Pipe OF
the Estey Steamer
Water Filled Pump Instantly, Piston
Stopped and Fly Wheel Broke, InJurIns
r. D. Weld

r. D. Weld.
The cause Of the accident to the Estey
steamer on Wednesday evening Of last
week. when Engineer Fred d. Weld was
nearly killed, was determined Saturday
by w. II. Langdon Of Seneca Falls, N. Y,
an expert from the factory Of the La
Franc American Fire Engine Co. where
the steamer was made. Mr.. Langdon
arrived Friday night, being summoned by
the village bailiffs. and on Saturday morn
ing he made an investigation. 1t was
not until nearly all the working parts OF
the machine had been inspected that the
cause of the accident was found On
examination Of the suction pipe, the rub
Der hose which extended from the steamer
into the cistern was found to contain a
'blubber." This is the term applied to a
loose lining.
The blubber clogged the hose so that
not a particle of water could get through
Mr.. Weld ran his engine at high speed
when he saw that II was not taking water,
thinking that there was not sufficient
suction to draw water from the cistern.
He accomplished what he attempted, but
with serious results. The suction at the
very high speed was so great that the
blubber burst and the water instantly
filled the pump. The piston head. moving
with great force, struck the water in the
pump, but as the discharge valve was
closed there was no way for the water to
escape, and the effect was as though the
water in the pump had been a block Of
iron The piston was stopped instantly,
but the fly wheel could not Withstand the
sudden resistance and kept going, twist
ing the spokes from the hub.
Mr.. Langdon said the engine did not
make single revolution after the piston
struck the water, and the condition OF
the apparatus after the accident was
such as to bear out that statement. II
cannot be moved by hand and could not be
by steam. Some OF those who stood near
the steamer at the time of the accident
remember that the engine was not running
when some one reached up to shut off the
steam valve.
II is Mr.. Langdon's opinion that the fly
wheel was making from 500 to 600 revolu-
lions a minute when IL broke The APP
| pearance of the hub indicates that the
rim revolved around the hub many times
before II flew Off, thereby spending much
Of its force before it struck Mr.. Weld.
/ Otherwise IL does not seem possible that
ne could have escaped instant death.
The pump is fitted with rubber valves
| four inches long and seven-eights OF an
| inch thick. They rest on valve seats in
| which are holes, or ports, three inches
| long and hree-eights of an inch wide.
| The water pressure in the pump forced
seven of the rubber valves through the
| ports. Mr.. Langdon said II would take a
pressure Of at least 1000 pounds to do
| this
Mr.. Langdon was told OF the conditions
under which the village bought the
steamer and OF the price which was paid
for 1t. He said that II 1t cost the village
| only $4,000 II was secured at a bargain.
because II was a finely built machine and
had not seen hard service. The accident.
he said. was not from any fault in the
steamer. but from trouble in the suction
hose. He said that while accidents OF
this kind were rare they were liable to
happen to any steamer He knows OF
but three other accidents due to blubbers,
the last one happening at Bellows Falls
a year ago last autumn.
After investigating the accident to the
Estey steamer Mr.. Langdon overhauled
steamers No. 3 and No. 4. They were test
ed at Vlnton mill pond Monday. They took
water easily and worked finely. Mr..
Langdon left town Monday afternoon,
after giving the engineers some good adj
vice. Among other things he told them
not to speed their engines high II they
failed to take water, because such failure
is an indication that something is wrong.
The Estey steamer will be sent to the
factory to be repaired. All three OF the
village steamers were made by the same
builders