The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-01-25
Legislative Commission has Been
Appointed to Make Investa.
cation Into the Cause.


low. Fireman Fudge, who started
up the heat Friday morning, has
been employed 10 that capacity for
several years, even when the old boil,
ers were used, and has had experience
enough to be safe man. he states
that tae gauges on the boilers indi.
Gated that there was water in sufd.
cient quantity when he arrived Friday
morning and he went to work to build
the fires. The first intimation he had
Of danger was when the doors Of the
fire bcy were blown open and steam
came pouring from the boiler nearest
the doorway to the boiler room. This
boiler had heated more rapidly than
the others because it is directly under
the chimney and the draught is
stronger. Fudge had a very hard
time getting to a place Of safety, as
the doorway was cut of by clouds OF
steam.
Mr.. q. R. Brooks, Jr., the State
electr clan, who is in charge Of the
beating plant temporarily by order OF
the commission in charge Of COM
pleting the State house, was summon.
ed by phone. From his statement Of
conditions, there Is something very
strange about the matter and on his
representations to the commission,
the legislature adopted concurrent
resolution to appoint commission to
investigate this matter.
Mr.. Brooks states that when he left
the State house the night before the
explosion, all the fires in the boiler
had been put QUO. According to his
custom be made an inspection Of the
four boilers, trying each gauge on
every TO ler, and all were found to
be In good condition and the amount
OF water registered in each boiler was
three gauges. This was also observed
by two fremen, Harrison and Beck
ham, the engineer in charge OF con-
struction, Mr.. Linley, and the steam
atter, MIR. Reagan.
1t Is asserted positively that the
valves that control the water in the
gauge glasses were open, being left
open all the time except when repairs
are to be made or the glasses to be
cleaned. Had there been no Warter
in the boilers, the glasses would have
shown 1t with this valve closed. Fri
day morning after the accident, it
was seen that the gauges we're still
full OF water, and this was caused by
the valve being closed. The valves
on all Of the gauges were closed be-
tween the time the engineer left
Thursday night and Friday morn.
ing, according to Mr.. Brooks state
melt.
The extent Of the damage Is that
eight sections OF one b-iler was blown
out. The three other boilers are in
good condition and there will not ce
any lack Of heat. One boiler could
heat the entire State house except on
very cold daJs. There was but eight
pounds Of pressure Of steam on the
boiler when it burst. MI. Brooks noti'
fed Mr. Linley, the engineer OF con-
struction, and careful inspection was
made. It is charged by some that the
feed pipes we're tampered with, letting
the water out Of the boilers during
the night.
The senate passed the concurrent
resolution providing for an e1amina-
tion, and the house agreed. hr.
Prince, MIR. Morgan and Mr.. Fraser
we're appointed on the part OF the
house. Mr.. Morgan was excused as
he Is unweu and Mr.. Cothran was sub
sltuted. Mr.. Jesse T. CAN'T, custodian
OF the State house by virtue OF his Of
fee as secretary II state, Friday made
the following statement:
I'm justice to myself desire the
statement made that I have no au-
thority OF control Of the boilers OF
heating apparatus OF the State house,
several months ago having advised the
regular engineer and fireman to report
for duty to the commission who are
charged with the installation Of the
new plant, and to take all orders and
directions from them. No complaint
or request has been made to me by
the commission
Upon the passage OF resolution
By the house and senate direction that
no one except the electrician interfere
with the heating plant, Capt. Elkin,
the engineer, came to me for instruc-
tions, and I advised him not to inter
fere in any way with the system.
From such information as l have
been able to gather I am convinced
that the accident this morning was
due to no defect in the Giant, but tc
the inefficient attention II those II
charge Of it" j. T. CAN'T"
Nation al Good Rnana Meeting.