The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-01-27
WHAT CAUSED 1T?
a Boiler Exploded at the State House
Friday Morning.

q ooASI 4PlVoeo ~ tue ptate house
Friday Morning.
Legislative Commission Has Been
Appointed to Make Investi.
cation Into the Cause.
The Columbia State says under
very peculiar circumstances one OF the
boilers at the State house burst Fri
day mornlrg at o'clock. The life OF
James Fudge, the. fireman, was en-.
dangered, but he was not seriously
hurt. The financial damage will be
about 81 600, all of which falls upon
tue contracting company as the plant
had not been accepted by the commits
sion and was being put through q test
for 80 days.
The cause Of the explosion of the
pipes In the boiler was the fact that
the water had been allowed to get
low. Fireman Fudge, who started
up the heat Friday morning, has
been employed in 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 the gauges on the boilers indi-
Gated that there was water in suffi-
clent 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
lire box were blown open and steam
came pouring from the boiler nearest
the doorway to the boiler room. This
builer had heated more rapidly than
the others because 1t Is directly under
the chimney and the draught is
stronger. Fudge had a very hard
time getting to place of safety, as
tue doorway was cut off by clouds Of
steam.
MIR. o. r. Brooks: Ir., the State
electrician, who is in charge of the
heating plant temporarily by order of
tile 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 a 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 Que. According to his
custom he 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
Df water registered in each boiler was
three gauges. This was also observed
by two tiremen, Harrison and Beck
ham, the engineer In charge OF con.
struction, Mr.. Linley, and the steam
filter, Mr.. 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
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 we're closed be.
tween the time the engineer left
Thursday night aEGr Friday nom
Ing, according to Mr. Brooks state
ment.
The extent Of the damage is that
eight sections Of one b Her was blown
out. The three other boilers are In
good condition and there will not be
any lack of heat. One boiler could
heat the entire State house except on
very cold days. There was but eight
pounds OF pressure OF steam on the
boiler when 1t burst. Mr.. Brooks noti
lied MIR. Linley, the engineer Of con.
and u careful inspection was
made. 1t 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 examina-
tton, and the house agreed. Mr.
Prince, Mr.. Morgan and Mr.. Fraser
we're appointed on the part OF the
house. Mr.. Morgan was excused as
he is unwell and Mr.. Cothran was SUD-
s'tuted. Mr.. Jesse It. Gaatt, custodian
OF the State house by virtue of his Of
fica as secretary Uf state, Friday made
the following statement:
In justice to myself l desire the
statement made that have no au-
thority or control of the boilers or
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. Ekin,
the engineer, came to me for instruc-
tions, and advised him not to inter
fere In any way with the system.
'FiOm such information as l have
been able to gather l am convinced
that the accident this morning was
due to no defect in the Giant, but to
the inefficient attention If those In
caarRe OF it," y. It. CAN'T"
National Good Roads Meetings
Gov: Hayward Wednesday appoint.
ed the following delegates 10 the
meeting OF the National Good Roads
convention which met in Jacksonville