The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-05-13

SALTWATER,
man. A flaw in the casting or poorly
constructed job or lap seam boiler,
which is dangerous proposition at any
stage of the game. An association OF
technical engineers in Massachusetts,
succeeded in legislating them out OF ex-
istenee in that state on account of the
Numerous boiler disasters. A wise
move and one to lie commended and
followed by other states.
The evolutie n of boi er construction
for the mere purpose of generating
steam to keep the whe els turning and
the lights burning has passed. We now
come to the time when the technical
man goes forth and proclaims the folly
of old and obsolete machinery con-
structed without regard to the factor of
safety.
OF course the proprietors of these old
unrelegated Junk piles sQueal Why?
Because it touched them in a very
tender spot-tLe pocketbook. He re-
plies, 81 have run that lap seam boiler
for twenty years, why not longer!"
Sure, he may run it if he. cares to fire
it, but if an explosion occurs tomorrow
how can he in the face of the warn ng
justify himself in regard to public
opinion? We all know what the usual
course is. He closes the boiler room
doors, if there are any doors left, and
tells the fireman and engineer, it there
be any fireman ard engineer, not to say
anything in regard the disaster under
penalty of losing their jobs. Some say
low water or burnt sheet, maybe, but
, these are only two of the numerous
causes, that hasten the destruction OF
these faultily-constructed boilers.
Your technical man knows. Has he
not demonstrated to you long time
ago that the lap seam is mechanica
error, all wrong, that the expansion OF
, those seams under heat and pressure
2 are not equal or in the same direction
/, The result is crack that can only bt
!. detected when under pressure-theI
too late. The Power Magazine has
n cited case where even the hammer
8 test has failed to detect these cracks
: In one instance crack OF e'ghteel
n inches in length detied the test. Being
r on top of the boiler and covered with
J. boiler covering it was very difficult t.
q find, but fortunately was discovered il
Il time to avert disaster and the boile
!. was replaced by butt strop seam boi
II er. They buy those old obsolete ma
it chimes and power apparatuses becaus
they are cheaper, but the technical ma
(. with an eye for safety is rapidly ovel
< coming the idea that cheapness is nc
,f always economy in the long run. l d
pt not wish to give the impression ths
ID technical education applies to eng
20 neering alone. merely use these
s. lustrations because being somewhat {
s. an engineer myself l can deal with tf
in subject with better understandin
,e and at the same time endeavOr to in
I'd part bit of useful knowledge in e
st change for what have received fro
ar. papers on other subjects read tefo
e. this Circ.e.
he The chief engineer of the Guggenhei
ps. Smelling Trust receives $500, 10000
Ell his servives for one year, being gra
in uate of two universities in addition
lst having years of practical experien
en- which makes him man we'll adapt
in to the position. Numerous other m
ng of the same calibre could be cited whi
ids proves beyond any doubt the value
nd technical education. Compare Steve
sons first locomotive attaining spe
srn of twenty -four miles an hour Tor d
ore tance of one and One-half miles w
md one of the Plant System engines mi
ldy the run from Fleming to Jacksonvi
ow a distance of five miles, in two and O
ow half minutes, at the rate of one hundl
age and twenty miles an hour. Why t
nee contrast? Has time alone wroul
age this changeY No, indeed. Years
study, experiment and developm
lies have brought the locomotive to its pl
AVIS ent standard and made it the CT
ave. means of settlement of this west
Iust country of ours. Ships made San Fl
YER cisco but railroads made everyth
nds east of San Francisco, and so imprt
ints ment goes on under the guiding h'
ally of our technical graduates. Even la
out manufacturing plants, railroads
ical mining concerns have long since be