Year: 1862

The announcement of the terrific locomotive boiler
posion and loss Of life the Erie Railroad At Jersey City,
caused great excitement, and, notwithstanding the in
cemency Of the weather. thousands Of persons visited
the scene during yesterday. Persons who are well
yersed in railroad matters say they heard Of
complete destruction Of engine by explosion be-
fore The trucks separated from the driving Wheels and
with about four feet OF the boiler thrown forward
twenty feet, and the head Of the boiler
versed towards the The rails directly under
the driving wheels were broken into several short
pieces piece Of the boiler plate, nearly three
square, found yesterday morning about two blocks
away, and anothes small piece found the gas
house, five blocks distant.


The investigation commenced before Coroner
Gancy, at ten O'Clock A. NJ. yesterday and continued
until evening


Company testified that he heard the report Of the sxpo
sion at his residence, in Erie street, and at
satisfied that il was the explosion Of locomotive; on
going the depot he found the coal burning engine
No. l64 complete wreck the bodies Of four dead
lying under and around the engine, and the body Of
another man, who died about half hour afterwards
recognized amongst them William Root, the engineer
and Alfred Bradway, fireman. the engine came from the
company shop at Paterson where it had been for
pairs, on saturday afternoon; frebox had been
put in at the New Jersey locomotive and machine shop
and the machinery repaired in all parts at the
pany's shop; the locomotive was changed from wood
to coal burner about year since, and new frebox
put n in consequence OF defect IN the previous one Mr.
Root the engineer brought the engine down from Patsr
on Saturday afternoon and made preparations for


taking train west the engineer took hor from the
gine house down where it exploded think the explo-
by pressure considers that the boiler
capable OF sustaining pressure Of 200 pounds


the engineers are instructed to carry over 100 pounds
Of steam there were two gauges Of water In the boiler
when the engine left the house short time before.


George Hill testified that he is employed by the
pany in the capacity OF train dispatcher about ten
minutes past seven O'Clock Saturday evening he was
standing about three hundred feet from the engine look
ing in that direction, when he fash, similar 10
lightning, and the explosion followed Immediately he
FIRST thcugh the Hash was lishtning il was not at all
similar 10 the light which Is caused by opening the fur
door in the night; witness down and found the
locomotive wreck and boy with his leg broken;
orders for the care OF the bodies and then


Mr. Sanuel Smith, Vice President OF the New Jersey


Locomotive Works Company, testified TO the overhaul


ing and repairing Of the locomotive, showing that
in complete order.


Ahypolete Uhey mechanical engineer superuten.
dent VI the above named works testified that the boiler
had recently been repaired and good ORDER and
he considered II capable Of sustaining $50 pounds
pressure the square inch he had examined
the wreck, and the opinion that there was an i'm
mense pressure-more than the bocr able 70 stand


would take pounds Of steam to tear up the
engine in the way was; he saidMy opinion Is that


the Ore had been SO intense that drove the away
from some parts Of the frebox, and deceived The
engineer about the amount Of water no had that
would cause the steam to be super heated acquire
such an enormous suddenly that the engineer
TO certain degree witness thought must become de-
composed, and in that state il Is explosive Ike gunpow
der aud that probably accounts for the FASH as seen by


Lewis Holland testified tha, he is employed as engineer
oo lne Erie halfway, he saw engine NO. about


past six O'Clock ON saturday evening running up down


the track he supposed for the purpose pumping wa


ter into her boiler by request OF the engineer who
not used TO coal burner he got on To the engine
the IRE was right; he did aud found the IRE going
nicely at that time the steam gauge indicated l40 pounds


explosion occurred from fifteen minutes 10 half an
hour after this; while the engine witness the en-
gineer try the gauge cocks he had Sufficient waterfall


that the boiler would bear 1t his opinion that the
explosion was caused by an excessive pressure Of
and that took at least two hundred and fifty pounds Of
steam to do the damage. Witness said he had run
that engine and had seen IL generate thirty pounds o
steam minute; after he got of the engine he noticed
THAI steam not blown OF Of her there had been
1aw ia tie boiler he should not expect 10 see such
general wreck.


Peter forshee testified that he employed TO take care
o. engines few minutes before six r. NJ he noticed thai
steam was getting too fast aud he out of the
engine house and her and down the that
time there were from one hundred and forty five
hundred and fty pounds Of steam on there was plenty
Of water in the boier shortly after delivered tne en-
gne over to the engineer at that time there were one
hundred and forty pounds OF steam and The was
blowing OF; the engine standing still fifteen
twenty minutes before the explosion he believed tho
cause OF the accident from pressure steam


One or two other witnesses gave their evidence which
was unimportan after which the jury rendered the fol-
lowing verdict


We, the jury, find that william Root Alfred Bradley
Patrick Mscal, Martin Bennett aud to the Jury
unknown, came TO their death by the explosion Of the
boiler OF engine No. 16i, the New York and Erie
Railway depot in Jersey City the evening October
25, 1852 Further that said explosion caused by an
excessive pressure OF steam which allowed gene
rate while under the charge Of William Root, engineer