Year: 1865




Testimony Of the Governme mt Inspector.


The investigation into the cause OF the death OF John
T. Westlake, of the victims OF the explosion on
board the steamboat Arrow, resumed last night
before Coroner Lynch Of Brooklyn The following is
the evidence taken:-


Alexander d. Douglass, sworn Reside at 2l3 West
Seventeenth street, have been engineer by profession
for the last twelve years at present Quilted States
Inspector Of Steamers have in that position about
pe years. there four inspectors two for hus and
two for boers inspect boilers at least once IN every
year, or as often We find necessity TO do so; in
spected the boilers OF the steamboat Arrow on the Goth
Of July the hull inspector whe Is my associate is An
drew Craft; the FIRST inspection made on the
2lst of July; on the first inspection | put on
forty six pounds OF pressure, and FOUND thai tne
steam dram leaked so badly that ! could get get
and they told that they had not time TO do the re-
pairs and told them that they could on their Trip
the Goth Of July; asked the boiler maker TO
come with me- and showed him the patch that l wanted
him to put on the steam dram told tue engineer @ nos
TO put than twenty pounds OF steam until the
repairs made; after the repairs were made en-
dorsed the certificate for twenty i've pounds Of steam;
Mr. Hopper did not make the inspection, took him
there myself account OF some remarks the engineer
made these remarks that he Qbe engince did not
think that it was necessary to certain piece OF
the boiler and have repaired he (engipeer said that
he could mend the lead part by putting in pine plugs
! then called Mr.. Hopper and asked him to look





afterwards and said that the engineer would have to
apologize for what he had said; renststed the man.
and allowed the vessel to carry twenty i've pounds or
steam Mr. Hopper never bad anything TO do with in
spectng the bolers had thirty pounds Of press
the boilers when the ues BEGAN TO leak; did
not think I. udicious to allow the boat TO carry moro
than twenty pounds OF steam the boilers were perfectly
safe to carry twenty pounds Of steam after the re-
pairs were made heard that the boat came down the
day previous with boiler the cause Of the explosion
that the stop valve was shut on the port boiler
think It would take from Gfty TO seventy pounds OF
efpapn IN anpnd hat 0ue Wa have had
fifteen witnesses at office, and from all the
testimony taken am perfectly satisfied that the
stop valve down, which accounts for only
eighteen pounds OF being indicated the guage;
the vessel down the day before with boiler,
and the valve connecting the boilers must have been
closed the steam would escape through the fracture in
the exploded boiler.
The testimony of the witness at this point went to
show that the exploded ue Of the day before had
been repaired the remen put fire under each boiler
tween, which caused the explosion The witness Illus
traed this theory by making diagram showing how the
boilers connected and gave 1t as his opinion that


the valve had been open as TO admit the steam from
boiler TO the other the accident could not have taken
place. when the stop valve Is down the steam guagc
OF no possible use, and will not indicate the amount
| Of steam actually used; the vesse! had the full
complement Of hose required by law she had donkey
the fracture in this not near seamit was In
the middle of the Sheet II the valve had been up the
explosion would not have taken place; the average
amount OF steam allowed for good bDler Is thirty i've
pounds but sometimes give them as high rs forty
five fifty pounds had the boilers OF the Arrow beer
boilers would give certificate for forty pounds o.
steam there OF the present when thu
inspection was made the captain there, the door
OF the two furnaces under the exploded boiler wer
blown from their positions by the force Of the explosion


If the boilers had twenty pounds OF steam when tn
boat left the dock could no, have fallen to eighec
pounds OF steam wheL the explosion took place.
Adjourned till Thursday morning. at ten O'Clock.