Polytechnic Association. 967 



The following paper was sent to the Chairman of the Polytechnic 

 by the venerable John D. "Ward, Esq., of Jersey City, for many years 

 one of the proprietors of the Novelty Works, New York. It was 

 intended to be read during the discussions on the causes of boiler 

 explosions, but was misplaced, and not found until those discussions 

 had been closed. 



Boiler Making. 



The writer is aware that anything he may say upon the subject of 

 boiler making will be, by many, regarded with suspicion ; it being 

 generally considered a waste of time and labor for any one who was 

 ever really taught to use tools, in a workshop, to attempt to use a pen. 



Notwithstanding this prejudice against the written opinions of prac- 

 tical men, he takes the liberty to make some remarks upon the 

 character of the workmanship frequently, if not generally, to be 

 found in the steam-boilers in use at the present day; and he 

 assumes that his testimony in the case ought to have some weight, 

 from the fact that in his early days he was a really practical boiler 

 maker, and for years performed, with his own hands, every operation 

 for the construction of good and efficient steam boilers. He made 

 original designs, and working drawings in detail of the several parts, 

 and patterns for cutting, punching and bending the plates ; he punched, 

 bent and fitted the plates for riveting ; made bolts and rivets, and 

 riveted and caulked the seams ; and never met with a workman who 

 was able to execute any portion of the work, usually performed by 

 boiler makers, either quicker or better than himself. 



The most important characteristic- of a boiler is strength to sustain, 

 with safety, the pressure of steam to which it is proposed to be sub- 

 jected when in use ; the price, probable durability, economy of fuel, 

 etc., are, of course, considered by the purchaser ; but the most 

 important inquiries are, or ought to be, are the materials good, 

 and the workmanship such as will, with good materials, render the 

 boiler safe ? And these are matters which unfortunately few pur- 

 chasers are competent to decide, with the certainty which practical 

 p experience alone can give, and are, therefore, generally compelled to 

 rely upon the opinions of others. 



The high price of his boiler plates is one of the reasons why those 

 of inferior quality are frequently used ; and the lower the quality of 

 the iron, the more likety it is to be injured by the operations of 

 punching and bending. Both these operations impair the strength 

 of the plates ; the punching, or as it might, from the manner in which 



