Let it be clearly understood that if there were no steam generators
using steam under pressure _there would he no boiler inspection, and no
licensing of engineers_; it requires no license to be a machinist or
a machine tender, no more would a license be essential to run a steam
engine, except it were connected with the boiler. _The danger to the
public arising from their use requires that the care and management of
high-pressure steam boilers shall be in hands of careful, experienced
and naturally ingenious men_, hence it is on the affairs of the Boiler
Room that the first tests are made, as to the worthiness of an aspirant
for an engineer’s license, hence, too, the success of many firemen in
obtaining the preference over engine-builders or school graduates, in
the line of promotion as steam engineers.
The inspection laws of the various states and cities are framed after
substantially the same leading ideas, and in presenting one the others
may be assumed to be nearly the same.
The special province of the Steam Boiler Inspection and Engineers’
Bureau in the police department in New York City is to inspect and test
all the steam boilers in the city, at certain stated periods, and to
examine every applicant for the position of engineer as to his ability
and qualifications for running an engine and boiler with safety.
According to the laws of the State, every owner, agent or lessee, of a
steam boiler or boilers, in the city of New York, shall annually report
to the board of police, the location of said boiler or boilers, and,
thereupon, the officers in command of the sanitary company shall detail
a practical engineer, who shall proceed to inspect such steam boiler or
boilers, and all apparatus and appliances connected therewith.
When a notice is received from any owner or agent that he has one or
more boilers for inspection, a printed blank is returned to him stating
that on the day named therein the boilers will be tested, and he is
asked to make full preparation for the inspection by complying with the
following rules:
Be ready to test at the above-named time.
Have boiler filled with water to safety-valve.
Have 1-1/4-inch connection.
Have steam gauge.
Steam allowed two-thirds amount of hydrostatic pressure.
More particularly stated, the following have been adopted by one or
more Inspection Companies: