Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-07-18
The Phillips Fire Aunihiintor.


A Mr.. Davenport, Of ST. Louis, an
nounces in a late lumber Of the Rerub-.
lican, that he has secured the righ, to-
sell the "Fire Annihilator" invented by
Mr.. Phillips, Of London. As this ma
chine promises to supercede all present
appliances for extinguishing fires, and TO-
be useful in an infinite variety OF situa-~
tions where the form of engine now in
Ise, with its accompaniment OF horse
carriage, hooks and ladders, can never
be introduced, we think it cannot but
prove interesting to readers generally to
learn something about it. The best des-
cription of this machine we have yet
met with is contained ia letter written
from London TO the Boston Transcript.
The writer SAYS:
phillips Fire Annihilator" extin-
guishes fire without. the use of water.
The machines are OF various sizes, de-
pending upon the use TO which they are
required TO be applied. Those ordina-
rily used for the protection of dwellings
and stores, are about the size of coal
scu,tle, and weigh about twenty pounds
each. They are made of strong sheet
iron, somewhat in the form of pail,
with strong cover, and with varloss
compartments inside. Within these
several divisions are placed number OF
chemical preparations, which, when
brought into contact by simple mech
anical contrivance, produce an immense
volume OF gaseous vapor or steam.
which rushes out from an aperture il,
the cover, and fills the room. This va
por coming in contact with flame, in
stantly extinguishes it; although j, can
be breathed with perfect impunitv. A
room that is filled with fame and smoke.
so as to be inaccessible under ordinary
circumstances, can be readily entered
with one of these machines in opera
ton.
The .Annihiiafor Instantly envelopes
itself, and the person holding it, in an
atmosphere which can be breathed, and
At the same time keeps at bay, and ex-
tinguishes all flame in the apartment.
The cost of such machine as l have
mentioned. when charged, is about ten
dollars; and can be re-charged for one
dollar. One such machine is abundant
ly sufficient for the protection of any
ordinary dwelling house or store. Lar
ger machines to run on wheels, and to
which hose can be attached and used for
large fires, cost from two to three hun
dred dollars each. ,r,.
The following description of series
of striking experiments with the Ami
hilator by Mr.. Phillips, will be read
with interest. 1t is taken from the Lon
don Shipping Gazette:
"We attended another demonstration
of the powers and applicability of this
wonderful invention at Milbank on Tues
day last, the spot chosen (Messrs. John
sons stone-yard) being especially for
the convenience of members of the leg
islature and other public men. Our
business in attending these experiments
frequently is TO find out causes of failure,
should such occur; but the more we see
of the operation, the more we are con-
vinced of its unerring certainty, rendered
also more valuable by the facility with
which it is applied under every conceiv-
able circumstance which may attend u
conflagration. The first exhibition was
in wood framed house, filed with
planking and shavings saturated with
and tar; when fiercely ignited,
the flames pouring out at the windows
and through the roof, the application OF
two hand machines quenched the fire
completely in three minutes.
"The second trial was on a tank, twen-
ty feet long and nine feet wide. construc-
ted of wood, and filled with gas-tar; this,
the most infamable material known, was
set fire to, and allowed to attain the
greatest possible intensity. driving the
spectators to distance: stream of va
por directed from one machine chased
away the flame; and this experiment,
like the first, was completely successful.
The Sd, however, was a more importan.
affair, and the more particularly interest
ing to US. as it is to the shipping interest
that we would earnestly commend the
invention. The hold of vessel of
about $50 tons, moored off the wharf,
was filed with sugar hogsheads, turpen-
tine barrels. rosin barrels, &C., all being
filled with shavings. on which turpen-
tine and rosin was plen,ifully sprinkled;
the whole was set light to from below,
and the ha.ches opened to give the FIRE
fairer play. When the combustion was
complete, and the flames ascended higa
above the decks, two men, each bearing
a No. 3 machine, by simply directing
the nozzle of the apparatus to the aper-
ture, succeeded in dispelling every trace
of burning in far less time than il takes
to record the fact; and as the vapor in
this case descended to do its extraordina-
ry work Of annihilating the mighty an
tagonistic element, it was individually
manifest to every beholder, that it might
with ease and certainty be applied under
every possible contingency on shipboard,
both life and property being rescued
from the awful danger all instantaneous
ly on the application"
A similar description OF The above ex-
periments is given in the London Times.
Herald, Chronicle, POST Advertiser.