Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-12-04
Reported for the Journal of Commerce.
Phillips Fire Annihilator.

DoctOE tOitou lecture GA lllP AnnlH.sa'OT was
given on Monday evening. at Tripler Hall. He
explained the prime Piles of the machine, first
however, At some length, disclaim;nr all connec-
ton with Bunum or The Fire AnNihilat0r Com
pany the importance Of The sub ect alone having
Induced him TO lecture on it. He had upon the
stage ole of The largest machines and two OF the
smaller ones also on a table two or three still
smaller made expressly for experiments, which he
had frequently used esc he determined 10 GENE
before the public. On another table was Il house
built of sheet iron, three feet by two and three
feet high ti,lel with combust:b!cs. The Doc tor
took the largest OF the machnes on the stage, TO
explain their construction, first emptying ii Of its
contents. The outside cover is in appear ance not
unlike tall coal bucket, of cylindrical shape
Inside of that is another cylinder about one inch
away from the outer one, the immediate space
being water chamber. Into the inner cylinder
a brick is placed, composed of gypsum, salpetre
and charcoal. The weight of the brick before
him was thirty pounds. This brick was ignited
by the destruction of two bottles placed on the
top OF it. containg chiorate of potass and loaf
sugar. and the other sulphuric acid "a wire being
above them, whicn when pressed down, breaks
the bottles, and ignition takes place almost instan-
taneoRslv. The heat generates steam in the wa
ter chamber. which passes rapidly through tubes
10 the nose spout OF the machine, and damps
or blows ont the fire. II has been mistake hith-
erto TO suppose that gas was the only agent EN-
ployed to put out fret is principally steam !;
which being generated rapidly, fills the room de-
stroys the oxygen in the air. and thus stops the
progress of the fire by deprivirg it of its main
support The small size Is large enough for use
in dwelling houses, and is amply sufficient in
case of fire in single room or apartment
The occupant would only have TO strike the wire
and enter the room, place the machine on the
floor, and close the door. when no doubt the fire
would be out out. That thev could put out large
fires, or when a roof was burnt off, he did not be-
lieve. They were strictly for domestic purpose.
The Doctor closed his lecture by igniting the
contents of the iron model house on the table, but
did not allow it to burn more than 20 or 80 sec
onds when he ignited the material in the ami
hlator. and applied the vapor 10 the door and
windows of the house, eXting,iishing the flames
almost instantaneousy. The steam rushed out
of the spout with velocity and .oise similar to
the bloming off of the steam from one Of oar river
boats aud if it can be generated in such qnantl-
tv so instananeously, great care will need to be
exercised in the manufacture as we'll as the use
of the machines otherwise. if the spout or the
passage to it get stopped explosion will inevitably
follow, and instant death Will be the fate of the
operator The weight of the brick in the ma
chine used by the Doctor, was only five ounces,
and the quantity of steam raised in a few seconds
was truly wonderful but it was blown off in less
than a minute. The weight OF the largest brick
was thirty pounds, and it would burn seventy min
uteS. the DOctOT Stdteu. 10 Vl'Ee Uy Tue Siildst
one the rush of steam from the large machine
must be tremendous. and when brought to bear
on fame must blow it out but the operator will
have to be quick in his movements, owing to the
rapid combustion Of his material.
A model of ship was afterwards fired, and
the flames were eXtinguished in the same manner
as those of the house.
Spikes came INTO our office yesterday with his
whole countenance luminous with some brilliant
idea.
"Do YOU know what new letter has been ad,ied
to the alphabet?" said he.
OF course. we gave up.
''Let Ser rip" said he.
Spikes vanished, and took the first boat down
the river.
A Coop ONE-We find the following rich pun
in the Yankee Blade:
"a High Churchman was once asked, "what
made his Library look so THIN
His reply was:
AMY books all keep LENT"
"Wife," said the victim of jealous rib. one
day, 81 intend to 60 to Camp Meeting on Tues
dav evening, and see the camp break mp" ''And
Il think YOU won'tr' was the response. Vic-
fim-"PH 60 if see ftr' Wife-"You'll see
fits if you do go!" He did not go probably on
account of the rain.