Weekly national intelligencer., 1852-06-19


4 SUCCESSFUL ExPERmKSr WITH THE FIRE AsxruILA-
ToRFrom fveto ten thosand persons attended yester-
day afternoon at o'clock lnrge demonstration of the
powers of the Fire Annihator on the south common Of
this city building twelve feet square and two stories
high had been erected for burning. The building was
made Of dry pine and spruce boards rough outside and
inside and without plaserng About half the chamber
floor was taken up and quantity of dry boards placed
endwise up through the opening There also six
eight tar and rosn barrels placed inside four of which
we're broken into slaves freely through both
stories few shavings we're placed ct the bottom to
Previous to the experiment DR.. Cotton briefly stated
the construction and operation Of the Fire Annhator
He stated that the machines were not intended for the
largest confs graons but rather prevent the large
aagrations by subduing the flames before they had
tended beyond single room He said that nine out of
ten fires confined to single when first disco
vered and could readily be exnguished with these ma
chimes 5v Aapinq them on hand Hr stated that the ms
chimes would keep ready for any length Of time. and
not liable to get out of order and the expense for
machine and charge for dwelling house Was from IF
teen to twenty dollars also that they could be used any
number Of times Hf ~ sls t4ssta-f q
Dr. Cotton then stated the condition of the building be
proposed to set fre but there wns vast assem-
olage present. ne suggested that the citizens appoint
committee TO examine the building and report whether
the statement he had made The committee
was appointed Capt Peabody, one Of the committee,
reported that DR.. Coons statement correct snd il
set en- hre, the building would burn down unless the
flames arrested with the annihators At this stage
Dr. c. set fire to the shaving which soon communicated
to the boards the flames spread and nearly filed the lower
portions of the building. The flames reached the
roof when annihator started and in about half
a minute the whole fire was extinguished. DR.. Cotton
then stated that he satisfied with the experiment
that the fire large he intended TO make and
that he would set FIRE the building again. fresh sup
ply Of shavings were obtained and light applied. On
this occasion immense FIRE built. The whole inner
side of the building in living blaze The build
ing Is gone" the Involuntary expression from many
spectator The flames had burst through the cracks OF
the boards ON the sides and top Of the building in
dozen places Dr. Cotton and his assistant started two
machines the white vapor rushed into the building,
and wonderful it appeared in about minute Me rhoie
fire ,ra ertngshd! Expressions Of surprise and aston
ishment at the result in every mouth Il seemed to
be the general opinion, 1t certainly ours, that all
the engines Of the city had been the ground consde-
ing the nature of the building and the material burnng
they could not have saved the building
During the above experiments fresh wind was blow
ing and all the advantages against the annhator
In view Of the above facts is il not apparent that almost
any fire that ordinarily in dwellings, protected
as they by plastered walls, Is completely under the
control Of these machnes The price Of the annhators
when charged for is from Sl5 to S35 varying
cording size but the first Sizes DR. c. stated
sufficient for ordinary dwellings We should suppose that
no having house in danger of FIRE would neglect to
obtain this guard and protection.