New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-02-11
CITY ITEMS.

Commanded party OF some twenty or thirty gentle
men on Monday, to Aorrisana, to witness an expert
men. with this new and famous machine. The
building selected foy the purpose was simple, TWO
.toyv frame house. without lsth OF plaster and OF
con,ustible character. The windows and doors
we've ala upon ore side, looking to windwMd,
which was so far advantageous for the experiment,
that il prevented the escape of the gas from the
building.
Mr. Phillips, the inventor was present Win SOW
eral assistants and machines OF TWO sizes, Nos' an1
4. Before commencing the experiment ne mace
few practical and simple remarks Ihere was sfe@'
misspprehension, he said about the spread OIL are
in buildine The articles in a room were notig-
nited ssrattn and so consumed, bur the entrem
heat caused inhamnable matter to exute from the
wood ork and thus various parts burst SIMULTANEOUS
" into blaze. Hence the necessity Of some agent
10 operate directly upon the fams, by means OF
which TIE hle is communicated Water has no eff
feet upon flame. Ii mus, be applied to the oa'a'nS
material.
M Phillips said that he did not propose "a super
s.de the use Of water in exhnguishng conlasraiiSn
butte introduce an auxiliary In othre so much
time elapses before water can be effectively thrown
on. tha. the FIRE has ample opportunity to ger the
start Of al preventiyes The great point is, to MP
in the bud--to take the fire a, the very beginning.
He said that, az the present FIRE IN LloeEty-sf,
could be have had several machines at tand,
and men to work them, he could have arrested
the destruction, even 10 the time when he arrived
upon the ground, which was after the fire had been
some time buIoing Water was thrown IN az doors
and windows, but without effect 1t was, however,
efectual when used to drench the opposite houses
He then proceeded to the experiment heap OF
shavings and dry wood was piled on the lower floor
~ and ted
room was shut Of and the doors and windows closed
thus destroying shs draft, which is fhe ordinary
condition Of an ordinary room The FIRE biazed
fercelv for a minute or two, when the door was
oVeleG ard an Annihilator of size No. was thrust
in 1t quenched the hame instantly, the room vom-
ting thick smoke.
The machine of size No. 3, is about 81 feet in
hight made of iron and of very simple construction
The gas is generated by breaking vial of suphurlc
acid upon a cake composed Of saltpeter, charcoal
gypsum and coke The vial is broken by an iron rod
pressed against it. The gas instantly escapes
through large orifce, and difuses itself in cloud
of steam throughout the apartment II half vapor'
with little carbonc acid gas and large proper
ton OF nitro gen.
The experiment was repeated and with the same
result Major Allen then took vote OF those In the
building some who were outside not hearing the
CALL and it was unanimously agreed that MI Phil
lips has demonstr ated thus much-that fire taking
in a close room, and discovered within the very
briefest time, was extinguished by the Annihila.cr.
It was then proposed to make more extensive
coniasraton. which was done by pillns the dry
stuff against the walls of the budding, leaving door
and windows open, and kindling it. 1t blazed in
stanty and after about two minutes two Of the An
nihilators, No. 4, we believe, were introduced and
the flames subdued. Before the party left the spot
| two of the machines were put IN operation IN the
open air. The gas PUSHES out with roar ike steam
ard forms thick white vapor.
No further trial took place. There was much sa-
tsfacton and good deal of doubt expressed among
| the gentlemen present One thing, however, was
demonstrated, we believe, to general satisfaction
namely, that prompt application of the Annihilator
| TO kinding fire would Immediately subdue it. As
Major Allen Justly said if this machine stop the
beginnings, more than half Of the great fires thai
now occur would not take place. 1t is the time
elapsing between the discovery and the application
of water or other extnguishers, which does the mis-
| chief.
For our own part, We doubted il the first fire made
in the building could not have been extinguished by
half dozen pals OF water, had they been at hand az
was the Machine. But even in that case, the ma
| chine is more convenient. We do not believe that
the second FIRE would have been arrested in the same
time except by very considerable stream of water
and TO obtain that quarter Of hour or so is al
| ways necessary.
Butthc difficulty at the experiment on Monday,
the very briefs start allowed the fire. Ifa flame
discovered within the first minute two, and an
Annihilator were al hand, ready for use, the fire
| might be subdued. But 1t was impossible to con-
cude from the experiment, that fire vigorously
| der way, and nussd by all kinds OF drafts, would
| he e1tnguished by the ArnihiatoT, on account Of
the escape of the gas and diffusion in the air. We
90 rot say it could not be exlnguished but Is
| not proved on Monday.
The Poiut made, and it is great one, IS that Pail
lips Annhila,or instantly subdues fire. in n close
room, if applied within minute or two Of the tax
iIg Of The fre aad THAI, too, when water could b.
stuicable only II very carefully and skilIfully ap-
| Piled, which in a sudden alarm is not likely TO be
| lie case.
Il The case Of Mrs. Eldridge, the
widow to whom we referred few days since, is
oIe IN which lt,le money can be well applied
She resides at the south west corner OF Seventhav
AID Thirty fourb~st Any material aid sent to US
Will bs promptly forwarded.
an OLD SUBSCRIBER We should like
10 ct-ise you but re CAM open the door to the
food Of" questions that would pour upon Us. Et-
anime the legal records or newspaper hles.
SHIRT-SEwERs' UNION The following
gentlemen, composing the Finance Committee, are
requested TO meet al the Hall OF the Union, No -
Bleeckers., Thursday evening Feb H. 1852, ~
q O'Clock Rev. Charles Parker, Rev II. w. Beech
er, Dr. f. Parmly. DR.. D. Russ, Horace Greeley,
3. j. Rowland Robert h Minsurn BENJAMIN Ellis,
John II. Swift, Marcus Spring, Haynes Lord, Rich
ard II Manning, J. II. Keyser, VIM c. Rund, WIN.
+ Russell