Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-09-08
Hints about avoiding Fires.

We copy the following ludlclous
remarks on this subject from late
number of the American Agriculture
list. They are doubtless from the
pen Of Orange Judd, a practical
chemist and one of the editors Of
that paper.
Very many large fires, as well "a
many severe burns, may be avoided
by understanding that air is neccssa-
ry to produce combustion, and that
the exclusion of air is as eficctual as
an application Of water. Indeed, in
extinguishng fire, water chiefly acts
10y shutting out air, and any other
means of shutting out the air is just
as efeciual. We have shown this
frequently in lectures on heat, by
pouring upon the table a quantity of
spirits of turpenline, alcohol. or eth
er, and when set on fire so as TO pro-
duce large flame, we have Instant
iy exilnguished 1t, 10y quickly spread
ing over Il a silk hand ,erchiof or
piece of paper, which for the instant
shut out the air.
A week or two since young lady
of Danbury, CT, uPse, camphene
lamp, the contents Of which spread
over her dress and enveloped her in
flames, but she seized a blanket from
a bed, and Immediately wrapped it
closely around her, and thus smolh-
cred the fire, (shut out the air. aud
escaped without injury. Five years
since, we were transferring from ole
vessel to another two gallons OF mix
ed sulphurlc ether and chlorolorm-
both very innamable substances,
which burn with great flame-when
a person 10 the room carelessly
brought lighted lamp near, and set
the whole on fire. We instantly
snatched widespread from a table
near by, and with this entirely cover
ed the flame and exlinguished it.
We sacrificed the dishes and food up
on the table, but saved the house, per
haps the block of buildings, and per-
haps our lives, as a moments delay
would have enveloped the whole
room Ia flames.
Two years since servant girl,
contrary TO oit-repeated and positive
directions, undertook TO fill fluid
lamp while burning, and, as was GER
tain to be the case, the can of liquid
took fire, g not exploded, y and was
dropped upon the floor, setting her
under garments OH fire. She ran for
the door, but another domestic hap
pened TO catch hold OF her outer
clothes in such way as to draw
them closely around her, and thus
unwillingly smolhered the flame,
while a member of the family extin-
guished the burning lamp, can, and
fluid upon the floor by spreading an
ironing cloth over it.
Some dozen years since, one of
the boys on our farm was at work
in the horse and carriage barn be-
fore light one winter morning
When called to breakfast he left the
lantern where it was knocked down
by one of the horses, and a large
mass of straw for bedding was set
on fire. When discovered, the whole
mass-four or five feet in diameter
was in a fame that nearly reach
ed to the hay hanging down from a
NOW above, containing several tons.
In this case, a horse blanket was at
once thrown upon the centre of the
flame, and Others quickly added, and
the fire extinguished without dam
age, although large volumes of
smoke poured forth from the doors
and other openings, and almost pre-
vented any one from entering.
We have known of instances of
rooms being found on fire, when by
closing them up the fire has been
and kept in a smothered
state until sufficient help with album
dance Of water could be procured to
at once extinguish the flames. Ina
great number of instances, extern
sive confagrations could have been
avoided, had the fire been kept
where it originated Till efficient aid
arrived. This could have been done
by simply closing up the doors and