Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1856-07-18
Simultaneous Combustion.

saturated In oil, was exposed for a gwen
length Of time to direct action Of the suns
rays, spontaneous combustion would take
place. Allow me to present case which
NAV. in the main, substantiatc this state,
mcnt: and, as facts are everything in thi,
DAY Of theories, may serve to give to it add.
tioual weight
some years since, little sister came run'
ming into the housc, full Of excitement, de.
claring that she certainly smelt fire in the
harm chamber" We hurried out into the
finished loft Of a large barn, and commenced
an anxious search, for the smell Of burning
cotton was distinctly Tcrccptiblc as soon as
We entered. Altcr a general ovcrhaGling OF
old rubbish, we discovered the fire in one OF
tho barrels in which we kep: our waste rags.
some ways down in the barrel, ,,and under
other rags, was a large piece well on fire,
smoulieripg like tindcr examined the
piece aud ITS situation with care, 20 learn
the origin Of a fire in 80 strange a place,
There was nothing on which to ground the
least conjecture, excepting the fact that the
Tlecc on fire smcli Of oil and what remained
oft appeared oily. Now whence came the
FIRE? II ismy impression that nothing had
been cmp,icl into tho harrcl for some days
previous. the harrrl itself was close under
the cavcs, though the SUN, was summer
could have no 4ir,ri Access 20 it, contents.
40 child was ever allowed 20 play with q
match about our premises, and no family
could b. more careful in the use Of them.
These are the facts, and Others may draw
from them what infcrcnccs they may, uut
lor ourselves, we made standard rule in
the family, never Tor tho future TO dror
anything into the rag,lc containing par,
ticlc Of oil, but % deposit such refuse in
the proper place Tor c1mbusiiou-thc irc.
place. Now il does no, seem % my mind
NJ an improbable that some Of the incJndia.
~ fires which are charged against the NOR.
ais Of the community, may have an origin
similar 20 this ior We know that oiled rag
are frequently thrown as nuiancos into out.
ofthc-way places, or dropped into the scu'
cral deposits fJr waste cotton material and
hy.aul.by, il may be that some thousands
ot property are suddenly auuihila,cl, and
the public mind is shocked, and nervous
people are alarmed at the presence Of SOME
uuprinciplcI in,cudiary in their midst. ",
hoTc that every prudent householder will
look TO it, that there may be- no such inccn'
diary lurking abou; bis premises. j G.
lN. T. Farmer.
Nora ur En-. DIV. We wish ., call at.
,.u,ion to the above fgr We have long been
.a,i,Gcl, that thi. 'rog'rgran, ooa.jliii0E !.
the greatest iuc,ndiary IN the world. When
vs., v,r, attending course Of chemical lee,
,urs- a, the Medical sgh55, in Vermont 10,
Professor, at the commencement OF hi. lee,
tur, on thi. ,alsc, moist.nrl O small bunc.
og cotton with OH, and placed j, on ;h,
stand before him. II was winter and tn,
room at the usual temperature To render it
comfortable H. stated that il be lad c1i
q; mOi,,cncl ja,, right, that light bunch o
clean white cotton, through which the ali
could freely circulate, would take Gre bcIor,
,hc close %! his lecture, which was one hour
long ly assignment. And SO /, proved; ioi
sImgGyc miuutc, before thcczpin,iuu OF th,
hour, the ,mal, wreath OF smoke began {,
curl up from is center. Since then w
have only been surprised that such uncx
plaiucl Grc, dil not more frequently occur
than they do, knowing the habits Of peopl.
as we DO. Aud We cannot help thinking
that very many Of the Ere. which consum,
30 many Of our Railroad DJpots, attributed
70 inccuiiarics, are attributable 10 this ata
iucsuliary. We only wonder that more o
them are not consumed from this source
FOR we understand it is a common practic.
among those in their employ, who clean th,
machinery, to throw the cotton waste OF
rags which they use, under the stairs or it
some out OF the way place until large hcaI
accumulatcs Tho disastrous Ere whicl
consumed the Boston and Maine Railroa,
Depot IN Boston some years since. unloubt
a.IIy ori,,ipatcI in this way
But private families are exceedingly care
less in the disposition they make Of ollie,
rass-such as they clean their lamps with
These arc often thrown by in the most care
less manner, 50 they can be carried of by
mice and rats. We once knew OF an in
stance Of house taking Ere in the summer
at a remote part Of the house from any fire
on the sill, under a window, between th,
plastcrine and boarding and burned through
ON tbc outside, before it was discovered. y,
way could it be accounted for except by
suppo,ins it to originate in spontaneou
combustion in mousc-ncst. Tho uniuck!
wight, probably, got piece Of oiled elotl
which she incorporated INTO her nest, and th
warmth Of herself and young most likel.
fastened the catastrophe.
We say then, to all hOuse-kcepers csPe
cially, never throw by an oiled cloth int,
any out Of the way place. Burn it up a
once or cleanse it, or it may burn you, wheI
YOU least expect it and are the least prcpar
Cd fOr il.
FAIR BoN Nor. At an elegant priyat
Ill lntnlv. n rlther dnnhtfnl nnnlnrv Mn