Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-09-13

There was never time in the history Of
this country when fires were so frequent
as now. Though large proportion are
undoubte ~ the work of incendisries, yet
it is mores than probable that many of
those accounted for in this way really arise
from other causes. 1t is stated tina. the
burning Of the Rock Island shops in this
city, few months since. arose from the
Spontaneous combustion Of waste paper.
saturated with oil, and left in the paint
room. Many factory has been lost by
the ignition Of fine cotton iiosting in the air
or lodged in the crevices Of the hoov and
the partitions. The great cathedral OF Pisa
Italy, was destroyed in the last country by
the spontaneous combustion OF tho cxcre>
ment of the pigeons that bad for years
lodged under the roof. Piles OF finely pow
dered charcoal have been known to take
fire from the same cause. Recently q new
cause OF danger has been found 10 electri
city generated by .he belts employed in
msch inery. Our attention was recently
called to this fact, in factory in this city.
A large eight inch bet, ran FROM the Dire
wing puly OH the eng ns to the main shalt.
THIS belt though only about twenty feet
long generated electricity 50 fass that when
the hand was held up to it, with the fin
gers extended, shower Of sparks passed
from the belt TO the hand in continuous sue
cessions This experiment, when repeated
with the room darkened, produced beau>
tiful effect, and sufficient light was evolved
to see every object in the apartment dis
tine.ly A gas jet could be lighted at will
10y directing the sparks towards it. This
fac. is attracting a good teal Of attention
in the East, for if the spark Of electricity
thus generated is powerful enough TO light
a gas JET. it would certainly be sufficient to
ignite fine particles Of dust.
Where belt passes through floor, care
ought to be taken that all danger from this
cause is removed. The floors ought to be
smooth TO prevent all lod gment Of dust and
the Scientific american 81 ggests that nor
iZ0ntel comb " series OF metallic points
10 arranged across the belt in close prox.
unity to it and from this comb wire should
lead TO the ground or TO tank OF water. IL
is said that the burning Of Colts pistol fac
tory in Hartford, Conn, in 1864, original
I'd bv the electricity generated in belt.
II is certain that il moro care 10 not taken
in protection against fire We shall either
have no insurance companies or the rates
will become 90 high that insurance with
many will become 90 impossibility. The
absurd competition into which insurance
companies have been led during the last
few wears. has undoubtedly tended to make
people careless. So bitter has the strife
been carried on, that almost any old shell
could be insured, and the risks became 30
great that the companies were led to pro-
tect themselves by filling in the back efths
policy with oil sorts Of restrictions and pros
vlsos. so that it was often no easy matter 70
get loss adjusted. even after an insurer
had suffered material damage.
II is to the interest Of both the company
and the individual that few fires occur, that
the one may have few losses to pay, and
that the other may be able to protect his
property at low rates. To this end every
item of information relating to the origin Of
fire is valuable, and its publication may
prevent disastrous connasration.-Psoria
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