The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1868-03-05
Kerosene Oil--Explosions,

from coal, aud later from petroleum, has
added greatly to our domestic comfort,
and given the dwellers in the country
one of the advantages Of those who live
in cities-a cheap and powerful light.
/ Indeed, we think that kerosene makes
pleasanter light than gas, and the city
/ housekeeper has no advantage over the
rural one, so far as light goes, other
than not being obliged to trim and fill
her lamps. How much more the even
ings are enjoyed, when. the room is
made cheerful by sufficient light! 1t is
of itself great inducement to reading.
But as we sit down to read the paper,
with a mental blessing on the man who
invented kerosene, our enjoyment Is
seriously disturbed by reading the, alas,
/, too frequent accounts Of severe burning
and death from exploding kerosene
lamps, and we begin to be suspicious of
our lamp, which, though it has always
behaved itself most commercially, we
feel might at some time make US sub
ject for newspaper item. We soon
regain confidence in our lamp, which
lasts till we hear of another shocking
accident" We suppose that these have
been the feelings of many who burn
Kerosene, and it is worth while to look
into the matter, and see to what these
so frequent explosions are due.
Coal oil and petroleum consist Of sew
cral distinct oils, which have different
boiling points. If the crude article be
heated to 1902, for instance, all that por-
ton of it which will hoi! at that temper
ature will be driven Off by evaporation.
If the heat be increased to ll0o, and
steadily maintained there, another por-
ton, that was not volatile at 1902, will
be evaporatea; ana 50 on. The refining
of the crude oils is done in accordance
with these facts: the crude oil is put into
a still, and separated, by the proper APP
plication of heat into liquids that have
different boiling points. Those which
evaporate at the lowest temperatures
arc known as naphtha, benzine, gaso-
degree of heat is kerosene and after that
has been distilled off, there is left i'm the
still portion of oil not volatile. Ben
zine and the other oils which have low
boiling points evaporate rapidly at ordi-
nary temperature, and when their
vapors are mixed in proper proportions
with air, compound is formed which
will explode whenever light is applied
Hence these cannot be used for illum-
mating purposes in ordinary lamps.
They, (benzine, etc. are produced
quite abundantly in the process of re-
tining crude oil, and rs the demand for
them for use in the arts is small in COM
parison with that for burning, they are
always very much cheaper than kero-
sene.
Kerosene, properly made by relia-
bic manufacturer, will not infame at
the temperature to which it is likely to
be exposed in use, nor give off vapor
that will form an explosive compound
with air.
AS the oil for burning brings a so
much higher price than benzine, there
is temptation to the refiner to leave as
much of the latter in his kerosene as he
can with safety. For the same reason
there is a temptation to the dealer to
buy both benzine and kerosene, and
mix them, to reduce the price at which
l., Il, 10
and it is very common to find kerosene
of two qualities and prices in the retail
stores. The low priced is made such by
the addition of the dangerous benzine.
There are several forms of apparatus
made for the purpose of testing the safe
ty of the oil, and every dealer should
have Que and learn how to use it.
a sufficiently accurate test may be
made by any one who has thermome-
ter. Place cup in IA tin or other vessel
Of water which is shown by the ther-
mometer to be at 11Oo. When the cup
is warmed through, put in 8 tablespoon
| ful Of kerosene. Hold a lighted match
! just above the surface of the kerosene,
and if any vapors have been given off,
| they will take fire. This is not attend
ed with any danger, and a careful per-
son, who will properly observe the con-
/ ditions Of temperature, may obtain cor.
rect results. Any Kerosene that viii
stand heating to llO' without forming
an inhamable vapor is safe to use, as fan
as danger from explosion is concerned
| Some of that which is sold at the cheal
rates will form an explosive vapor al
the temperature of a we'll warmed dwell
ling, and the wonder is, not that there
are so many accidents, but that there
are so few.
The only thing the purchaser can dc
is, to avoid a cheap article, and to pro
cure his supplies of persons who no
only would not adulterate themselves
but who regard the safety of others suf
ficiently to take pains to obtain thei
stock from reliable sources only. Eacf
dealer should insist upon a guarantee
that tho kerosene will not form an ex