The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-02-18
h Il sses r..

tNG FOR MANUFACTvRl, AND SALE OF ENPIo-
sIyE KINDS.
In former articles we stated that kerosene
WAS obt8ined by distilling petroleum, which is
itself comnound Of several substances some
of them much lighter and more volatile than
others, N about this order: First, benzine or
uaptha, the ightest of all appears; then a
heavier fluid, which is kerosene; then /; heav-
ier still the lubricating oil; then there remains
such remnants as coal tar, coke, &C. The ker-
osene thus obtained is not quite pure, and is
subjected To certain chemical processes to rid
II of what traces OF benzine and other impur-
tiles may rcmain
Is kerosene explosive, The pure article is
not it viii pd ota fire. But its brother,
naptha, the father of benzine, is highly explo-
sive; and if kerosene is ever so, it Is because
some benzine has been left in it in the process
of manufacture, or has afterwards been added
to it, because 4 cheaper article, to promote gaI
at the risk of life
Yet none Of these are explosive, any more than
a pile Of wood, without aiy; for this is the great
agent in all combustion. Hence so long as a
lamp is kept full of the liquid, whatever it is,
thus excluding the air, there will be no explo-
sion. For these accidents usually happen un-
Ter these circumstances when, with light
near the lamp is being tilled the vapor OF the
volatile Oil rushing out and taking fire, the air
rushing in to take its place, and carrying with
IT the ignted vapor,- altogether causing those
horrid explosions which have sent how many
victims 70 the grave; and when, the oil being
iaw. large space in the lamp being filed with
apor. a change TO d lower temperature, as car
wing the lamp to the door or into a cooler
'am, condenses the vapor, thus producing a
vacuum into which the Air rushce and causes
The explosion. One of our nciehbors had a
line explosion by setting lamp on the cold
door ot a cellar where he was at work. In
much the same way accidents occur by blow
ing out the Iight-as much from blowing air as
hre into the lamp.
But as even the most prudent cannot always
avoid these dangerous conditions it is necessa-
y to have an oil which ienites at only such
temperature as to make it absolutely safe in the
ordinary mode of Of burning, which point OF
safety has been pronounced by our best chem
sts to be 1909 Fab
The New York Board of Health recently en-
ployed very skilliul chemist, Prof Chandler,
10 furnish q test tor safe kerosene-to exam
Inc various specimens in the market &C. He
reported; ''The vaporizing point OF good ker-
osene oil should not be below l00 degrees Far
and the burning point not below 10 deg
And OF rs samples selected from as many
Ma
that test.
By persons having thermometers, this test
Is very easily made, thus Take some dish, as
d cup, of warm~h water, put in the thermom-
rtcr and heat or cool the water, as required,
t.l The mercury stands at 10; pour into the
water spoonful Of kerosene, and apply to it
lighted match. If on good trial YOU cannot
'ha6e II ourn. it is up to the test, and is all
ueht, if otherwise, your "tlme may come" any
moment il is burning near you.
Those who have neither the means nor the
disposition 10 be so accurate, viii find a very
useful test, and one easily made, by applying
lighted match to a little kerosene in some dish;
between its burning or not may lie the differ
ence between death and life
While from this cause death is abroad, more
terrible in its forms and its frequency than ssn
The peslHcnce that wastctl at noon day. ana
when the tests and the avoidance OF these dan
gers are so simple and easy, it is suicide not to
apply them; rs it is murder on tie part of those
who, tor vile gains, manufacture and put into
nearly every family these concealed inStru-
inents OF death, under the name OF kerosene
Law has faithfully done it, duty, as this
euactmeIt viii show:
FRAUDULENT KEROSENE.
The 29th section OF The amended T. S Inter
hol Revenue Laws relating 10 Illuminating oils.
is as follows =
SECT. 29 -4nd Je ii further ehactcd That no person
ha mix for sale naphtna and Illuminating oils or shall
knowingly sell keep Tor sale, offer such mix
ture, shall sell offer Tor sale oil made from peroc.
uu ior Illuminating puTpe ses infainnabe a less temper
aure fire la4 hundred and degrees Fah-
renheit; and any person SO doing shall be held be
guilty OF misdemeanor, and conviction thereof By
Indictment or presentment i'll any court OF the United
States, having competent jurisdiction, shall be punished
by line of less than hundred dollars nor more
Than five hundred dollars aud by Imprisonment for n
term OF not less than six months more than three
years.
Let the people do this, and this monster,
more dread than the many headed Hydra of old
which it required Hercules to destroy, will
elerish Also. 1t is-and, readers, as you value
yaar own, and the life OF those dear to you,
we entreGt you o do lit is to try instantly
uue tsests; and if not up to the standard of tic
iAaga, leturn them whence they came, with the
adnonion that prosecution Will follow the
further sale Of dangerous kinds. This will
drive them back upon the wholesale dealers
and these back upon the manufacturers, where
the original sin belongs, and 50 strike ut The
fountain Of the evil.
Yet most purchasers are themselves in part
'o blame in preferring q cheaper and dangerous
to q dearer and safe article. And this is Tho.
key to the whole mischief Naphtha, or ben
zine, from its bad properties having bad name,
has but a small market value; as pur kero-
sene, for opposite reasons, has Il greet one
the former about halt the price of tht latter /;
SO that mixing the two puts into market a
compound mach cheaper than pure kerosene
and at the same time gives Il large prdit to rv-
cry scoundrel who is willing to thus Iarter life
for lucre!
There is another danger, even fronpure ker-
osene, scarcely less great, though little thought
of-Decause silent and insdIous in Is work
the inhang of gas and smoke from )ady con-
structed lamps This will be considered next