The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-07
What These FIrures Mon

5. No. $50 Richmond street46 . Is
.. Eleventh and Market. 40 105 t112
What These Figures Mean.
IT VIII be noticed that in three OF these samples,
Nos. l. d. and 8, the fashing points are not given.
nnammabe as to defy any test but that of compli-
Gated chemical analysis. These vapors caught fire
on the mere presentation OF match in the open air.
and would without doubt have burned almost as
readily II the weather had been the depth OF winter
these samples stood the test Of experiment. refusing
to burn at 112 degrees OF the Others only one came
law; the next was 20 degrees inferior. while the
others ranged from 80 TO S5 degrees of aduteraton
A moments consideration will show the reyela-
tions of fraud and OF disaster contained in these
figures. Fivesixths of the coal oil sold in this city
| for burning in lamps-if conscientious practical
trials afford any criterion for judging-may be fairly
believed to be so adulterated and so fraudulentv
sold in violation OF statute law as to endanger the
besides, that these burning oils are used for econo,
mys sake, mainly in the families of those Of the
| poorer classes who know next to nothing Of their
explosive natures the surprise that so many lament
able accidents occur changes to wonder that they
| are not 1ar more frequent. Very many that the
public never hear OF are occurring at little Intervals
Items like the present, however, which is from our
| local columns of last Thursday, are by no means
"About 10 O'Clock last evening, coal-oil lamp ex
| ploded in the house of Mr. Cymer, No. 247 Diamond
street, In the Nineteenth ward. In attempfing to
extnguish the flames the dress of Mrs Clymer took
fire, and she was seriously burned Policeman Nor.
gan, of the Eleventh district, ran to the assistance
OF the burning woman and although he succeeded
his left arm and hand Mrs Clymer lies in preca- Tn
riOus condition"
The following item from the Public Ledoey. Of Anru
~, may be considered an average instance OF the
accidents to which such explosive compounds eX-
pose The trustiul users:-
about O'Clock yesterday afternoon, a serious
accident occurred at No. 1907 Alder street, by the
ignition and explosion Of tin can containing coal
OIL Tne premises are occupied by the families of
Mr.. Edward Brophy, and widow named Margaret
Roach Mrs Roach was absent yesterday from her
residence, and left her daughter, Johanna Roach,
aged fourteen years, in charge OF her apartments
During her absence, Johanna was engaged in baking
bread, ana the fire having gone down she placed
some wood on the Goals, and poured coal oa from a
Tin canister upon the wood to quicken the fire. The
on lgnted and the canister exploded setting fire to
Tor help, when Mrs. Brophy fastened to her rescue
and endeavored to eXtnguish the flames, but her
cried for assistance. Her cries attracted the the
attention OF her husband who endeavored to extin-
gulsh the fire. but in so ooing he was also badly
burned about the hands and arms. Johanna Roach
was burned over her entire body, face and tongue
The injuries of Mrs BrOphy EXTENDED from the waist
up to her neck. Severa' physicians were summoned
and they pronounced Miss Roach to be in hopeless
condition. the flames having been inhaled by her
They were also Of the opinion that the injuries sus-
tanned by Mrs. Brophy rendered her case almost
hopeless, while the injuries sustained by Mr.. Brophy
were not dangerous The occurrence cluset quite
an excitement in the neighborhood, and policemen
had to be detailed to keep the crowd out OF the
house."
These plain recitas of facts tell more vivdly than
mere rhetorical sentences could do the dangers to
eXposed-exposed, too in wanton defiance OF the
law; for such accidents would not and could not
IL
safety, 10 degrees.
The Law OF Inspection.
on the 14th OF February, 1868, Governor Geary
signed and approved IAN act authorizing the Cover
nor OF pennsylvania to appoint an Inspector Of re-
fined petroleum, Kerosene and burning oils in and
for the city and county of Philadelphia" 1t con-
tanned these provisions Of special importance THAT
no rehned petroleum, Kerosene, or burning oils, ex-
should thereafter be kept for sale in Philadelphia
the fire test of which shall be less than 40 degrees
Fahrenheit, to be determined by an inspector using
inspector to be appointed by the Governor for three
years, and to be authorized to employ such clerks
and deputies as may be requisite for the carrying out
OF the business of such inspection and for the proy
sons of this act to be paid by him out of the fees of
his otlce said inspector to file an oath or attrma-
ton, and to file bond in the penal sum OF S2OO0D to
well and truly perform the duties Of his office and TO
carry out the provisions OF this act said Inspector to
receive and collect ten cents for each barrel or
package inspected and branded by him; land the
said inspector or his deputy, is hereby empowered
to enter any place or building where oils are kept
sale, except United States bonded warehouses and
places where oil is stored for shipment beyond the
limits of this city, for the purposes of SUCH tnspec-
tion and the carrying out or the true intent ana
meaning of this act"
Section second prescribes that any violation of the
provisions of this act shall be misdemeanor punish
able by fine of $500 and one years I'm mimprso9nment
lenty branded or aduterated.
How Ii Passed.
In this connection may be stated the notorious
fact that Robert NJ Evans the present Inspector was
the framer of this bill and the person who secured
| its enactment into law. His ostensible plea was
mat Sucn an once was ueCeSSdTy
to the frequency of coal oil explosions; and that he
having been practically engaged in that trade was
| most competent person for the appointment lie
achieved his object; the Office was created ana ne
was appointed. But in the case OF no other pubic
official have the charges OF bribery and wholesale
bargaining for legislative votes been more widely
| commented upon by the general public as in refe-
to this act Some have gone so far as to name
the definite amounts thus paid out but 1t has varied
| with each individual speaker. We are now simply
chroncng the fact that upon the passage OF his bill
this matter was the subject OF public conversation
and that several days since, more than eighteen
months afterwards it was still commented upon and
| definite sums stated.
| Another fact as undenab,e as the former, is the
| bargaining with members of the Legislature to ap-
point their friends deputies If the bill was passed
Subsequently nearly dozen and half OF these de-
putes were appointed and allowed to brand oils with
| the inspectors stamp. This hackneyed dodge, how
ever has come to be skifuly used by the poiti-
clans having city passenger railways and other like
| facilities at their command. Instances are known
where men have been put on cars as conductors the
day before election and discharged the day after but
MIR. Evans was not so hard-hearted ana allowed MS
deputies several weeks grace before decapitatlon
The DOings of the Inspector.
Startled by the constant accidents from coal oil
explosions believing that If the provisions OF the law
| were strictly carried out such accidents could not
occur and somewhat dubious as to the exact quali-
| cations that "Fightng Bob" OF City Councils pos
| sessed for vigorously enforcing In all cases the
requirements of the law of inspection, great deal
of time has been given to fair and close investga-
| ton of the trade, with the object OF ascertalnng
what the deficiencies, and VINO is responsible Tor
| them We found one deputy was now considered
sucient to inspect the large wholesale lots OF petro-
leum used in the local trade OF Philadelphia, and 10
| see that no Gdulterations were sold; this single
| deputy was Jacob Evans brother OF che inspector.
The income of the Office was estimated at from three
to five thousand dollars but all the probabilities are
| that this estimate is an understatement.
| The following facts were also ascertalned; IL.
| Among the early deputies appointed by inspector
| Evans were George Rempshaw, then proprietor OF
the Reliance OIL Refinery on the West Uanh @ W o