New-York tribune., 1869-06-10
TIE TRAFFIC IN EXPLOSIVE OILS

Accidents, many of them attended with lea
Of life serious personal injury and destruction prop
erty from explosions Of oil sold under tho name OF Kere
sene, continue to be OF almost daily occurrence
The Board Of Health and Fire Commissioners OF the
Metropolitan District have had the subject under consid
Grafton for some time past and about hundred sam
pies OF oil usually sold grocery and Oil stores have
been tested under their directions and the result Of their
investigations, showing that not than one in ten
could be pronounced safe 10 burn, was promptly
placed before the members Of the Legislature during their
late session. hopes Of securing the enactment more
stringent laws regulating the sale OF kerosene but
thing done by that body, far the traffic in dan,
gerous burning fluids is concerned. Doubtless legia
ors had profitable business hsnd-they were toe
deeply engaged with such matters railroad projeet
and other big schemes, which offered them better oppor
tunite for filling their pockets with greenbaeks to de-
vote any attention to making amending laws merely
calculated to protect the lives and property Of
citizens
Under the present circumstances, 1t behooves the
Board of Health and Fire Commissioners TO act n the
matter by virtue Of the powers conferred upon them.
and that promptly Let them that the existing laws
most rigdly enforced The law as 1t now stands.
prohibits the sale of oil under the Of Kerosene,
which will vaporize at lower point Of heat than 1902
Fab and burn at q lower point than IlOo, yet fully
ninetenhs Of tho vendors Of the article daily and
hourly violate that law without being called TO account
1t is generally conceded that tho vaporzns flashing
point that is 70 the lowest degree Of heat at which
sufficient vapor arises from the fluid to produce flashes
application OF lighted match, is the real point at
which danger begins. 1t s therefore, OF the utmost i'm.
portance TO ascertain with the greatest accuracy that
pon OF danger For this purpose instruments
have been invented and the Legislature at IT'S session of
1867 and co. prescribed that DR. Giuseppe Taghabue's
instrument, other approved Instrument should
be used in testing the quality Of burning oils sold;
but there are two persons by the name OF Iagabue.
Mr. Giuseppe doing business in Pearlst, and Dir Jeha
Tagabue, in Johnst each Of whom has invented an In;
strument for testing oils, but they vary very mucn ana
their construction and properties, as may DC lhleIIse
from the fact that oil tested under the dTec4n ol .e
Fire Commissioners by Mr. Giuseppe Iagao9e ~ one on
his promoters which has closed top in1lcstea ths
yapOrzng point to be at 50 degrees Fan sha ,e Urn-
ing point 81 degrees, while the lnstrument oI Mr Jonh
Tagabue indicated the vaporzinG point as stated re-
Gently in THE TRRUNE to be ss degrees ana tne Dprhs
thus evident that either one or tho other OF those nsu
ments sadly detective and OF course canh0 DC rehea
It may be admitted by all who have any knowledge
the instrument which will indicate the yaporzing
flashing point at the lowest degree OF heat Is the most
perfect One and should be adopted by the authorities as
their standard without regard to whom the inventor oT
maker may be. An instrument which has an open top
and thereby allows the yap0r 10 escape as rises cannot
be relied upon for 1t may be so managed by the teseH
to indicate the vapOrzng or flashing point at almost any
would be dangerous to burn can be made appear "
the test employed to be all tnat the law requires
pojntment Of one or more faithful Inspectors, whose
duty should bo ascertain st brief Intervals OF uEe
tropols Who should in all DO held responsible f<
the purity OF the article thsy sell . A.. no,,, =,
Most OF the retailers WHO have been In the habn OF
adultcatng kerosene with benzlno ana napnta' NVuln
then be deferred from carrying on their tIshc ID te
would before purchasing Kerosene, satisfy themselves
that the article Of the requisite purity Dy s6eiBg
tested at the dstery, testing for themselves or ~
submitting samples to the official inspector to DO estea
by him with the prescribed pyrometer
II 1t important for every city and town In vie stats
TO have its inspector seaer or weights and measures
in order TO protect the public from fraud In quantity Of
the articles purchased how much more important II Is
that We should inspectors OF Kerosene TO pro-
lives from the danger TO which they are no" ex
posed by those who sell US their liquid fire.