The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1870-10-22
Lamps and Chimneys and Oils.


of Bolivar, and contains much valuable in
.ormation;
Ar. Editor The Importance of having
good light to read or sew by the coming
long winter evenings, aud the seeming little
knowledge among the people of how to Sc
cure that result induces me to give. a few
hints in regard to the subject Of Lamps,
Chimneys, Coal OIL etc.
The substances to be used for illumina.
ton require to be very pure, hydro carbons
The compound which yields TIE largest and
clearest light, when burn is olepant gas,
which consists OF nothing but carbon and
hydroge-, I'd an equal number of atoms or
equivo' snUs, Q III PA. The camphenes,
oils, allow, etc, consist almost entirely of
HYDROGEN and carbon in variable proportion,
and $50 contain some oxygen. The mate
ri.l must be converted into gas before It
can be burned. The oil of the lamp is
raised by the wick and converted into va
por before combustion can take place, and
the solid tallow of the candle is first melte
into oil, and then raised and distilled into
yapOr the same way.
| The gasses which produce illumination
compounds of hydrogen-are lighter than
the air. When set fire they therefore rise,
or tend to escape upwards; at the same
time the heat of combustion rarifias the sur
rounding air, which, being lighted, ascends
also. RisiRg currents are therefore estab-
| lished, both within and without the flame,
and carry it upward and form pointed fig
ure, leaving the fame hollow inside and
| illed with the gases of illumination, and it
united with the oxygen of the atmosph ere,
produces combustion and o&idised carbon
and hydrogen, that is carbonic acid, and
water is the result
In these days of converting the materials
manifold uses, we have taken ~ the higher
carbon material which the process of NctLre
has stored in tha caveties of the earth, near
the coat strata, and is demorlinated in com
merce as petroleum In Its crude state,
often going through process of distillation,
and thus separating it into oils of various
degrees of density, they procure, IS one of
these, peculiar liquid, which is kno=n as
coal OIL which we are to burn in our lamps.
Some of those oi.J envolve vapor which is
exceedingly infammob' and dangerously
explosive, when mixed with air; and as all
of the products distilled from the crude
petroleum can not as yet be used in profra
BILE way, they are often again mixed with
the pure burning coal oil, and rende- it dan
gerous 70. Illuminating purposes.
An oil is easily tested by placing por-
lion Of it in glass containing hot water and
it emersed in another vessel of hot water,
at temperature of 100 degrees heat; now
bring a lighted taper near the mouth Of the
glass; If the vapor should ignite and cause
the ignition of the oil, it is exceedingly
dangerous. As rule, all oils intended for
burning should only be capable of burning
by and of a wick. Therefore, rover use
gasoline, naptha, benzine, camphene, or
any oil which has to have It's reputation
made by giving it such fancy, high ,unding
ames as AuroI Oil, Ocean Oil, Petro Oil
Golden Oil, Diamond Oil, or any other.
AL ays use good No. l Coal oil of at least
10 degrees Gar. test, and having high
specific glavity.
We now come to the burning of this
fluid and as q rue, always Gil up your
lamps in the morning Keep your burners
perfe tly clean, . n dnIt currents of air il
and around the Ia, to produce q good
clear, white l..hr. Do not allow particles o
charred WICK to accumulate in the top o.
: the burner, for it being paticles of carbon
on becoming saturated witt the oil which
will weep over the wick, (beiIg drawn up By
capillary action) generates IL that conei
ton great amount Of heat on taking fire
aud will cause your chimney to 5-eak anG
snda1gcr the breaking of your lamp, arc
throwing its contents about and perhap
take fire. Never shake your damp contain
ing oil to throw oil on the wick the wick j
already charged with oil, and YOU MAJ
fOr &c particles of gas or vapor upward 81
fast that it will take fire end cOmmunicet
to tho interior of your lamp. Avoid puttinl
anything into your lamp except oil and tn
WICK. Trim your wicks carefully, smooth
and even, set the wick on FIRE with a mattel
and put on the chimney; let il burn feV
minutes till the chimney is gradually heated
and then turn it up till you produce tn
cd point of illumination. Keep you
lamps free from drafts of air, and do no
use coal oil lamp with chimney to carr
about your house, and you will not have 5
many broken chimueys.
In buying ch.mneys select those mad
from pure flint glass, which has gone throug
a tempering process called annealing, an
: select thin cbimneys rather than thick ones
: as tbev ara lsaa IiabIs n hreak with th