The New York herald., 1870-12-18
ExpI0siye Oils.


To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
In the investigation by ric Coroner OF the causes
OF the explosion OF gasoline tank, corner OF First
avenue ana Thirty-nnh street, on Friday OF last
week, as published in the newspapers, the chemist
OF the Board or Health testified 'that he had tnves-
tigated the oils sold in the Metropolitan district be.
tween $40 and 700, and all pqt twenty.one OF the
specimens were dangerous and liable to produce
accidents, ahd wefe below the standard OF safety
fixed by the Ore laws; the standard Is that the oil
snail be OF such quality mat the oil shall not evolve
an explosive vapor at q temperature below ITO
Fahrenheit, and that the oil shall not take frc at
a temperature below llssY} >~,scf - 4"
BY an act OF the Legislature passed May =, 1885,
the duty Of 49,
COLLECTING AND TESTING SAMPLES
OF certain oils sold or stored within the CITY, ana oi
enforcing compliance with the act, one section OF
which provides "lhat no refined petroleum, kero.
sene, earth or rock OIL or machinery Oils sha pe
kept upon sale or stored WITHIN the corporate llinies
vi the city OF New York. the nre test OF whicn slali
be less than 100 degrees Fanrenhelt" was specially
epiolned upon the Fire Commissioners VINO organ.
izcd a Bureau OF combusIDes, one OF the duties OF
which was 10 inspect 'reined petroleum, Kerosene,
earth or rock OIL, or machinery OILS" gasoline or
benzinc not being Included IN the act.
INSPECTORS, as required by The law, nave been re.
gularly and constantly employed in procuring aud
iesIing samples Of oil and notifying parties violating
TIE SAMPLES OF OIL OBTAINED
have been at once tested by Mr. Ebert Robertson, an
expert at the Bureau OF Combustoes No. 40 Amlty
street, using q. Taglabues improved instrument,
and Mr.. Robertson furnishes the following state
mcnt, In anticipation OF the annual report Of the
department.
il VIII be seen that through the enforcement OF
the law in relation 10 cOmDustibles, tpe proportion
or these oils found to be bad below the standard
by law has been reduced duringthe past year lrom
sixty per cent TO eleven per cent.
THE CONTROL OF GASOLINE,
or benZine (Which is not now included within the
powers OF the Fire commissioners but sought 10 De
given them bg amendment OF the acp referred to by
the chemist OF the Board OF Health, and probably
also by the Fire Marsnals report should not be con-
founded with the testing OF The other OILS at present
subject to the inspection OF the Bureau oi C0nbustl-
Dles OF the Fire Department; but
THE ACT SHOULD BB AMENDED
by the coming Legislature SO as TO give TO the FIRE
Commissioners, upon whom the blame for eXpl0-
directly falls, the entire control OF gas0-
line, with the other combustbles now under tneir
supervision.
Number OF samples oil tested ut the Bureau OF
ComDustiDles during the year ending December l,
1870, 2,750; of which stood 30 degrees fanrenhelt
and under ll6 % degrees Fahrenheit and under 100
degrees 1885, 100 degrees Fahrenheit ana over 24a6i
which gives percentage OF OIL good, SO; bad. ii.
Duilng the year 1869 the percentage OF oil 1oand
good was 40; bad. 80.
In addition to the above during the past year
many large dealers In oil have been requested to
bring samples OF their oils TO the Bureau OF Gen.
bustlsles and have Them
TESTED FREE OF CHARGE
which has been frequently done, and when not up to
the lest they have been notified, thus reaching the
oil purchased from them ana sold by hundreds OF
parties who deal only In small quantities. oil oil. but
upon whose premises accidents are likely to occur
from dangerous Oil.