Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-04-06
For tho Journal.
How Shall we Light orr Dwellings :"

@
slant, upon this important question, which for
several months has cngrosscd most of my time
and interest, and is truly one that ought 10 inter
est NIL. Kerosene, which for many years has af-
+ orled the light for the masses, is being adulte.
rated 80 generally and explodos 50 frequently,
that many feel almost as though they were about
to sign their death irarrdnt whenever they get
r their can filled from an untricd sample and 10
60 back to old whale oil, or alow candles, seems
even worse. As to the Magic Oil, Liquid Gas,
Patent Compound, Non-explosivc Fluids" etc,
so far as am yet informed the greatest objections
in regard to them are that they are being intro
duccd, TO great cxten) by irresponsible if not
ignorant persons, to be used by persons also
ignorant Of the true characteristics of the arti-
ces, and the proper instruments and manner Of
using them. Having half dozen or more recipes.
which have obtained for the purpose of investi-
gntion ! suppose that the base or chief part of
aH the scores Of new lights" material, is the
rcfr,c Qf p,iroiGm, after the so-caed kerosene
is made and is known By the several names.
gasoline, bcnziue, bcuzolc, aud naphtha-but all
being the same substance, only differing in spe-
cifc gravity, ms shown by the hydromoter from
eighty degrees upwards generally being called
gasoline, and will ,aporize at ordinary blood heat.
Or boH like water in the palm of the hand from
eighty degrees 10 seventy degrees benzine from
seyenty-one degrees downwards, ben.oic, napAtla.
etc. ten degrees with sixty degrees of Farenheit
being the standard. and the gravity Of water
These articles nre used somewhat in the manufac-
ture Of Oil-cloths, India rubber goods etc, and
during the war, on account Of the scarcity and
difficulty Of obtaining turpcntine, were used in
it, stead by painters.
Kerosene il produced from petroleum. by very
nearly the same process as alcohol is made from
molasses, etc, .. q. hy distillaton. that which
passes over the still first being the lightest and
called gasoline then the heavier products BEN
zine, bcnzole naphtha, and kerosene BY re-dis-
tilntiou Of either product, all of the others are
again obtained, though in different proportions
from the first. Heretofore there has been COM
parativey little demand Tor either Of the products
except Kerosene so that how to get nd Of them
has been great perplexity to refners. To pour
them into the dock, such vast quantities. would
endanger all shipping interests very much while
10 employ them on the dry land would endanger
hand interests equally or to pour them into the
sewers might cause the elements to melt with
lerycnt heat long before the appointed time
One Of the largest rcfners in Boston recently told
me that they mad eraporaied thousands NJ barrels
Of il as the best way 10 get rid Of it and that
they once shipped a cargo Of it to London and
sold it for four etah per gallon Therefore it
seems very important that some means OF utiliz-
Ing it should be discovered some way Of render
ing it useful TO man
We require artificial light about one sixth part
Of the time throughout the year. and this zero.
-enc rcise unquestionably possesses the best illu
mlnatins properties Of any substance ever set
discovered, while it is free from most Of the OBJ
jectionahe qualities of other illuminator. p. a.
it has not the greaV properties Of tallow, lard.
whale oil or kerosene, all Of which soil every
thing they come in contact with it Is not cx
posiye like kerosene il is cheaper than any AZ
ticle with which it might be combined :, AZ
not TO be as liable 70 udultemtion it will not
CONCEAL like whale or lard oil in cold weather If
il is spilled and ignited, the Ere is more easily
quenched, than fire by any Of the greasy or pitchy
article, it emits no odor or smoke when burn
ing irom properly constructed burners 1t Yields
stronger, winter and pleasanter light it re-
quires less trimming Of wicks. and washing Of
lamps &c. Asa partial Offset to these adranf
ayes it has the one ds-adrdAfqge, of greater in.
damabilty, in the estimation Of some. while
others claim that this also is an advantage. mas.
much rs lamps ARE more easily lighted in conse-
quonce.
when weare 'carH,d Of any approaching dan
ger, we feel half saved. 4 great fire or conaaera.
zion is always produced or started BY rerv nm,
fire, (Which could have been easily auenched \ or
by an elpos'on, l. o. sudden bursting and re-
port, which often Of itself is the cause of great
damage besides often producing a conAagrntion
Instantly When lamp filled with refuse.
becomes tol much heated, ,rara,ng is given hy
Tic oozlng out of npor, which burns with mild.
blue flame, around the collar or yent.hole-whicb
az first may he readily blown out-or if it gets TO
De large flame an apron, shawl. blanket or
coat may easily smother 10, as there is no grease
70 burn bot and long but when a lamp filed
with kposac becomes too much heated. the first
notice is an eIpioaon-the lamp in thousand
pieces and IRE and CONSERVATION on every side
blinded eyes, hiistercd aces and hands. burned
clothes, and a house on fire.
This difference in the two cases is in oon,e.
quence Of the difference Of properties Of refuse
and kerosene. Naphtha is 80 volatile, a. e. yap-
orlzes at 50 low tempenturo) that when lamp
S filled with it, the yapor, which ia constantly
escaping, drives out the atmosphere or oxygen
from 50 much Of the lamp as is not oocupied bv
tle liquid, 30 that the lamp is aitrays fsH either
oil the naphthn or its yapOr, and no atmosnhere
'r oxygen can get INTO IL. Chemists say that il
'equiIes eighty-ohe parts gas and nineteen parts
nrDduee m vr,I.a II
explosion Will not occur from the naphthn lamn
because no oxygen Is IN il. Bot legal kerosene Il
not volatile, OF does not yaporize til it is heated
TO one hundred and ten degrees consequently all
.no space IN Tue lamp not occupied by kerosene,
n n IeeuP'su oy atmosphere or oxygen. Now IL
the lamp Is lighted, and sufficient heat is comnu
ncated 70 the oil 10 raise the temperature 10 one
hundred aud ten degrees, it begins TO evolve the
gus winch expels the oxygen, until there is eighty
one parts OF one 10 nineteen of the other. when
ihe lamp becomes like a loaded pistol, recurring
)nly the spark to burst it, If the kerosena e
and does not bear the legal test n
'aporiles at lower temperature, but never at "a
low temperature as the ordinary atmosphere of
me room, 81 as 70 prevent oxygen or atmospbere
being IN the lamp. The d" light oils -" refuse"
d gasodne, penzole, &c, are truly and literally
not otherwise. They eau not be iSnited liLe
powder by sparks or red hot iron even a lighted
match, quickly thrust into ID, ~ at once extin-
suished but if slowly held to the vapor or liquid.
I takes iiro' rcd burning coal will not ignite
t. though Wlte burning or flaming coal Will
md probably iron heated TO rhiic heat would also
gnite It, Its infamability very much resembles
hat oil high proof or pure alcohol, not having
he tenaciiy Of oily and pitchy materials, and *
much easier quenched.
The foregoing being, as believe, facts in regard
o petroleum products, in answer to the question.
How shall we light our dwellings, public build
ngs, and streets ~ would reply, by the use of
eventy-one degrees gravity naphtha, lust so soon
md 50 lar az suitable burners can be had, and by
nose VINO understand the nature of the article
hey are using, which must be obtained from hon
80 and responsible dealers who have some sta
lonary and known place Of business This same
rtcie, or OF less gravity, has been used for wears
~ uIuIL.I LL.Il.nI..II 4