Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-12-08
INFLAMMABLE OILS, AND DAN
GEROUS BURNING FLUIDS.
BY DIR. A. Z. FOOTE, OF THE IOWA
STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

BY DIR. A. Z. FOOTE, OF THE IOWA
STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
Some years since, while instruct
or in the Chemical Laboratory at
the University of Michigan, I made
a number If examinations of secret
burning fluids. found them, with
ont exception, to he no better than
the poorest samples of kerosene
procured at the city stores, and
many of them were infinitely more
dangerous. Recently samples of
"Surlight," SAFETY" and other
secret ciis have been brought to me
by dealers in the articles. in one
case tne MANI .ac.uTer came trying
to persuade me that his oil was nom
explosive Gn which he had no
-orb'e), and that it was SAFE (Which
all the talented men in The Stale,
whcse certificates he claimed to
held, could not do.) There may be
intelligent men who deal in these
OF S, and honest men who deal in
them, but rarely, l fear, one who is
shrcwd and honest. These oils
were lound on examination to be
exceedingly dangerous, mole so
than bcnzine or gasoline, for they
were mainly composed of these,
with VARYING quantities of alcohol
added. The manr actrre and sale
Of these Articles yields an immense
profit, for like gasoline they can be
bought for about 10 cts, per gallon.
1t is not strange then that the conn-
try is full of agents for their sale,
and so long as they can plead ignor-
ance as an excuse for their sale, so
long will they continue to make
several hundred per cent. profit.
But the t,mc is fast coming when
he who puts ,h;t in his neighbours
hands that may steal away his life
and property can no morc escape
responsibility than he who deals in
that which merely steals away the
brain. Within the last few months
| have noticed II so called lamp
explosions. Several were fatal in
their consequences, and all must
have resulted from the use of fraud
ulent liquids. The fit elimination
o. this tragic list is the confagra-
ton OF Chicago, resulting from the
upsetling Of Mrs. OLeary's lamp.
Had her lamp been filled with pure
kel oscne, such as is specified by
the U. S. law, the beautiful stores
Of State street, and residences OF
Wabash Avenue and Michigan
Terrace, would be standing to-day.
1t is some consolation to believe
that the fire, which ruined so many
thousands, involved in it's destruc-
tion the property Of the dealer who
sold the death-dealing fluid. Some
enterprislng editor has estimated
that there has been 900 causes as
signed for the destruction of Cbica-
90, 900 of which were visitations OF
God for some crime or crimes com
mitted.
1t is true that every sin is follow
ed by punishment, aud the sin,
for which this calamity fell upon
the doomed city, was undoubtedly
the SAFE of fraudulent oil. But in
this, as in every other misfortune.
tie innocent suffered with the gull
ty. This confagration and the
numerous accidents Of the past few
months might have been avoided,
had few facts been known and
needed.
Pure keroseneis of a pale blush
tint and has but little odor. If it.
or any other burning fluid, gives
off sufficient vapor to light when a
lighted match is brought near il
(at the highest summer heat), then
it is dangerous. Before giving re-
liable tests, such as are prescribed
by U. S. law, it may be of Interest
to give a short sketch Of kerosene
Chemistry, the science that has
furnished us with soap, glass, chlor
al, nitro-g|yccrine, the analine
colors, and innumerablc other com
forts that make the life of the
modern artizan more agreeable thar
that Of the chicftains of antiquity
furnished the 10th century with
gas, and when the farmer complain
ed of her partiality toward his city
cousin, kerosene, its worthy rival
was offered him. Before the firs1
native IS ruck lie" among the
barren hillsidcs Of Pennsylvania
before thousands of spectators had
rushed to the new found El Dorado
kerosene was manufactured from
soft coal by distilations, repeated
and costly in their character. II
petroleum, Kind nature, having com
pleted tho first and most costly
steps of the process, has left bu'
Etlc for man to do. The oil from
the wells must be purified by dis
tillation. First, the light aud in
fammable rhigolcne is condensed
This boils violently at summer hea
and in its evaporation produces in
tense cold. 1t is much used il
surgery for freezing finger or de
cayed tooth, after which the opera
ton of removal is painless. Case
line, largely advertised for use il
gas machines, comes next. 1t is
more dangerous than benzinc fol
use in lamps, and may be consider
ed as worthless in Iowa for making
gas. 1t is more inhammable than
gunpowder or benzine, and the colo