Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1872-09-19


Our Town Council having purchased one
of Babeock's Engines, and two of the small
Babcock Extinguishers, and as but little is
known of their efficiency OF use by our citi-
zens, we transfer the following article to
the columns Of the HERALD from the Scien--
tific American of the Goth of January last.
We published the article in the HERALD
last Winter, but as there has been a good
deal of controversy as to the utility of this
kind of fire extinSuisher. we have thought.
it proper to re-publish the article at this
time. The Scientific American is good au-
thority, and never recommends any new
machine or instrument that it does not
know to be worthy of commendation.
THE value of a ready means of extin-
gushing fires at their very commencement
has often been dweltupon in these columns.
We have shown, by facts, figures, and ar
gument, that large proportion of all the
fires which occur could, by such means, be
eXtinguished before extensive damage oc-
ours.
Without making invidious distinctions
between the portable fire extinguishing ap-
paratuses now in use, we may we'll refer to
the history of single one as ample proof
of the correctness of our position. We re-
fer to that known as the Babcock Fire Ex-
tinguisher which has made for itself most
honorable record, and is becoming quite
extensively introduced. We have not
space to enumerate the large number of
fires which have been almost immediately
eXtinguished by this machine, but the num-
Der is very great. 4 few words, however.
as to the origin of the present form and
use of the device, may. not be uninterest-
ing.
1.-The original machine was of French
origin, and is known as the earlier and
Vignon Machine. To this machine as
starting point, have been added great
number of American improvements. OBJ
serving the bulletins of the Northwestern
Fire Extinguisher Co., 407 Broadway, New
York. Announcing the dangerous fires that
have been recently controlled at the out
set by the use of these portable extin-
guishers, we have taken pains to investigate
its claims upon public favor and are salts
fed that it deserves to rank among the
best of modern appliances for saving prop
erty.
''The machine as now used employs what
is known as the Bate and Pinkham mode
of charging, by which the liquid acid and
the solution of bicarbonate of soda are
kept separate until the apparatus is re-
| quired. By this means there is no gas gen
Grated except at the time of using, and con-
sequently no loss of gas or strain upon the
cylinder during the intervals The mo-
ment the two materials are allowed to COM
mingle, which is done by simply pulling
out the knob of stem which controls a
topper, large quantity of carbonic acid
gas, in which no fire can live, is generated
under great pressure which forces out
| thoroughly mingled water and gas in a fine,
| small stream through the nozzle of a small
hose, provided with stopcock to control
the flow. Suitable arm straps enable the
person using the device to place it upon his
back, leaving his hands free to direct the
flow from the hose.
"a very small portion of the mingled gas
and water, a mere film, is sufficient to ex-
tinguish a fire that has not been SO long in
progress as to heat the burning material
| through and through to the point of igni-
ton. The gas extinguishes the fame, and
the water cools the material, most scion
tifc combination.
1T is becoming quite common for mer-
chants and manufacturing establishments
to have one Of the extinguishers on each
floor Of their building, ready for immediate
| use.
1T occupies not much more space than a
water pail, and no more skill is required to
operate it than pouring a bucket of water
on an ignited foor.''