The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-03-11
Regulating the Sale of Kerosene,


The following is 0n extract from The
Health and Wealth Of Wheeling" pub
li,bcl by DR.. Reeves, OF this city, in 1871
During the last summer, 1870 collec.
TED several specimens Of kerosene sold In
The Wheeling market, and carefully tcs-
tel thc.n-using the open tester, or Tag
li.bugs Instrument, and found them Nil
u evolve IN inf 4mmable vspor below lOO
Deg Fahr. One Of these specimens flashed
a, 90 deg. and burned at 10S deg. Fair
Another specimen, from neighboring
city, purchased In the quantity 81 nifty
barrels flashed Of 70 deg. F"hr., aud
burned at 81 deg. Fair. y keg OF gun
powder would be saIer in family as q
chimney corner stool and convenience,
than such oil, because It Is 50 volatile that
ItSStks the flame to accomplish its mission
Of hOrrid death
About the same time, obtained several
s0ecimens 0f really safe Oil-so sale
ldat /, could not be sold ut the ruling
market prlce.from Messrs. Ford, bod
son, and Burt, and tested by the same sp'
paratus, No. ! flushed at 10 deg; No. 9 ut
lis deg; No. 3 Mt 100 deg; No. 1876 deg
Fahr
The kerosene manufactured to order
for tho use Of the machinery department
of The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com.
psny, in Wheeling, for engine head
Iishis, Tor tho sGOps-indced, Tor all
branches oil the service where gas cannot
he uscd-the ordinary standard Is a flash.
ing test of 100 deg, FHhr.; and each barrel
ot the fluid is carefully tested by Captain
Harrison, the accomplished Superintcnd.
eat, before II is suffered 10 be used.
What wise and humane protection, il
such care were exercised by State md
municipal enactment, 10 secure all classes
oi people against coal oil accidents, who
nEu compelled 10 use this cheap and beau.
it'll light Its safety Is merely a ques'
ton OF n few cents moro or less per gallon,
aud who would hesitate TO pay five, ten,
or fifteen cents per gallon for the differ.
rncu between an Oll!WhiCh Is perfectly safe
md one which, as Professor Chandler
says, us liable to destroy ores wife and
children ut my moment by a horrid
dGlh?'
NoSt OF tho States have passed laws
regulating tue sale oil Kerosene Oil-some
OF them sufficiently stringent; others give
no protection whatever Two or three
bills have been introduced into Congress,
but it has been decided that II is = matter
which can best be taken care OF by State
and municipal Intervention.
In West Virginia, there's no legislative
protection against dangerous kerosene,
Notwithstanding the vast number OF nc.
clJrnis that have occurred from its use.
legislation, therefore, Is badly needed,
and it Is sincerely TO be hoped that the
legislature, now in session, will pass a
general law on the subject, giving rs the
fullest protection.
An ordinance to regulate the sale OF
kerosene in the City OF Wheeling, was
presented TO the Committee on OrdtnGnc.
esSlcw months since, but no action con.
ccruing its adoption hiss yet been taken
sy Council. lis protective features are
almost an exact copy Of the New York
Ciy Ordinancc-that Is, ElShIHg test u!
100 dee. and burning test otll0 deg,
FAIR
TIE really important test is the yt!ashiHg
.a' Nat should be relied upon IN testing
..' rhe English law relics entirely up.
na tic flashing point, which Is fixed at
100 deg. FAIR. Two or three per cent, Of
naphIha may make An oil so highly dan
seTous lhatit will flash below 100 deg.
FAhr. and yet it will not burn under no
Neg. Fahr. Let the flashing test be fixed
BY law At ll0 deg. Fair, and kerosene
explosions viii scarcely be heard Of-pGy.
er, am sure, from ordinary handling.
OiGSG specimens Of kerosene oil In tho
New York market, and tested by Proies
sCs Chandler, Chemist Of the Board d
Health, In 1869, there were found danger
Gus oils, flashing below 100 deg. Fahr,
$50; highly dangerous oils, below both
standard tests, 800; naplha, etc, sold as
safety oils" 90; sale oils, according lC
both tests, 81 Total unsafe oils, CTS,
During the year ending October, 1869
total fires in New York, 0l3; fires CauseC
by kerosene, 9S; equal TO II per cent
DImage 10 property by kerosene fires
Si2,72O. In Brooklyn during the SAINT
period total fires, 3ll; fires caused b,
ScrosenC3l-CQuivalent 10 10 per cent
During same year, deaths from kcrCscn
accidents, 81; serious injuries, so; Sigh
INJURIES, U; total, 1903 Oae notable lea
turc Of these accidents 10 the fact .tha
The victims are generally women IN,
children.
In Wheeling during the past year, scv