South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-10-15
Why and When Lamps Explode.

~ ~ aS0 " AAVA 4S0xkkk
All explosions of coal oil lamps are
caused by the vapor or gas that collects
In the space above the oil. When full
OF oil Of course . lamp contains no gas,
but Immediately on lighting the lamp,
consumption Of oil begins, soon leaving
q space for gas. which commences to
form IS the lamp warns up. and after
burning short time sufficient gas will
accumulate to form an explosion. The
gas in . lamp will explode only when
ignited. Cheap or inferior oil is always
the most dangerous.
The flame is communicated to the gas
in the following manner: The wick
tube in all lamp burners is made larger
than the wick which is to pass through
it. 1t would not do to have the wick
work tightly in the burner; on the con.
trary. 1t is essential that Il moves up and
down with pssfsst sasos II this way &c
Is unavoidable that space In tho tube Is
LETT along the sides Of the wick sufficient
for the flame from the burner to pass
down into the wick tube and explode
the gas.
Many things may occur to cause the
names to pass down the wick tube and
EXPLODE the lamp.
LIST. A lamp may be standing on q
table or mantel, and slight puff of air
from the window, or the sudden opening
OF door. causes an explosion.
End. A lampmay be taken up quick.
ly from table or mantel and instantly
explode.
3rd. A lamp is taken into an entry
where there is draft, or out Of doors.
and an explosion ensues.
4th. A lighted lamp is taken up
flight OF stairs, or is raised quickly to
place it on the mantel, resulting in an
explosion. In all these cases the mis-.
chief is done by the air movement, eth.
er by suddenly checking the draft, or
forcing air down the chimney against
the flame,
9Th. Blowing down the chimney to
extingnish the light is a frequent cause
OF explosion.
9Th. Lamp explosions have been
caused by using chimney broken off
at the top, or one that has piece bro.
ken out whereby the draft is rendered
variable and the fame unsteady.
9TH. Sometimes thoughtiess per.
son puts small sized wick in a large
burner. thus leaving considerable space
in the tube along the edges of the wick.
9Th. An old burner, with its mir drafts
clogged up, which should rightfully be
thrown away, is some times continued in
use, and the final result is an explosion.
THE FRIAR's POINT CAMpArev.-It is
to be observed that the noisy conflict
which has broken out at Friar's Point.
Miss, was, to use the words Of the dis.
patch. caused by "a personal grievance
between Alcorn and Brown, growing ont
of Ames's antagonism to Alcorn."-
Brown, who is the colored sheriff and the
Ames candidate for reelection had ex.
cited the men Of his own color to an
armed demonsti alton against the whites
on the strength Of n political rencontre
with Alcorn. Alcorn, who is n republi.
can, but bitterly opposed to the Ames
faction, and whose home is Mt Friar's
Point, with about seventy cavalry and
forty infantry improvised for the occa.
sion. has driven the sberifrs mob from
the town and is master Of the "military
situation" The difficulty, therefore, is
between two republicans, though it is
probable that the conservatives sympa-
thize wholly with Alcorn as opposed to
Ames, who has shown himself so unfit
for the Office Of Governor which he oc.
cupies, and to the foolish sheriff, who
has demonstrated by his conduct that he
has neither discretion in difficulty nor
valor in time Of peril. The result is
nm outburst OF excitement which threat
ems the peace OF the whole State, though
it would seem that the huIlabaloo has at
length frightened Brown into some sort
OF an appreciation OF the trouble he is
responsible for, and he is now outside Of
his army ostensibly trying to get others
to put out the fire which he started. The
incendiary spirit OF Gov. Ames. and the
incorporate advice which Fred Douglass
gave to the colored people Of Mississip-
pi few weeks ago on receiving false
account Of the riot at Clinton, have no
doubt had their influence in engendering
the disposition which has brought about
this silly appeal to arms. IL is perhaps
not uncharitable TO suspect that Cover.
nor Ames is laboring to get up such IAN
emergency" in Mississippi as might re-
concile General Grant, for the sake of
the public safety. TO accept third.term.
Baltimore Sun, Oct. 7.
"RooRBAcK."-A subscriber writes TO