Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-10-20
A Really Fire-Proof Dress.

To the "scientists" and to the superinten.
dents Of the fire brgades all over Europe
must be left, after narrow examination, the
decision as to how much there is that is
feasible in the remarkable iire.defying ap.
paratus invented by John William Ostberg
of Stockholm, the capabilities Of which are
just now in course OF exhibition by a hardy
Swede, Capt Ahlstrom, at the Alexandra pal
ace. That which is beheld by the public at
Muswell hill is briefly as follows Toward
dusk there is erected 10 the grounds of the
palace quadrangular structure with four
lateral openings, the uprights and crossbeams
Of which are supposed to represent house
on the point Of catching FIRE. The edfce is
rooted without and filled within with highly
combustible materials; and, these having
been plentllully sprinkled with petroleum,
the whole is set alight. Meanwhile. Capt
Ahstrom has been donniug dress some.
what resembling that Of an ocean diver, the
back of which is provided with u tail or hose,
or tubing, immeasurably longer than that
worn by Pan in the burlesque Of Midas
The simulated house being in fall blaze, Capt
Ahstrom proceeds in leasurely way to Gu
ter the blazing structure, not passing rapidly
through the flames as the "fre kings" already
seen have usually done, but examining, as it
were, the contents 10 a thoughtful and DELHI
crate manner, now folding his arms, and,
with cigar in his mouth looking around
him as though he rather enjoyed than other.
wise the closet Of contact with terrestrial
Tophet; now STOPPING down to pick up OBJ
jects supposed to represent keys, cash boxes
or other valuable articles which might be
imperled 10 burning house ; now rcscuiug
dummy" figure from impending inciner-
alton, wrapping the effigy in a mantle and
bringing it safely into the open. Then the
undaunted Norseman will emerge from the
burning hut, carrying in his arms red-hot
beams, and these timbers he will clasp close
to his breast, rub between his hands, and
otherwise make sport with. Next with a
Ratchet the captain will cut away blazing
obstacles lying in his path, or, from portion
Of the tubing branching from his caudal APP
pendage, he will play upon the flames until
the fire 10 his immediate vicinity is re-
duced to mass of charrod and smoking
cinders. The performance endurcs for a
space Of 80 or 10 minutes, but, when the
mechanism of the apparatus comes to be ex.
planned, there does not appear to be any va
lid reason why Capt Ahlstrom should not re-
main ia the midst Of his blazing pyre for
couple Of hours or more. Let it be ad-
ded that when he is Invested of his divers
gear the temperature Of the body is found
to be by no means abnormplly warm, and
that underneath his 6reman's dress he
wears his ordinary garments. The con.
struetiou Of the apparatus and its mode of
working are described simply enough by
the patentee The dress consists of double
covering, enveloping the whole body; but
it is made in two parts, one for the trunk,
arms and lower limbs, aud the other for
the head, both air-tight, and joined together
at the shoulders. The inner dress is of in.
dia rubber, and the outer part OF moleskiu
lined with stout cotton cloth or some other
non.conductor of heat. The head Of the
dress is rooted in by a helmet which not
only covers the head and the joints Of the
lower part, but has breastpiece defending
as low as the waist. This casque is Of
double canvas, and channeled for the exit Of
water. When the dress is adjusted, air is
supplied to the saamander by means of d
spiral india-rubber tude placed within another
hose conveying water, and this inner tube is
fed from an air.pump, or simply by q pail
of bellows at the extremity of the fire king,
tail.-LOndon Telegraph