The New York herald., 1878-03-09
KEROSENE EXPLOSIONS.

PROFESSOR CORNWALL, OF PRINCETON COL
JERSEY CITY.
TIE inquest the body OF Catharne Foley, VINO
came to her death from the explosion OF kerosene
lamp, continued last evening before Coroner Gan
non, Brady's Morgue, Jersey City.
Great interest manifested when Professor Henry
B. Cornwall, OF Princeton College, took the Ho
the College OF New Jersey, at Princeton; such oil
this accident is always dangerous; have sent
tor aud examined i've samples OF OIL that caused
plosions IN different parts OF the State; all gave oil
nnammabie vapor below 100 degrees Fahrenheit;
one took fire itself at 50 degrees one at
80 degrees, at l05, at 1O6 and Ill, this
last being, therefore, better than what is admitted as
standard refined petroleum by the rule OF tho Produce
Exchange. There Two tests applied TO Kerosene
called the flashing test, which indicates the tem-
pcrature at which the oil yields nilammable vapors
the uther is called the burning fire test and ndi-
cacs the temperature ut which the oil itgeli takes
ire from the gnited vapors. IL has been repeatedly
shown and proved that Inc burning test may be
thirty degrees higher than the flashing test
ana my observations show that oil standing fire
test Of ITO degrees Will not stand flashing test OF
100 degrees; Dr. Chandler OF New York s,ves SO
degrees the average temperature Of glass
lamps which have burned for TOUR in u room
waruled 10 So degrees; when the room warmed
o. degrees the average temperature OF the oil
% I-3 degrees; tho hInest temperature IN any lamp
9s degrees; any oil flashing below 100 degrees
would be dangerous under such clrcinsances
THE ONLY SAFEGUARD.
The flushing test is the only sale guide in testing
oils II should not DO below loo, which would
reasonably safe oil; II lamp Aed with this oil is
upset aud broken the oil VIII out tho flame of The
wick II 1t runs over II, or at least VIII mol igno
bad oil does at once; out oil fourteen oils In
small town only iour were safe; Tho
present price OF kerosene in barrels the differ
ence cost per gallon between safe oil standing
100 degrees flashing tost and average oil ITO FIRE
would be 9sl0O OF one cent even the paphlh lha
removed IRON tho oil thrown away; IL is tho
napna benzne left IN the kerosene by reduiug or
nut Uy dealers which renders II explosive The OK
posion IS caused by uniting mixture Of The gas from
the oil with tho IN The lamp; this account
explosions frequently take place by blowing oUt
amps, being forced into the hmp more than halt
explosions have met with have taken place while
the lamp burnln quietly; there is less oapger
extlneuishing the lamp very low, by turning down
tho wlck so tha the lamp goes out Of itself; The ony
would proDaoy be more violent IT the lamp
were nearly empty; IN the present case the
test fell degrees below the safe test a
retail dealer ada ten per cent Of benZlne
sehe, having reasonably safe flashing point, without
making The oil Than tue average oil that navo
tested Kerosene Is maue IRON petroleum which
lined py disuillns; during the process light and
very in1ammablc products known as naphtha and
bcnznc rst driven of, aDd alter they removed
the Kerosene Degins 20 come oil rom The stl; II the
rrnners begin collection tne kerosene 100 soou
these naphtbas remain IN 1t and cause the n1ammable
vapors winch are So readily lgnited.
George Son4iners, who has been in the kerosene
iug business Tor twenty years, testified first
man lactured Kerosene from coal Oil and ailerward
from crude OH or petroleum. He explained the oiler
methods ana improvements IN testing oil tho oil
sold Jersey City Is 100 degrees nish, while that
sold in hoboAcn 10 1l2 degrees Hash; dad believe
that tho pedlcrs WAC purchase from him adulterate
the OH thero very little ference in a;e years
between the prices OF the Isni and the heavy oils.
Mr.. W, Van Ceo the retail dealer from whom the
oil purchased la TINS instance stated that he OBJ
1t IRON the factory in Lafayette, and that IT
the same oil as Is used BY all nis customers In jersey
City. II Is SIN selling tho same OIL
The jury rendered verdict that Catharinc Foley
her death from injuries caused by the cxplO-
sion of Kerosene lamp the 1st OF Mafcn, 1878, at
Jersey Guy, and the jury recommend thai proper
measures taaen by the authorities OF the CITY 10
standard.