The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-06-06
FLOUR MILL EXPLOSIONS.

Although theories had been preyi-
0uSly constructed to account for the
great phenomena of flour mill explo-
slons. the subject was first brought
into prominence in 1872 by the explo-
sion of the tradeston mills, at Glass
gov, Scotland. Destructive fires had
before that date happened in differ.
ent parts of Germany, but the apall-
ing magnitude of the disaster that
overlook the Tradeston mills in July.
1872. atonce elected Il general dis
cusSion and attracted the notice OF
scientists. The insurance companies
at first refused to pay the insurance
on the property, but afterwards paid
the fuil amount. as it was known that
the causes leading to the explosion
we're not within the control of the
owners OF the mill. Asimilar explo-
sion occurred at the city mills. at
Fort Dundas, Scotland, on September
10, 1874. attended with less disastrous
results; but it served to keep fresh in
the minds Of the British people the
possibility of explosions taking place,
even in such peaceful establishments
as flour mills. The first opinion as to
the cause Of these phenomena which
we shall notice is that of DIR. w.
Smith, of Manchester, England, who
gave considerable attention to the
subject. He relates how an explosion
was produced in the Ofen-pesth steam
mill at Budapest. Hungay, which
blew of the roof of the building and
caused other damage, by workmen
mixing some fine varieties of -four.
The door of the mixing room was left
open. and a thick cloud of dust ignited
from a light. A similar explosion
took place at Predict, Germany.
DIR. Smith states his opinion as fol-
lows: lit has been demonstrated that
flour and bran intimately mixed, and
in a fine state of division, gives of a
gas at 450' Fah,. which, when mixed
with nine volumes Of air, form an ex-
plosive mixture, liable at any time to
be fred by a spark or fame" He
recommends that the use Of exposed
portable lights in mills should be pro-
hibited.
Wiebe, a German chemist, has ad-
vanced the theory that grain in the
form Of ~impalpable -four undergoes
rapid combustion when ignited. and
that during the process OF combustion
a highly explo i've hydrecarbon gas is
generated, which, when linked with
air, becomes highly explosive. We
shall notice this opinion further on.
Pepliaps the most generally receiv-
ed opinion is that advanced by Pro-
fessor Stevenson Hacadam. When
the TradestOn mill explosion took
place, Professors Macadam and Ran
kline were requested to take an active
part in investigating the causes that
led to the explosion. Professor Ma
cadam publish d his views in Iron, an
English periodical, from which we
extract the following:
1.-The chemistry of grain and -Four
may assist us in arriving at an under
standing regarding these fire expIo-
sions. The chemical components are
principally starch and gluten, with
small proportions of gum, sugar, oil,
woody fibre and ash. The starch and
woody fibre are composed Of carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen (C6H1OO5); SO
are also the gum, sugar, and oil. and
the gluten contains these elements,
accompanied by nitrogen. sulphur and
phosphorus. All these pr~oxiinxte con
stituents are c0mbustible when burn.
q in the ordinary way. and are con
sumed with greater fspidity when
dk9nDod - : clos1 throaGh TIE atr.
49,