West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22
what should De the Legal standard oi Kcr-
csencs

These are two widely prevalent errors in
regard TO the use of kerosene. One is that
Kerosene explosions are always the result OF
carelsSsness; the other, that the use of
kerosene is necessarily attended with more
danger than accompanies the use of animal
or vegetable oils; In other words that Il is
impossible to make an Illuminating oil from
petroleum which will not be more or less
risky under ordinary household conditions.
But these errors arc due TO popular ignor-
aDce, with regard TO the nature and proper
ties of the mixture OF petroleum products
properly denominated kerosene, aud the
conditions under which low grades or
adultsyated kerOsenes explode. Crude pc
troleum, from the compleNity of its com
position, has been aptly compared TO a
book; the products given of at successive
temperatures being the leaves, each show
Ing more or less pronounced characteristics
Its more volatile parts are given of at a
temperature a. low as the freezing point of
water. AT summer heat appears rhigoline
which boils at Go deg. Fab. at tempera-
tures below l70 deg, gasoline Is given
of; and between that and 500 deg the
product Is called nsphtha. The naphtha dis
titled at a temperature above 2SO deg is
distinguished as benzine All these pro-
ducts are without oily properties; are VIOLA
tile at common temperatures; take fire
readily; and when their vapoB are mixed
with from seven to nine times their vol
ume Of air they burn with an explosion.
even when not confined Between 800 deg.
and 400 deg kerosene is distilled mixture
OF products angiug in character between
benzine and the heavy paratine oils, too
thick for use in lamps. According To Pro
fesssor Chandler, 100 parts of crude pctro-
loum yield by distillation, | II parts OF
gasoline, 10 of refined naphtha, OF ben
zine, 90 of kerosene, II 10 Of paraillne,
(luhricating) oil, OF paratlne, and 10 of
coke, gas, and loss. Bcnzine is worth
about half as much as kerosene; naphtha
and paraiiine oll about one-third as much.
The temptation Of rcfncrs Of petroleum Ia
to mix their oils with the lighter and cheap
or rnaphthA then bring up the product TO
the appearance Of kerosene by an admixturc
of paratlinc oil, also lower In price than
pure kerosene. IL Ia the naphtha, with it's
low flashing point that causes all the mis-
chief. The legal standard for kerosene IN
New York and many other States Is 100
deg fire test; the United States Standard
Is ll0 deg In Michigan all oils are for
hidden which flash at l40 deg or below
Obviously II the law is enforced in the last
named state, kerosene accidents are quite
impossible there. An effort is being made
in Boston to have the standard raised from
100 deg. TO 10 deg. some insist that It
should be made as high as 30 deg Pro
fessor Chandler, President Of the Board Of
Health Of New York city, asserts that the
standard of l35 deg. should be adopted
everywhere; in which case there would be
an end Of kerosene explosions, provided, of
course that law be rIgidly enforced.
Should the standard be 40 raised the actual
cost Of the oil, he says would not he in
creased more than n cent or two gallon.