Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-12-17
Kerosene "Acciden tS. )"
CORRESPONDENCE of Sentinel.

Friday last, and also in your issue of Oct
l, find the record of fatal kerosene ac-
cidents. In each of these cases
the accident was caused by the use
of kerosene for highly improper purpose
to-wit, the lighting of fires. No illumi-
mating oils can be considered safe for use
in this way, and we have no justification
to offer for the use of kerosene for fire
lighting. So long as people continue its
use for such purposes fatalities may be
expected to occur. Nevertheless the fact
remains that had oils of good quality been
used even for this improper purpose it is
not probable that either of these unfor-
tunate young women would have been
burned to death or that there would have
been any accident"
In each of the cases as reported it APP
pears that the oils emitted large volumes
of inflammable vapor and that it was this
vapor that communicated the flames to
the cans of fluid, exploding them and
scattering their burning contents on the
unfortunate victims. Oilsehat are of suf-
ficiently high test TO be safe for ordinary
use will not emit such volumes of infam-
mable vapor as these accounts describe,
hence had such oils been used it is high
ly improbable that any Explosion"
would have occurred.
A few weeks since the writer called at
tention through your columns to the ex-
ceedingly low grade Of illuminating oils
sold and used throughout the State; and
continued investigation has strengthened
the conviction that che who uses the com
mon kerosene of our markets carries a
death warrant in his hands, and that a
stumble may at any time furnish an exc
cution." The details of an accident from
the explosion of a lamp while in actual
use in the family Of Mr. Nathan Popham,
Marcellon, Marquette County, appeared
in your paper about month since This
case resulted in very serious injury to Mr..
ter four hours of agony. Samples of the
oil in use in this lamp which 1 have test
ed were found to be explosive at "A de-
grees F., and to burn at "a degrees An
other sample of oil which exploded in the
house Of Mr.. Pemberthy, of Hammond,
St. Croix County, at about the same time
fortunately without serious damage), was
found to be explosive at GO degrees F.,
its fire test being 70 degrees. These are
but samples of oils that are being freely
sold in our markets. indeed as there is
no restraint upon the sale of Illuminating
oils, there is no limit of adulteration that
the cupidity of manufacturers may not
lead them to.
1t was fortunate that the Norwegian
Lutheran church of your city was sup
piled with better grade of oil than these
| have referred to when by an accident
the chandelier fell in it a few weeks since
just after his lamps had been lighted. In
this case the flames were extinguished
with comparative ease. Samples of the
oil used in those lamps which have been
tested were found to bear a fire test of 120
deg, and there was here properly no ex-
plosion. Had these lamps been filled
with lower grade of oil, such as would
have given off more infammable vapors,
nothing could probably have saved the
church from destruction.
DIR. Baker, Secretary of the Michigan
State Board of Health, says in the last
report of that Board, "this State has re-
Gently been able to protect almost COM
pletely the lives of it's citizens from that
horrible danger which persons and par
ticularly the women and children, of some
other states are still permitted to suffer,
namely, the constant danger of being
roasted to death in ones own home be-
cause of the use of Illuminating oils.''
The law of the state forbids the sale of
oils for this purpose that will not bear
flash test Of 120 deg. F., Enormously
stated in my former letter at 140 deg
Yet our experiments have proven that
oils are being freely sold in this State the
test Of which is 40 or so degrees below
that point.
In the use of these oils the people are
unexpecting, but we cannot hold the
State guiltless if in the face of such re-
peated warnings as it is receiving, it con-
tinues to permit unrestrained sale of an
article, to use which is at the constant
peril of property and of life. If there be
any excuse or justification for the sale of
oils of this low grade invite statement
of them through your columns, which I
doubt not will be open for the purpose.
If none be offered, may we not hope for
the early passage of law which shall so
regulate the traffic in and use of illumin-
ating oils as will afford to Wisconsin
protection as ample as that enjoyed in