The daily critic., 1890-11-15
cLRE OF LLHPs



oil and lamps hovs how much the
mind Of thc housJ keeper IS taken mp
with tlis often troublesome detail of
Hfc Attention to the following in.
-uuefiurs ar3 iacts may be The means
Of avuidin many of the causes of un.
satisfactory light
Oil iu Washington, thanks 90 the
careful inspection of The Fire Marshal,
Colonel Drew. is never of a lanEsr1u.
character but 90 often varies very
much iu iuuulIi'v 10 should always be
water white tO use a technical term,
and absolutely free from anv CI0uli-
ness. The iauar is due Co glue from
barrels Or suspended dust ur dirt which
sooner or later clogs the wicks of the
lamp so that tIpy can no longer supply
Oh 10 the flame Attention 20 this
particular Is most important for with
out "a clear OH % good light cannot be
obtained.
A high color is due 20 The oxidation
aid cunning Uf The oil hv age OR I'm.
proper refining Such an oil may burn.
lui not rs wei as "a water.whife oil. and
also has a tendency 20 clog the wick or
produce disagreeable and unhealthy
products Of combustion Oils also vary
as 20 their density, the lighter more
volatile and more easily iutlamed hcing
the cheaper and more dangerous They
are generally desirnaied in the trade by
tue uCEree Fahrenheit, at which they
will iuHame hen heated and touched
with a match. this being called the fire
ttst The ordinary keGUseHeuf the trade
is usually deuOminated 1902 fire test
oil. but the greater part of it will not
reach this, while the denser kinds, some
time known as mineral sperm. head.
light oil, and by other fancy names,
does not iuflame until 30Oo +. or
course this latter oil IS the safer for all
uses, as lamps containing II are safe from
explosion or ignition If the lamp Is over
turned. Unfortunately the proportion
Of this oil in petroleum Is so small. and
the cost Of preparing it so much greater
than in the case ot ordinary kerosene,
that its price is very much higher than
ordinary oil, and preCludes its use eN.
CCpt for localities where absolute safety
and the best light is desired, nor will all
burners work satisfactorily with this oil
Ordinary kerosene cau he found In
many grades and varying prices, aud Il
Is impossible for the purchaser TO tell
what heis getting, but the price Is, with
reliable dealers, fair gauge. The
cheapest Is. by police regulation. within
the limit Of ordinary safety, aside from
carelessness and accidents, while the
best with the duplex or arCan1
burners, gives q much superior light
and with proportional safety Ones
means must decide the question Of
which 20 use.
Lamps of almost any form will burn
the common oil not all with equal
safety, however For the better oil the
duplex or argand burners are advisable
on Necessary, either 10 provide for the
pruIer combustion Of the oil or a suf.
tCiuut air supply 10 the flame No
lamp should ever become so hot that
the hand cannot he held upon the oil
receiver without discomfort, otherwise
th,rr Is danger la good laup.
especially with the dcuscr oils, the oil
surface 10 the receiver should never be
below five inches from the top Of the
wick, and the oftener the lamp is tiIlud
the better IL will burn.
A lamp which has had cloudy or col
ored oils In Il should be thoroughly
cleaned and new wicks inserted before
using a new oil, and Il Is necessary to
with soda lye or washing soda to re-
move the gummy matter which accum.
ulatts upon them Mixing Of good oils
can do no harm.
With a good lamp In good condI
tion, that Is to say clean aud filled with
good oil bad results may be due to-
/. The wick. Wlcks are seldom Of
inferior qualify but may be too closely
or lgnaalF rf.l4
tube of the lamp. If too loosely woven,
especially with the cheaper oils, the oil
continues 10 creep up the wick when
the lamp Is not In use and spreads au
oily film all over the outside Of the
lamp. A better oil or more closely
woven wick Is the only remedy for this,
aud as a rule the cheaper the oil the
denseT the wick should be. When the
wick does not iit the tube II may be so
large as to be unduly compressed and
thus prevent the How of oil. OF It may
be so loose as 10 jar down. Several
changes in wicks are often necessary
before finding one suited 10 the lamp
and oil
2 Clogging Of the wick. As has
been mentioned, bad or old oils gum
and clog the wick The remedy for
this Is better oil after inserting new
wicks and cleaning the lamp. BE sure
the oil Is bright, not cloudy and water
white
3. Wicks too short The Wlcks may
not reach the level of the oil in the re-
ceiyer, on it may be too far away from
the flame. When the lamp is nearly
empty this is adyantageOusly not more
than five inches from the flame.
f. Trimming: Scissors never should
be used on wicks, or, If they have been,
the wick should be treated as a new
wick, as follows The new wick should
be put In the wick tube Of the burner
after saturaling il with Oh and then,
without immersing il In OH IN The re-
ceiyer lighted and allowed % burn out
A gentle rubbing of the wick surface
turned low will then give an even aud
good wick. The removal Of chaTed
and crushed portions Of the wick by
rubbing IN this way should be repeated
as often as made necessary By the use
Of the lamp
BY following these suggestions a good
lamp light may be obtained and a cor
responding amount Of comfort Never
turn an of lamp low because c0mbus-
ZION is then incomplete and bad 0dOr
is produced.
Never put out a light without turning
IL down 10 prevent the oil from running
over The outside Of the lamp when not
In use
As a Luai resort appeal % the fire
marshal for inspection Of your Oh aud
lamp.
Ths Ginard Gas Cue.
Fr1m Flilie 1aiElgH
If d. Gitfard gas gun ever comes