The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-18
THE CARE OF LAMPS.
Dirt and Carelessness Cause Most
of the Accidents.

The two great and very real dangers
in connection with lamps are dirt and
carelessness, and to these two causes
may be safely attributed most of the
so-called lamp accidents, says the
Chicago tribune. Consult any good
lamp seller and he will give you any
number of facts bearing out this as
sertion. He will tell you the great
sources of danger inIamps are dirty
burners and badly-fitting wicks. How
inconceivabiy careless people can be
on those points it is difficult to real
ize without personal observation.
Here is an instance vouched for by a
lamp dealer of great experience and
well-deserved reputation
IA short time since we received a
letter from a gentleman engaged in
scientific pursuits, stating that a lamp
| which had beer in use for some three
or four years and had always given
the most satisfactory results had re-
Gently taken fire, the consequences
being that the lighted burner fell
from the container, very nearly caus-
ing a serious disaster. We at nee
wrote requesting that the burner
might be sent to us for examination.
and on receipt we found, as we had
anticipated, that the gauze was COM
pletely choked up with a hard coating
of dirt (but very few Of the holes being
free) and that the wick was n size
too small"
Such instances might be indefln-
itely multiplied, but the gist of all is
the same. Granted cleanliness and
ordinary care, there "a be no acci-
dent. To begin with, the lamp should
be trimmed and filed with oil in the
morning every day. Once a week the
oil %container should be thoroughly
emptied out and the small amount of
dirty oil thrown away. Next see that
the burner is clean. Whenever the
lamp burns badly this should be at
once looked to, as it is often the cause.
If the burners are boiled for a few
minutes in soda and water at regular
intervals there will be little difficulty
in the burning. Next see that the
wicks fit exactly.
For this purpose, when new wicks
are required. the lamp-burner should
always be sent. Some people buy
biIclI WlCh Oy EuCcc, a l1OSb lOOtioh
plan, for not only must it be of the
right width. but also of tine right
thickness, so as to allow of the oil
reaching the flame properly, and also
to let the wick be turned up or down
easily. Another thing to ascertain is
if the wick is worn out. A lamp
should have a fresh wick every month
at least. Be careful before fitting in
a new wick to see that the latter is
perfectly dry. 1t should be placed for
ten to fifteen minutes on the hot plate
before fixing it on the lamp, SO as to
remove any moisture.
1t is said that soaking the wicks in
vinegar and then drying them thor
oughly prevents all chance of sinok-
ing; but of this there should be no
fear where the lamp is regularly and
properly cleaned and trimmed. Be
careful in trimming the wick not to
let any of the charred part fall
into the burner. This is a
fruitful source of trouble. Lamps
with metal reservoirs are undoubtedly
safer than those of glass or china, as
the former, if upset, can be picked
up and replaced before the oil can
escape. Therefore, where children
are about, it is better to have only
metal containers, or else containers
which can be slipped into the china
or glass stands. OF course, the oil
used must be of good quality. There
is no saving, but on the contrary,
waste and some danger in poor oil.
Bad oil clogs the wick and the burner,
besides giving off an unpleasant and
dirty yapor.
Politeness That Didn't Pay.
She had gotten off her Safety for
some reason and was trying to get on
again. Some girls can get on a Safety
without assistance and some can't.
She was one OF the latter class.
A young man dressed in the height
of style stopped, watched her make
two Intellectual attempts. laughed, and
went on.
A business man chuckled as she
nearly fell. but he did not stop.
A well dressed oma said she
ought to be ashamed of herself for
enjoying such a masculine sport and
continued on her way.
Several people passed in quick sue
cession, and one OF two stopped. They
seemed to enjoy her discontinue. The
situation became so embarrassing to
her LnaC size puSneQ 0ef machine on
for half a block and tried again. Then
a shabby looking man shuffied up.
He saw her p~redicanenr, but he
didn't laugh. He lifted his dilapi-
dated hat politely and said:-
Cant l help you, miss?"
sob, if you'd be SO kind,o said the
girl, almost discouraged by this time.
please hold the machine steady"
He held it while she got ON.
Pm aver so much obliged TO you,
sir, " she said. gratefully. Nov. if
You will give it a push, I'll be all
"You haven't got a dime for a fell
Ter as is broke, have your" he asked.
"Why, I'm sorry" she said, "but |
left my purse at home"
Down you Gomez he said.
"Whatm she cried.
IA dime, or down you come again."
he replied.
but, sir"
Down you come" he said again.
''I'm no dude, dom these polite
things for pretty looks. Fork over a
The case was desperate. He vas
the machine wobble a little,
just to show that he meant business.
ItGo,no ~ INV ho,na - ela sa;d