The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-24
OIL BELOW THE SAFETY MARK.
KEROSENE SHORT OF THE FIRE
TEST BEING SOLD IN SAVANNAH.


The Georgia Law Requires n STAN
dard of 100 DeErees-A Test IF
Samples From the stores Reveals
the sale of illegal On-Chemist
Ffnney's Investigations-Wh the
Oil Companies RepFesentatiNc s
and Inspector Morrissey Say.
comDlaints have been made recently OF
the inferior quality of kerosene oil which
Is being sold in Savannah, it being claim
ed that it does not conform to the Geor-
gia test law. which requires that all il
Illuminating oils shall be sufficiently REIN
cd 10 stand a heat Of I'D degrees Fahren-
heit before ignidng. An investigation has
revealed the fact that oil which is con-
sidered unsafe by the legislature is being
sold in the city. and the people are prooa-
bly, not aware Of the fact
The Morning News has within the last
few DAYS looked into the matter, with a
view TO ascertaining whether the law
which insures the consumers OF oil is
being complied with, without imputins
or attempting to locate responsibility for
violations.
A represen tative of the Morning News
purchased a number Of samples Of oil
from retail stores In different sections OF
the city. and submitted them 10 Mr.. b.
f. Finney, a well known analytical and
consulting chemist for test The
manner Of collecting the specimens
was absolutely fair and impartial, and the
examining chemist had no knowledge as
TO where they had been purchas-
ed. After the purchase was made. the
bottles were Theoretically sealed and num-
bered. and were submitted with nothing
further upon them than the number which
had been attached by the purchaser.
memoranda was kept, however, in which
was noted the place where the oil was OBJ
tanned, the company from which it had
been purchased by the retailer, and the de-
gree Of heat which it was said TO resist
before flashing.
Mr.. Finney completed his work and sub
mitted his report to the Morning News
yesterday. The number of the sample APP
pears under the first head, the flashing
and burning points in the next two col
umns and the degree of heat at which the
different specimens burned according TO
the test as made by Mr.. Finney in &C
cordance with the provisions Of the Geor-
gia law. OF ten samples, Nos. l, ?. 4, D.
and were represented by the retailers
to be oils which would stand a test of 100
degrees while it will be seen from the
chemists report that most of them did
not even come within the Georgia test
of 100 degrees. The report says:
Enclosed please find tests Of illuminat-
ing oils, which were submitted to me by
your representative. The flashing point is
that temperature at which the oil gives
off infammable vapor and represents the
danger line. The actual temperature OF
which the oil ignites, according TO the
method prescribed in section 1913 Of the
code of Georgia.
These results speak for themselves. Six
of the samples submitted fail to meet
the requirements of the law, only four
out of the ten igniting by the Georgia fire
test at 100 degrees Fahrenheit or above
1T is only fair to state that the method
prescribed by the Georgia code is rather
indefinite and admits Of considerable per-
eonal variations, although l have endeav
ored TO give the oil dealer every advantage
in making these tests. It is possible how
ever, that three out of the six reported
below the Georgia test might be made TO
come within the law
1T viii give me great pleasure TO CO.
operate with you in all matters pertain
ing TO the health and safety Of the public
ana whenever / can be of service to you
along this line, please command me-" Fol-
lowing are the results of the test: