The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-13
BUTTE NEWS.
As A FIRE ExT|AGU|SHER
Carbonic Acid Gas One of the
Best Means Known to Science.
PETER SANGER'S PAPER
Read at the Meeting of the State Fire.
mems Association at Bozsman, 1t
ELECTED General and Profit
able Discussion.

Peter Sanger, chief of the Butte city
fire. department, read a paper at the
meeting in Bozeman of the State Fire
mems association, entitled "Carbonic
Acid Gas and Its Utility in Cases of
Fire" This was the only paper read at
the convention, and it was discussed at
length by the members After a few
remarks by way of preface the paper
continues:
1T is necessary to know how bi-car-
Donate of soda is made, or, in other
words, to get the base of the gases
that put fires out. 1t is well-known
fact that carbonic acid gas is the great
est fire destroyer that is known to
science. How carbonate of soda that
contains this carbonic gas is manufac-
tured I will try to explain:
"Carbonic acid gas in itself is COM
posed of two gases, one being oxygen
and the other carbon in a carbon
ated gas. The oxygen is the element of
the air that supports life and combus-
ton, but the same element that sup
ports fire in union with carbon or car
donated gas is an extinguisher of fire.
THE diamond is the purest carbon
known. The next would be graphite or
black lead, then would come coal, then
artificial carbons would be, such as
coke, charcoal, etc. Carbon, under
stand, Is an element that contains no
gas, but when brought into a high de-
gree of heat will unite very readily with
the oxygen of the air that we breathe
and pass off as carbonic acid gas.
ITO be more plain, to manufacture
carbonic acid gas that is stored in the
soda used in the chemical engine, it is
necessary to have that which is known
as soda ash. Soda ash is made of COM
mon salt with the salty ele-
ment, through chemical process. dis
patched with, and the remaining por-
ton would be called sal soda. Now,
then, the sal soda is ground into a
fine powder; then we have that which
is known as the soda ash. The soda
ash is used to absorb the carbonic acid
gas, as it is a well-known fact that
salt in any form or the product of salt
is very sensitive to the absorbing Of
gases. For this reason, that which is
known as soda ash is made of salt.
Then to complete the process and TO
make that which is known as bi-car-
Donate of soda (the white powder that
is used in the chemical engine) there is
bed of burning charcoal or coke; the
gas that arises from this burning char
coal or coke is carbonated gas. The soda
ash is placed In a room or an oven,
and the simple fact of allowing the
common air that we breathe to pass in
an opening at one end, over this burn
ing bed of charcoal or coke, which
would be carbon, and then out through
a 1ue and into the room that the soda
ash is spread out on trays, the soda ash
will absorb the carbonic acid gas, much
the same as dry salt, placed in a damp
atmosphere, will absorb the moisture
of the damp atmosphere almost in
stantly; but, remember that to make
carbonic acid gas is simply to allow the
air to pass in on burning fire and out
through flue or chimney, as it were,
for it is simply the work of nature,
bringing the two elements together that
make carbonic acid gas. rs
THE acid that is used in the chemical
engine is known as sulphuric acid. The
function that the acid performs is to
liberate the carbonic acid gas that is in
latent form, in the particles of soda
ash This being done, the little globules
of gas will expand like so many rubber
balls, and, being confined in an en-
closure, the expansive force being so
great, it propels the stream through the
hose to the burning fire, carrying with
1t the carbonic acid gas and water the
carbonic acid gas being the principal
element that extinguishes the fire, be-
ing 40 times greater than water as an
extinguishing element.
There is also another element in the
product of this soda solution that is
known as sulphate of lime. The sui
phate of lime would simply be the ele-
ment that is left after the carbonic acid
gas is liberated from the soda. This
lime is the white powder which is so
often visible when the chemical has
dried on material against which it was
thrown. The function that the sulphate
of lime performs is it will form a coat
ing, or an alright casing between
the fibres of combustible material and
the oxygen of air, which supports COM
bustion.
In order to fight fire with the chem
ical engine, the better plan is to throw
the stream with the wind and always
apply it at the base of the fire If posi-
BILE, for the reason that where there Is
fire there is generally draught which
will carry the carbonic acid gas up,
and performs its extinguishing power as
it rises, or passes off with the other
gases, not like water. Oftentimes in
fighting fire with water it is better to
start from the top, for the reason that
the water, being very heavy, will al
ways find it's way to the bottom and so
extinguish the fire that may be at that
point. But, remember the chemical
engine is just the reverse-always COM
mence at the bottom and work up.
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