The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1899-08-18
WHY EXPLOSION OCCURRED.

some Plain Reasons Given why the
Acetylene Gas Explosion Occurred.
To satisfy any who might be mislead
by the publication OF such articles and
to satisfy the inquiries OF many who
are interested in the most beautiful
light the world ever saw-ace,ylene-
l wish to state that the accident re-
terred to is as plain to me as A B G
and would be to others If it had been
published as it was in the Chicago
Record. AS was stated: "The tanks
had been recharged with carbide and
water few minutes before and is sup
posed the pressure increased too rapid
ly." This shows carelessness on the
part OF the management to look after it
and see to it that it was working right,
instead of going away as they did, the
result OF which, leaves the town in
darkness. Is that not parallel case
to the way our electric plant left our
city in darkness for five months, by the
osreless fireman overcharging the
furnace with straw and going away and
leaving it to do the rest? What does
it matter to the people whether they
are deprived from their lights by
carelessness with carbide or with
straw?
But this accident proves conclusive.
ly that the gas machine was not made
on approved plans and according to the
rules laid down by the insurance board.
An explosion can only occur where the
air is allowed to enter when the
machine is reoharged with carbide, for
it has been proved beyond question
of doubt by all the government and
other investigators and chemists Of
unquestioned ability that pure acetylene
gas will not explode and that an ex-
plosiou can only occur where air and
the oxygen that is in the air ombines
with 1t to make an explosive mixture
or combustible substance. We believe
we are one OF the first to find means
to prevent the air, lin the construction
OF the "Odorless') from gaining en-
trance to the machine and the insur-
ance board is now requiring it to be
done in others that will apply for per-
mits hereafter. The fact that the
machine referred to in the article was
built year ago, shows that very i'm
portant point, an all important one for
the safety Of the public, was not taken
into consideration. This machine was
got up merely to test the SUCCESS of
lighting whole city with acetylene,
it being the first city to try it, since
which many cities have commenced to
use it. 1t was put in by the parties
who owned the electric light plant,
where electric lights, by the cheapness
OF coal, can be produced for less than
they can here. This WAS also in the
natural gas region, where gas is very
cheap, but the brilliancy of acetylene
had given it the preference and now
that its success is beyond a question, it
will be replaced with plant built not
on experimental plans but more sub
stantial and up to date.
There is hardly city of any size in
all Europe, Canada or the Uuited
States but what has acetylene gas
plants. Germany and Canadian rail-
roads have adopted it in :ne passenger
train service. Our government is tho
most extensive user, having put it in
many OF the post office buildings in
many pisces in the east and now adopt.
ing 1t in the searchlight service, as
this light can be seen three times as
far as any other form OF light. In one
year acetylene has driven all other
forms OF bicycle lamps out OF use. It is
estimated there are 5000 private light.
ing plants in use in Chicago alone and
throughout the United States it is
reaching the enormous mum Der up to q
million. Canada and Europe the same
way, and all in three years. Such pro.
gress was never known before in any
thing. Only Sc out of over 900 appli-
cations to the Insurance Board of Ex-
amlners was passed, showing the car
fulness of the examinations. What be-
comes Of the balance? Some have the
sense to quit, having found their plans
were not right, while others proposed
to bulldoze and shove their defective
machines on the public unapproved.
Though they never should have been
sold, still the number of accidents with
them are few, yet it is only the ex-
perimentors and such class of machines
that have caused the accidents which
have come to light. 1t is this wonder
tul growth (more in three years than
electricity has made in thirty years
and exceedingly few accidents that
have occurred, that worry the electric
light business to such an extent that
when little accident does occur they
get up in their night dress and run to