The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-05
AUTOMOBILE TOOK
FIRE FROM ITS TANK
J. O. GiIbert's Fine Machine
Almost Total Wreck.
COAL OIL WAS I'M TANK
Spark Coil Set Fire to Ii when
Gasoline Was Used.

Through carelessness in filling the tank
with coal oil instead of gasoline, J. o.
Gilberts fine automobile was nearly re-
duced TO ashes about Il o'clock last night,
at the corner OF Water street and Doug
las avenue The OIL caught fire from the
electric spark in the machine and the
flames almost totally destroyed one Of
the prettiest machines in the city.
Mr. Gilbert was on mis- way home when
the machine stopped OF its own accord.
at the corner Of Water and Douglas. Mr..
Gilbert took the measure Of his tank and
found it nearly full of oil. He started TO
let the oil run from the tank TO the
street. when it suddenly caught fire and
before he could turn the stop-cock flames
enveloped the entire machine. The oil
ran onto the paved street and took fire,
and the flames were fed with the oil
escaping from the tank. Moving the
machine did not help matters. and throw
ing water into the flames only spread the
oil.
The fire department was called out. The
firemen tried to put out the blaze with
a hand chemical tank. but the stream of
oil fed the fire too fast. The big chemical
was turned on, and this did not put out
the blaze Not until a full stream Of
water had been turned on were the flames
eXtinguished.
The temper had been taken from every
part of the machinery SO that it is prac-
tically worthless. and hardly a spot OF
the machine but was blistered and
burned. The machine is almost total
loss. and it represented an expenditure OF
something like 1.2o0 Mr.. Gilbert had
operated the machine only ten days. 1t
was the first fonneau seat auto brought
TO Wichita. and was made by the Cad
lilac company. The machine brought
forth a good deal of admiration as it
appeared on the street, for it had very
graceful lines and elegant finish.
The fire was caused from no fault OF the
machine or its operator. Gasoline ex-
plodes while coal oil only burns. On
this account gas is used in all auto en-
g1nes not propelled by steam. The tank
was filled yesterday morning by an en-
pioye of Mr. Gilbert's furniture store on
North Main street, and coal oil instead Of
gasoline was placed in the tank. When
all of the gasoline was used the ma
chine stopped of its own accord, as the
coal oil. not being explosive, the engine
refused TO run. Mr.. Gilbert saw that he
had plenty Of oil in his tank. and as soon
as he learned thst il was oil, started 10
let the oil run into the street, and ex-
pected 10 borrow or buy enough gas to
take him home.
When Ny. Gilbert got his machine home
he discovered another IRE in the machine
This was in the tool box in the front and
a considerable distance away from the
engine and tanks. In the tool box was a
bunch of oil waste. and near this was
a sparker and transmitter. Mr.. Gilbert
stated 10 the Eagle after he discovered
this that he believed the fire caught in
the waste I'm the tool box from sponta-
neous combustion, or possibly a spark
and may have been burning a long time
before it was discovered. His opinion
last night was that when he turned the
stop-cock TO let the oil out it caught from
fire in a stream OF oil running from the
tool box 10 the engine. small groove
in the bottom Of the bed allowed the oil
from the waste to run back and drip
away.
This is the first accident OF the kind
that has happened in Wichita