The San Francisco call., 1903-01-26
OIL FLASH TESTS.

market may be placed under the domination OF a
monopoly Should these efforts succeed the oil in
dustry Of the State would be seriously injured and
all manufacturing enterprises hampered. The issue
therefore should receive careful consideration from
all who interested in the public welfare.
Attention has been already directed to the recon-
mendation OF a majority OF the Fire Committee OF
the Board OF Supervisors recommending the adoption
of the flash test OF 40 degrees in this city. 1t is
to be noted that similar and coincident attack
has been made in the Legislature. Senator Ralston
by request has introduced bill providing that no
kerosene or coal oil shall be manufactured, offered
exposed for sale which will not stand fire test of
100 degrees and that all oil used as fuel for making
shall be crude petroleum having flash test Of
less than $50 degrees. The latter provision is to
apply only to cities and not to boilers used at the
wells for operating to railway locomotives.
Each OF the two measures is bad and while the
submission OF the one to the Board OF Supervisors
and the introduction OF the other in the Legislature
almost simultaneously, may be only coincidence, it
has every appearance OF concerted effort to the
interest OF giant monopoly.
considerable part of the petroleum products OF
California is composed of what are known medium
grade oils, which not of the highest grade for
refining, but which form admirable fuels and are
thoroughly safe. These oils come within the scope
OF the proposed ordinance and legislation and under
the flash test OF $50 degrees would be barred from
the fuel market
The Ralston bill would permit such fuel to be used
only at the wells by locomotives and therefore the
producers would either have to sell it the refners
at any price the rehner chose give else to the
railways at such price as the railways would give
1t is easy see that when compelled to deal with
either refining corporation or a railway corpora
md h,fa cho
of getting fair price for his product Nor is the
producer the only one who would suffer for having
obtained control of the oil fuel supply by the
clusiOn Of competitors the refining company could
cinch the consumer with one hand while holding the
producer by the throat with the other
There is not the slightest to be given for this
combined attack upon the oil industry Of the State
Professor Rising OF the State University having been
called to give testimony an expert on the
subject, stated that no degrees is a safe limit He
pointed that proper ventilation must be provided
through the oil tanks and spaces where oil is stored
no matter what fash point is established, but that
when such ventilation provided there no occasion
for demanding higher flash point than is now re-
quired
Ample evidence is found in the experience with
the use of oil fuel in this city to confirm the state
ments of the expert. This evidence shows that oil
here for upward of fifteen years without accidents
arising herefrom except in the case of the Progreso,
and in that the evidence given during the Off
cia examination is convincing that the disaster was
due to causes other than the low fash point of the
oil. 1t was brought out in the testimony that many
precautions which should have been taken were neg
ected. that adequate ventilation was not provided
and that work demanding the presence OF hand forges
was IN progress in the immediate vicinity OF the tank
containing the oil
In addition to the objections which run equally
against both the measures under consideration there
are some that apply especially to the proposed
ordinance In that measure the flash test and the
penalties for violation limited to oil used for
fuel no provision being made with respect to oil
stored even in unlimited quantities so long as it is
not used for fuel purposes It would forbid the use
OF gasoline torches, such used by painters and
by plumbers. and in fact, if literally construed no
kerosene oil having lower flash test than that stated
could be used for fuel nor could gas be used as
fuel for stoves CRATES, for the gas of this city is
undoubtedly "a product OF petroleum" and is very
far below the zero degree Fahrenheit.
Both the ordinance and the Raston bill are III
considered from beginning to end The only interest
that would derive any benefit from either of then, or
from both combined, is the Standard Oil Companv
The establishment OF the proposed test would add
nothing to the safety of the community, while if
would cripple great industry njure small companies
who are now competing with the Standard Companv
check the movement toward manufacturing enter
prses and greatly retard the progress the State We
have long felt the need of cheap fuel and for lack of
It our prosperity and wealth are far less than thev
would have been by this time could we have deve1oned
manufacturing along with rural industries We have
now found an abundant supply of the best fuel in
the world and it would be an act of supreme foI1v
il the Supervisors the Legislature deprive us
by adverse legislation of the advantages conferred by
nature.
Those who are sneerino a. tbe NIB r Ns,