Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-11-10
A GREAT INVENTION.
Maryland Man Demonstrates That He
Can Treat Gasoline So As To Prevent
Explosion.

The Baltimore American of Saturday
contained this interesting piece of news ]:
To prove shat gasoline. benZine and
other highly volatile fluids, which have
sent scores of people to horrible deaths.
may be robbed of their dangerous quail
ties when properly treated, was the OBJ
ject of a demonstration given yesterday
by Mr. Frank Il Hooper. of the Non
explosive oil Company whose office
and factory are on Columbia avenue
Messrs. John w Hewes, Claude Wor-
Ellington and Benson NJ. Greene, mem
bers of the rating committee of the
Board of Fire Underwriters. and II. \.
Gambrll and Edwin Biddle. inspectors
in the rating department of the Board
of Underwriters. were the especial
guest of the occasion. and declared
that the tests were the most severe
that could possibly be given.
There was no test suggested which
Mr.. Hooper did not readily apply 10 the
fluids after treating them by his process.
Cans partially filled with gasoline were
lgnited without the slightest sign of an
explosion, matches We're dropped into
the partially filled receptacles. and. al
though the fluid burned readily, there
was no evidence Of tendency % eX-
plode. The most practical and trying
test. however, was when Mr. Hooper
lighting a thrce-burner, blue-tlame
gasoline stove. not only filled the tank
from can with the top Off. but poured
gasoline from the can directly onto the
lighted burners. There was lurd
hare-up as the fluid ignited and the next
instant the spout and the opening al
the top Of the can were ablaZe, but
there were no signs of an explosion and
no danger either to the one holding the
can or to those around BenZine was
tested in nearly the same way and with
equally satisfactory results.
Gasoline. after being treated. was
shown to be just rs satisfactory for use
as a motive power in launches. autOmo-
biles and other machinery as before the
rapid rehabilitation had been checked.
The treatment. which is in the form
Of a fine powder, about tablespoonful
Of which is sufficient to render harmless
10 gallons of gasoline. is a discovery Of
Mr. Harper.
The rankest kind Of gasoline bought
by Mr. Gambrill yesterday morning es-
pecially for the test, was rendered abso-
utely safe by simply dropping small
bag containing the powder into the can
and withdrawing il almost instantly
The treatment can be made by anyone
and though the company delivers the
''non-explosive oil to consumers,
quantities Of the powder are being sold
to dealers in gasoline. who treat the
fluid in their own cans or tanks
1t is insisted by the discover that q
chemical change takes place in the
gasoline or other fluid the instant the
powder touches it. the formation Of gas
is retarded or almost totally stopped.
and the danger Of explosion Is instantly
removed II is claimed that. once the
danger from gasoline and similar fluids
Is removed. vast sums will be saved to
propertyowners in reduced insurance
rates, to say nothing Of the saving Of
human life
All of those present at yesterday 5
demonstration expressed themselves as
highly pleased with what they saw.