The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-10-14
FIRE DEFYING LIQUID.
Denver Mans Discovery to Make
Wood Fireproof.
CoLoRLESS, oDoRLESS FLUID

Costs but 10 Cents a Gallon and Is
Deemed Absolutely EHeetivs-siI<
Dress Dipped In the Liquid, u 10 De-
esarsd, VIII Not Burn.
Spurred to the labor OF discovering a
liquid applications OF which would rem.
der canvas and wood imperviOus to
fire by the disaster in the Iroquois
theater in Chicago. Professor Carl K.
Kruger Of Denver announces that he
Is now able to formulate a colorless,
odorless fluid the presence OF which
cannot be detected, at the slight ex-
pense of 10 cents a gallon, which rem
ders combustibles with which II comes
in contact absolutely fireproof, says
the Columbus Dispatch.
Professor Kruger is a German, six
ty years old, and a photographer. He
has been in that business since 1866,
when he began polishing daguerreo-
type plates for his father. At that
time Ii was necessary for the photog-
rapher to manufacture his own sup
plies, and a knowledge Of chemistry
was essential. Professor Kruger stud
led chemistry under DR. Vogel Of Ber-
lin and at that time began expert
menting In 1le photography of colors.
He says be has succeeded In catching
light red brown and blue with the
camera. but VIII not attempt to make
pictures for the public until he is able
to take deep red and yellow also.
Professor Kruger, to test the quail
ties of his fire defying liquid, per-
forms number OF experiments. A
shingle Is dipped into the fluid, al
lowed to dry and then dipped in kero-
sene, which is ignited The oil burns
and the shingle Is charred but its
strength and sOlidity are unaffected
Canvas prepared with the fluid is
soaked In kerosene. The on burns
out and the canvas Is only blackened.
except where ii has been heated TO a
white heat and ilamelessly turned to
ashes The quality of the canvas is
destroyed by such test as kerosene,
although 1t does not become ignited.
A small stick Of pine. heavy with
pitch, after being dipped in the liquid
was placed acr SO II fiaring gas burner
The pitch was boiled out OF the wood
and burned. tie iron of the heater
grew red, but he little pine stick only
blackened and came out OF the ordeal
as solid and hard as ever.
A soft pine box was sprayed with
the liquid and then stuffed with papers
drenched in kerosene. The flames shot
up through crack at the top, curled
around the SIDES and seemed to be
burning the box as paper, but when
the fire had died down the box was
only blackcned. otherwise intact
Professor Kruger is employed at an
Arapahoe street studio. He has been
In Denver Off and on for six years.
Speaking Of his discovery, he said:
There need lie no more fires on the
stage, where women and little chill
dren will be burned up. In fact, there
need be no fires any place. Roofs can
be sprayed with this fluid and then a
bonfire built on them. Box cars can
he protected and lumber yards made
fireproof.
"A silk dress can be dipped In this
liquid and It would never be detected
and will not burn. I have found that
1t Will not wash out, but long boiling
will take out the chemical
I'm the future houses can be sprayed
with this and then painted. The paint
will protect the fluid from the rain
and weather and render the house
fireproof. | feel very proud OF my dis
coyery, and have tested IL as severe
ly ! could | have known for a long
time how to manufacture a fluid that
would repel file but left a stain when
applied
81 have applied to Washington for a
patent. and If l can get any money
out of II | am going to take up photo
graphing in colors. II costs money
to experiment, especially in trying TO
take pictures in their original color,
because they are not treated IKE the
other kinds of pictures"