The Somerset reporter., 1907-02-14
Chemical ExtInRnishers.

The two chemical fire extinguishers,
owned and kept in order at the City
Drug Store, which were brought into
very effective use at the fire on The third
floor of the hitter block about mid
night, Saturday, have distinguished re
cord for services of this kind that should
not pass unnoticed. At the time of the
Robinson Mill fire in 1899 they were used
to keep the flames out of the Marston
Mills adjoining. They were used and
then recharged at the drug store till
they had done service eight times and
by this means the conflagraton was kept
in check until the fire department could
take charge of the situation. They were
used in the same manner at the time OF
the Bisson block fire to keep the flames
out of Hotel Oxford and later to put out
a FIRE in the Hotel Oxford basement.
Afterward there was a fire in the office
of the Robinson mill which yielded to
them and at the time of the Coburn hall
fire they conquered blaze set by falling
sparks on the Morrison store house
The ordinary chemical extinguisher is
cylinder about seven inches in dame
ter and twenty inches high. This is made
of copper, with lead lining TO protect
| it from the corosion of the chemicals,
and is tested to 800 pounds pressure for
each square inch internal surface. 1t
holds several gallons of water and in
charging is filled with this liquid to
within a few inches of the top and in this
water is dissolved one and one half pounds
| of sodium bicarbonate Cooking soda)
The charging is completed by setting in
| to a frame so arranged as to keep the
open mouth of the bottle above the sur
face of the water. an eight ounce flask,
half full of sulphnric acid. The top of
the extinguisher is then screwed on care
fully and it is ready for business.
When the extinguisher is wanted for
use il should be carried in its upright
position to the scene of the fire and
when the main base of the flames have
been determined as accurately as posi-
Bile the extinguisher should be turned
| bottom end up. This permits the acid
to run out of the bottle and mix with the
solution of water and soda. The acid
i'm mediately unites with the soda form
ing sodium sulphate and liberating a
great volume of carbonic acid gas. This
creates pressure and the water charged
with this gas 10 forced out through the
tube of the extinguisher and directe d
upon the fl imes. What water there ia
in ha hnr w ha nf
lutte use but the carbonic acid gas is
the natural enemy to all combustion and
it is really marvellous to see the fire go
down before it. The discharge from the
extinguisher only Lasts about one minute
but in this time It is In efficiency equal
to ten barrels of water. Moreover, as
the volume of water Is small, compared
with the results accomplished, the
damage 10 goods in the vicinity of the
fire is much less than Ia of necessity the
case when water 10 turned on through
the fire hose
Extinguishers are recharged after US
ing, ready for the next fire, and in any
case are usually charged once a year to
make sure that the chemicals in them
are in proper working order. The tube
leading from the extinguisher needs a
DCI Jdln hmOuul vi ChTo IL uo'
come plugged. the cylinder is liable to
explosion with disasterous results. II
is detachable and, after recharging,
should be taken off its condition made
certain. 1t would be an excellent plan
for every householder to own an extin.
guisher and for one or more of them TO
be kept at every place OF business
They may be purchased at from eight to
fifteen dollars
Six of these chemical extinguishers
are now maintained at the Fire Depart
ment building on the Island and one or
more of them are kept by the following
private owner: Marston Mills, Ander
son Mills, X. l.. Mitchell factory. 5.
w. Philbrick (office) {. +. Ward Co.,
'fty Drug store, REPORTER OFFICE,
Bucknam's Drug store and Maine spin
ming Co. They ars also kept at the fol
lowing residences: :. W. Phlbrick,
Geo. o. Smith. Mrs. Helen Coburn, 4. f
Danforth. r. T Patten, }. F. Judkins,
K E McNeelie, c. F. Ward, A. II, Lang
and j c. Griffin.
The parties above named maintain
them for the protection of their own
property, but they GOULD safely be count
ed upon TO loan them In case of fire in
neighbours dwelling and the above
locations may proftably be borne in
mind.