Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-30

examination proved II TO be common
table salt, for which a price OF rs cents
package about one pound was asked
ana undoubtedly was paid by scores of
buyers. We know, OF course, that salts
acts TO acertain extent as a protection:
nut by no means does IL make wood fire.
PROOF, and at the best It Ia worth less than
one cent pound. Some time later two
samples. one pink and the other
blue chemical. were submitted to us for
examination A circular stated that the
blue chemical added to gasoline would
render II nonexplosve; the same was
claimed for the pink chemical. II added
to Kerosene or coal oil. The circular al
so contained a number Of testimonials
from persons who one would expect
should know better, but undoubtedly they
were not thinEing deeply enough to con-
slider what harm would grew out of
their Endorsement.
One Of the testers, the chief OF the fire
department Of one Of our large eastern
cities. stated that In his presence the
chemical was placed In a can containing
gasoline, the huId being ignited In the
can and poured into anotherc containing
gasoline without exploding either OF
them. We wish to state that the oil term
ed gasoline Is not explosive, and II ignited
in An open can will burn with smoky
fame. so there was no merit IN material
added. 1t is entirely different II gaso-
line which has kept in partly empty
can for some time Is brought In contact
with a lighted match or candle. or IL the
can should be opened near a fame or light
OF any kind. az an explosion will be the
result Of such carelessless. The explo-
sion Is due to the gases formed In the
can. and these mixed with the air are
highly explosive; but nothing known at
present will prevent this except precau-
ton. And II there we're remedy. II
| would naturally have to destroy the
qualities OF the gasoline which make II
valuable; that Ia. its ability to vsporlze
rapidly and at low temperature. We
made an analysis OF both chemicals which
were offered at 50 cents bottle, contain
ing less than an ounce Of material, and
found them to be common table salt,
dyed the colors above mentioned.
What attracts the attention Of the gen
| eral public at present is a material sup
posed to make ashes burn. 1t Is sold.
and to our personal knowledge was
bought, at very fancy prices. We took
| tho tiouDic w dudiy nc PhSNe"NN' 'A"f
found that II conta ined powdered calcium
carbide with 50 per cent Of free lime and
coal dust. Whether these impurities were
purposely mixed or their presence was
due to an inferior grade Of carbide, We
did not consider suficiently important T.
investigate Any person Of average In
telligence ought to know that ash Ia 2
mineral admixture OF coal and is non
combustible. All statements made b,
careless investigators to the effect that
the addition OF any Of these compounds
TO their coal increased the calorif'c OF
heating power are ridiculous and the
good results exist only in the imagina-
ton Of the User. The efficient way &c
obtain ali the heating value contained
in the fuel IL to have proper crates and
draft facilities and to keep them clean
C1inker and esh should be removed by
frequent rakinG. since too hard rakins
carries = lnrse quantity of unburned
coal into the ash
There are hundreds Of other compounds
Of . similar nature. which flourish long
enough TO All the pockets of the dis
eoverer" and wa cannot caution the
reader too emphatically to stop to con-
slider the feasibility Of a so-calied dis
covery before buying It and recommend
ing It without having seriously investi-
gated its merits.