The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-03
GASOLINE: THE HANDLING AND
STORING OF.
by w. j. Oaks. Member Darlington
Fire Department.

1
Fire Department.
Before going into the handling
and storing of the subject, let us look
into this product a little in order to
Know just what we are going to
discuss.
Gasoline. to define is by-product
or petroleum, volatile. infammable
and colorless. Its specific gravity is
about GAS to $50, and with a flashing
point ranging from 14O to 167 de-
grees Farenheit, and it's uses are
those of heating, power and illumi-
nation.
Petroleum, it's foster product, being
natural rock oil, composed of hy-
dro-carbons, upon being refined then
gives us by a process known as frac-
tional distillation the by-products
such as lubricating oils; and then the
Illuminating oils, such as kerosene.
gasoline and other napthas.
Gasoline then being a distilate of
great volatility it is quite natural that
We should take precautionary meas
ures for its being handled and stored.
In the handling Of gasoline, care
should be taken that vessels used for
such purpose do not leak, especially
In places where the temperature
arises to such height as to be near
the flashing or cOmbustive point, as
gasoline easily vaporizes, and in such
instances only flame is needed to
result in disaster.
To the storage of gasoline. great
care should be exercised as to the
location of a storage in the first place.
and in the second as TO tanks suitable
for this purpose. | would suggest a
steel tank. non-leakable. and Of suf-
ficient strength to allow being plac-
ed beneath the surface of the ground,
but never beneath wall This
method is good protection against
fire or explosions, leakage or evapo-
, ration.
In placing these tanks for storage
Of gasoline, if it is desired to place
IT within the walls of a building, then
the tank and outlet pipes should be
buried to depth of three feet, meas
uring from the top of tank to line Of
earth's surface. On the other hand,
II 1t is desirOus to place outside of
buildings, bury the tank the nearest
part being not less than five feet
from the nearest building wall and
tank, sufficiently covered with earth
to afford it protection.
The above method the writer thinks
fully complies with the rules advocat-
ed by the insurance companies.
For storing and placing gasoline in
| these tanks, an inlet pipe should be
! placed in top of tank Of sufficient size
to easily pour gasoline through, after
which this pipe should be closed by
Gaping with threaded iron cap
used for such purposes. 1t is well
to have this pipe even with surface
and protected by valve box with cover,
so as to be easily accessible.
In handling such stored gasoline
from tanks So placed. the outlet
pipes fitted with suction pumps,
either TO be operated by hand or
power, are probably the most safe and
economical method of withdrawing
the gasoline. Devices for measuring
accurately each amount withdrawn
can he used in connection with such
pumps when desired, as it saves
much handling and evaporation,
though this is not required.
Gasoline is a great commodity
commercially. being applicable to
many purposes. being extensively
used today in many of our city fire
departments for their motor hose
trucks. and their motor combination
hose and engine trucks.
May all the companies throughout
the state, represented, and not repre-
scented here in convention, some day
boast uf its operating for fire protec-
ton. one or more of these valuable
equipments.