Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1913-09-24
How jill LUnKs d wAsrE


One ~ the Ihines the average man
knows Ittie abou, Is the chemistry OF
sire. De hears occasionally 81 fires
ftom sponianeons combustion bur his
iaeae ~ Use process OF SPONTANEOUS
ieniiion are vague. ana his knowiedsc
81 The suhs,ances or combinations OF
Substances susceptible to such ienl-
iion Is limited d d difficult 10 ac-
quire me knowledge outside Of enc
chemical laboratories for ia the
common run 81 experience unless
fires ffom This cause are discovered
~ their inception they soon destroy
an evidences o. their origin. such
fires are commonly reported a.
probably incendiary.r or Of ~mys-
teFious origin
The chemistry 81 spontaneous lgni-
lion s. simple. Recommendation IL a
slow combustion. Tho human body
slowly hurns % ashes Ia the grave
oxygen uniting with carbon produces
hest. II they unite rapidly enough.
80 sufficient quantities. the combus-
ZION is Visible 10 name II they unite
SLOWLY. a. ~ the decay eli organic
eodler, me beat escapes unno,iced.
Rapid casmicnl action win start viei-
BE combustion BE- easily a. the appii-
cation 81 the torch. Vegetable oils
spread over easily carbonlzed SUBJ
stances such as cotton rags or waste
will Ignite the latter very quietly.
The cotton fiber furnishes a surt of
finder. Animal fats IKE taliow. butt
ter and lard. especially IL rancid. viii
ignite under conditions similar 20 the
above. but they are not such great of-
Tenders as the vegetable oils--cotton
seed. nut castor bean. olive ana
especially liasoed
An oily rag or oily waste never
should be thrown into a rubbish heap.
Many fires starr in closets from such
raFs after use 30 oiline floors or poll
ishins furniture: and factory fires are
occurring constantly from spontnu-
eons ignition Of turpenllne ANA un-
seed Oh ON rags and waste There
are nor many men who give the mme
thought 90 this dsnser in their homes
that they give 10 it IN their fnctorles.
where metal waste cams With SELF
closing covers aro generally provided.
A. the time OF sprns reno,ntlons
however O. Il well 90 keep ara csc
npon the domestic establishment with
this hazard in mind. as servanta are
generally quite irresponsible Prod
nets Of petroleum such as kerosene
easoiino and uaphtha. although they
90 NOT ignite spontaneously. nave
haznrd 81 their own. and raef soaked
in thom should Boz carefully looked
after a house rule should bo made
that ail greasy OF oily am hc burned
without delay
IN the developments sf rapid tran-
ia aiong the lines ~ trolley ears
ana automobiles the problem of ny-
ing dust has been immeaunbiy n-
tensinod and confronts au logors of
cleanliness Ordinary broom sweep
Ing simply surs b. up to settle aeain
on floors and furniture. The vacuum
cleaner has not scr developed 20 the
point az which les constant uso is
commercially sxpedicnt An endless
procession Of floor oils and swcnplng
compounds has therefore come apon
the market, some of wnh b are not
hazardous. but others of whioh arc
already demonstrating their ability
% burn the BUILDINGS ln which they
are used.
Prof. John II. Bryan. principal OF
tho ward schools of Marion Ind, who
evidently looks after the physical as
woii ~ the mental welfare of his
pupils. stated Ia % recent meeting OF
school euperlnfendents that twice Fc
Gently ho bad found mopa used Dos
ihe innltor in olling the floor burned
So ashes, it belns evident that me
building each tlmc narrowly escaped
being fired 10 prove me nature of
the trouble PROT nryan saturated
several mops pifh rhe oil ana hung
them whore there were no nflum-