The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-11
SHIPPING FILMS
IS T|Ck.L 1 JOB
According to Railroads Which Are
! Making Some Particular Rulings
About Sending Movie
Strips.
Explosion IS LIABLE
Two Already Have occurred-Hand-
ling Of Automobiles Also Is
Modified by Western
Classification Rules.

OIueTS nave been received from the
Offices of Superintendent Howard 81
the Burlington division of the c., b.
q Q. that moving picture films will
not be- allowed in passenger coaches
and will not be accepted by the rail-
road as baggage II films are shipped
they must be sent by express or by
freight. This order is occasioned by
the fact that two serious fires result
ing from the explosion of films have
taken place recently. The railroad
Will not allow these films to be
shipped as baggage, even when they
are packed and labeled in accordance
with regulations of the interstate com
merce commission regulations.
II passenger boards the train with
films he will not be puf of, but the
films must travel in the express car,
or If there Is no express car, the films
will be put on at the first stop which
the train makes.
The great danger in films being car
r1ed in the passenger cars or the
smoker is in the fact that oftentimes
the reels are 1nsufficiently packed and
are ignited by steam pipes, cigar or
cigarette stubs and from spontaneous
combustion when the film has deter
1orated chemically. When sent by
freight or express they should be well
packed and bear the standard yellow
label as prescribed in the federal reg
u-ation
New Rule on Autos.
According to the new western class
tfication No. So, change has been
made in the rules regarding the ship
ments Of autos At the present time
it Is necessary to drain auto tanks
when the car is to be shipped. After
February 20 il the tank is in good
condition and secured against leakage
at the outlet it will no. be necessary
to drain it before shipping. Such a
tank will be considered a proper ship.
ping container. This rules goes into
effect on the goth Of February.
These rules have been made neces-
sary on account Of the number OF
gasoline accidents during the last
quarter. Automobile men in draining
tanks have been careless in the use
dents have occurred.
Two serioA accidents have recently
occurred in the transporting of Aims
diSO III a lCCCnI AIG Ou Tic
ton caused by four reels OF films in
the smoking car, thirty-eight people
we're burned and two have since died.
In connection with the safety first
as regards the handling of
explosive In transit, the bureau Of ex-
plosives of lSew York has sent out
bulletin citinS various instances of
in handling high ex-
plosives, inflamable material and gas
oline.
Gasoline accidents are numerous.
Empty tank cars, which have con-
tanned gasoline and are still placarded.
often cause much loss of life through
A colored brakeman
climbed to the dome of such car and
struck match to light his cigarette.
vapors in the car caused an explosion.
which threw the man over box car
and onto fiat car second from the
engine Another brakeman for some
reason was inside tank which had
been used for gasoline. and another
employe, hearing the noise, stuck a
antern into the car. An explosion re-
suited, in which one man was killed.
Many other gasoline accidents are
caused by garage men and owners
,arelessly using lantern to drain
he tank OF an automobile. It has also
,een suggested that oil tank cars.
which have contained gasoline before
,eing put into service as water cars.
should be cleaned oft with steam.