The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-10-22

care o. the expansion of the liQuiC
that follows in the wake of certain
climatic conditions. The vacant spac,
of > per cent is the minimum. he said
the question OF additional space bein:
left to the discretion of the shipper
his Judgment in that matter beine
based on the temperature of the
liquid, the length of the shipment anC
the probable effect of temperature a
the point OF destination.
Temperature an Element.
The records, he said showed tha
the gasoline in the car which ex
pioded at Ardmore, was manufactured
at Drumright and p!ped to Cushing
where it was loaded in the tank car
At the time O: loading the tempera
ture Of the liquid, he said, was about
IS degrees. In view of this low TEN.
perature he said, considerable space
should have been left for expansion.
I --N - ~ ~ q IA = a. Al u444Olt OI lLlt
day Of the explosion was 90 degrees.
which gives some idea of the rise in
the temperature of the liquid from
the time it was loaded until the ex.
plcsion occurred. Mr.. Dunno said it
had not been explained to him why
the temperature was so low at the
time Of loading.
The whole affair shows the abso-
lutte necessity on the part Of the ship,
pers to observe closer what their
employees or agents do in the handling
Of gasoline to see that safety regula,
tions are carried out" he said.
Mr.. Dunno made a long statement
to the commission giving many in
teresting scientific facts concerning
the effect of weather upon gasoline
and the nature of the construction
of tank cars, safety appliances and
precautionary measures.
Cap Removal Aided.
1t was brought out in the hearing
that when gas vapor was discovered
escaping from the dome Of the tank
car which exploded, a conductor was
asked to have it moved out OF the sun,
but refused. A short time later
workman. who had been sent to stop
the escape removed the cap from the
dome, which greatly increased the
flow of yapor. and the explosion fol-
lowed. The fumes may have become
ignited from a spark from a motor in
an electric fan or the striking of a
match to light a pipe or cigar several
hundred .eet from the car and the
result would have been the same, It'll
was stated
At the time the escape was first
discovered in the car if a stream OF
cold water was played on the out.
side of the car the temperature in
side would have been greatly reduced, !
Mr. Dunno said. Then, he said, if
a wet gunnysack had been placed |
about the place the car could have
been moved by a fire with perfect
safety. The conductor, who had been
asked to move the car outside OF
the sunlight, he said, should not be
criticised. however, for not possess
ing the practical knowledge of taking
this precaution.
Mr. Dunno declared that all evi-
ience of the damage at Ardmore in
Heated beyond doubt that it was the
result of a gasoline explosion and
cot dynamite, as had Deen suggested.
Prof. W. j. Humphreys of the de-
Dartment of meteorological physics
n the United States weather bureau
At Washington, followed Mr.. Dunno
IN the witness stand. testifying con-
'erning physics of the atmosphere,
Heat Was Absorbed.
He told of his investigation of the
evidence now remaining at Ardmore
md OF what the records o. the wealth
n bureau showed for Ardmore on
he day of the disaster. The car, he
aid, was left standing on a siding
n the sun at temperature of SO !
.egrees. The car which contained t
he gasoline, ne sad was black and
or that reason absorbed all of the
eat in the sunshine Had the car
een white much of the radiation
which fell upon it would not have
cen absorbed and consequently the
inside the car would not
ave been increased so greatly, he
aid
With the rise in temperature the
apor tension increased, thus causing
he escape of the vapor into the at
losphere. When the cap of the dome
-as removed the escape Of vapor nat
rally increased and may have been
ccOmpanied by a light spraying OF
he fluid. The vapor then fioated in ,