The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-12-01
WARN1NG!


Timken Magazine is published for the
benefit of local autoists.
Garage men, beware! Autoists,
attention.! There is death in the
channels strainer. Whenever you
filter gasoline through chamois you
are playing hide and seek with one
of the dealiest combinations known
to man-electricity and gasoline.
''If your tank is under the seat
be careful when you fill it. If you
are not, you will be as foolish as
the man who looks for gas with a
lighted candle.
"Never strain gasoline through a
chamois. Now We'll tell you why it
is dangerous.
"Gasoline and chamois do not get
along. They are 'incompatibles.'
LET us assume that you are about
to fill your tank. The funnel is in
the nozzle. A chamois strainer is
in the funnel. The gasoline is turn
ed on and as it pours through the
chamois it generates static elec-
tricity. Static electricity may be de-
fined as electricity that is at rest
It is an agent neither of construc-
ton or destruction, so long as moth
ing is done to unleash it. Unleash
1/1o0 rr1v o1/ro1 in er1v NV
brushing a clumpsy finger against a
natural law, and you have to deal
with a most diabolical physical agent
known, a force that destroys with the
quickness of lightning.
Estate electricity, as we have said,
is now in the funnel. The funnel is
charged with it. So long as the
funnel fits securely into the mouth
of the tank, thus creating a ground,
you are safe.
''You go about your journey not
knowing you have brushed elbows
with the most deadly as we'll as the
most useful force known to science
electricity.
"Now, for the sake of excitement,
let us assume that you did not allow
the funnel to rest inside the nozzle
of your tank, as the gasoline seeped
through the channels skin. Either
yourself: or some, one else held the
funnel in mid air, or it rested free
of the sides of the tank. No ground
was formed.
1--WE have seen that gasoline, a
volatile substance, passing through
chamois forms. static electricity,
which charges the funnel. When
the amount of electricity is. sufficient
to produce,a jump spark, that spark,
following the inevitable law of cleo
tricity attraction, jumps to the near
est ground which is your tank. In
doing So it must j.: pass across the
opening between the end of the fun
mel and the edge of the tank through
which gasoline yapor is arising. Sud-
denly here is; a violent. discharge,
like that . of lightning, which is,
after all, gigantic jump spark. All
those in close relation are, as it
were, struck by lightning: 9.
"Many have been burned and scar
red for life through Ignorance of this
fiend of electricity. Many more, it
is sad to relate. have been measured
out on their last cool bed. No one
was able to tell Just why they died.
"The moral to be derived from this
article is this. Do not put gasoline
through chamois skin: But II you
will insist on taking chances, be sure
that, you have a ground on it, by
seeing. that, the funnel touches the
opening Of the tank. Be doubly sure
that you take, this precaution.. "
"Fire department p statistics OF
many cities show that an oyerWhelm-
ing per cent of, auto fires are, caused
by using channels with gasoline
fatal combination. s.s~-.s ~, 4