The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-10-27
USE AND ABUSE OF GASOLINE
LIQUID Does Not Burn, but NapOr is
More Dangerous than Dynamite

Since the development Of the motol
car the number of fires due to gaso
line has enormously increased. Today
gasoline is reckoned as one Of the pri'
mary causes of contlagration.
One of the peculiarities of gasoline
that is little known to the general pub
lie is that it will not burn or explode.
The explosion so often reported is due
gasoline vapor. And gasoline
vapor is one of the most deadly eX-
uSosives known. 1t is as powerful as
gunpowder and far more likely to be
set off.
An explosion of mixture Of 10 per
cent Of gasoline vapor with air has
been known to wreck a small house
completely. The sides of the house
were blown out, the roof collapsed, the
wreckage was set on fire and the whole
thing destroyed.
Gasoline vapor is heavier than air
and falling to the floor follows the
course of the draught. If this draught
carries it to a fire, which it is very
likely to do, the flame shoots back like
a train of gunpowder to the source of
supply, and either ignites the gasoline
vapor or causes an explosion.
In spite of these things household |
ers use gasoline as if it was so much |
water. 1t is used for so many house
hold purposes-all the way from clean
ing gloves to killing vermin-that in
timacy has bred contempt. But sooner
or later the careless user of gasoline
comes to grief, and if he is not killed,
he stands a good show of losing all his
possession.
Gasoline should never be used in a
room where there is a fire. It should
never be used at night, and never in
the house if it is possible to go out Of
doors
In cleaning silk great care should
be taken The tendency of silk to gen
crate static electricity is Well known,
and when it is rubbed violently this is
increased The discharge Of this
electricity may take the form Of an
Invisible spark, but that spark is hot
enough to ignite the gasoline vapor
There is no excuse for keeping gas
)line in the house in anything except S
one Of the modern safety cans. These S
ans are so ingeniously contrived that Y
t is impossible for a spark to enter @
he can. The mouth of the can is pro- t
ected by fine mesh screen, which, on n
he principle Of the miners lamp pre- p
'ents the entrance of fire, s
Under no circumstances should gas
line be stored in the house. If it is a
ecessary to keep on hand a gallon or o
1ore, it should be placed as far from b
ne house as possible. Where it is d
tored in larger quantities, it should r.
e contained in an underground tank r,
nd raised by pump. The further n
way from the house that tank is kept
he better. W
These rules, which apply to the use ec
gasoline should be followed in hand "
ng kerosene, benzine and other highly
Olatile oils. w
1t is not so many years ago that the ii
.arting of fire in the stove with kerr tie
'ene oil was one of he standard jokes Sc
the comic paper. 1t is no joke, how BIZ
'er, to the person who tried it once W
70 often. fr
Recent experiments have shown fe
at static electricity frequently is gen. oh
ated by pouring gasoline into an in st,
lated metal container, This is the
use undoubtedly Of many fires in ga tn