The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-01-14
siderable interest in !

Siderable interest in
governing the storing Of gay
farms, and have on several oc
expressed surprise that the axe
lations, enforced by visiting ms
have not been promulgated and
into operation years ago.
County agricultural agents say
while the use of automobiles
trucks and other gasoline driven d
ment has been increasing in the
try, it has only been within the
two years that the use of gasoline
become so general as to make d
steps necessary. Today scores
farmers in every county in the
are using automobiles and ma
trucks, besides doing much of the {;
work with motorized equipment,
the use of the latter is rapidly incr
ing. This means, they say, that
danger of fires from gasoline kept
farms is steadily increasing, and t
the time has arrived when some
ton is warranted which will eli
nate the fire hazard incident to
careless keeping and handling Of til
kind of fuel by the farmeI -
1t is accepted here that the
expressed by these agents a
tions of the attitude of the
who have had many costly les
recent months, of what it mn
to fool with gasoline" and WI
the intelligent position that tn
way TO escape from such dang
TO ban the methods producing Il
1t has been suggested that the
panies supplying the gasoline NIGH
willing to put in containers where
gu antity of gasoline purchased at
time warranted them doing SO.
would be to their advantage, it is sa
to take such a step as it would be til
easiest way of insuring hold on TIL
trade and sales in quantities sufficient
to make it pay. 1t costs much less
to deliver 100 gallons of gasoline at
one farm than at ten scattered over as
many miles. There is a possibility
seen of the oil companies starting a
campaign to educate the farmer into
buying his gas in maximum quanti-
ties and holding out to him as an in
ducement to do, the possibility of be-
ing provided with a container placed
where it will be of little menace to his
property, and so operated that it will
cost him less for gasoline than it does
at present.
Farmers throughout this section
take the position that they are will
ing to act upon instructions given
by the State regarding proper con-
tainers for gasoline. What they want
to know, however, is just what will
pass State inspection when the time
comes for the latter to be made a
Slate activity. Few of them doubt in
the least that within another year, or
eighteen months at the longest, spe-
cial inspectors charged with looking
after the storing of gasoline, and pos
sibly with other conditions creating
fire hazards will be part of the State
organization. This is to be expected
in view of the fact that not only are
the big insurance companies interested
but the State as we'll, for on the latter
devolves the duty of protecting indi-
vidual communities from dangers
arising from common practices. In a
sense, it is said, it becomes part
and an important one, of the policing
of the State.
For this reason many farmers would
go ahead and put in containers for
their gasoline stock if they could learn
the specifications which will meet with
State approval. 1t has been suggested
that the State Department of Agricul-
ture prepare a design for gasoline
tank for farm use which can be con-
structed at low cost, and indicate
where it should be placed in relation
to other farm buildings. There would
be many demands for the plan, and
farm agents say general building of
them in the immediate future. During
the present witer it is estimated that
approximately so per cent of the farm
ers in the State using motorized equip
ment would provide themselvs with
such storage facilities.
Rio Pail for Carry