The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-01-11


hit a stationary automobile bumper
and bent it badly. Then a derrick
| lifted red-hot steel safe high above
third floor roof and dropped it onsa
pile of brickbats far below.
The days work had begun at the
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc, Chi
cago, topsy-turvy land wilder than
anything Alice In Wonderland ever
dreamed Ola place where experts
burn and smash and break the crea-
lions Of other experts, all to make
life and property safer.
The glowing safe, fresh from fur
mace with temperature Of LOO de-
grees, failed to break under the strain
of the long drop, so scurrying work
men bundled it back into the oven for
another hours cooking. If 1t survives
that they will chisel, burn and smash
their way into its compartments, and
if the books and papers there are
found in good condition the manufac-
turer may attach an "Underwriters
Laboratories, Inc" label to his prod
uct.
Upstairs a little automatic machine
is sticking keys in automobile locks
three locks at time--unlockin them,
locking them again, and then with
drawing the keys. An automatic
counter records it's operation. The
locks must stand the strain of $4,000
similar operations.
Heat Testing Rooms.
In the heat testing rooms flames are
seeping through the cracks of wood
lined metal-covered fire door, built into
the brick front Of a furnace. Near by
an attendant with electric recording
devices is studying what is happening
in the 1,600-degree inferno behind the
red-hot door. Suddenly the entire
furnace front, door and all, rolls away
on an overhead track and a workman
plays two-inch fire hose. over the
glowing door. The color dies away.
Inside the metal covering is a mass OF
charcoal, but the steel plates have
withstood an hours baking without
letting sufficient fire through to ignite
beyond the door.
Near by a cement covered steel pill
lar, such as is used In modern build
ings, is being put in tall furnace by
brick masons. It's base rests on solid
High above a gigantic ny
draulic press clamps down, applying
an enormous pressure. The furnace
front is sealed, the gas turned on, the
heat gradually rising, until, at the end
IF eight hours, it will reach 1890 de
yrees. If the pillar still stands the
hydraulic press, with maximum
power of $4,000 pounds to the square
nch, will be turned loose to crush it.
From the tangled debris experts will
the theories on which fire.
proof pillars are to be built.
Topsy-turvy land is working at full
,last. In the roof testing room the
testers have completed a miniature
oof of patent composition shingles. A
.as flame at the end of long wind
unnel sweeps up over the caves and
days along the roof surface Asphalt
n the roofing catches fire, but when
he blast is shut off the flames die
ut. The roof has passed the test.
Is SeIf-Supporting.
The Underwriters Laboratories, Inc,
vas founded by W. H. Merrill, its pres
dent, with funds furnished by the
National Board Of Fire Underwriters.
he institution is self-supporting
through nominal testing fees and the
ervice charge for factory inspection |
nd for sale of its labels, which are
amiliar on hundreds of different de- |
ices.
Mr.. Merrill, who came to Chicago
! 1898 as chief electrical inspector Of
he Worlds fair, originally started a
esting laboratory to standardize cleo
rical equipment, Now there are lab
here devoted to fire protec-
on devices, hydraulic and fire fighting
quipment, gases and oils, chemicals.
Electricity and signals, automotive
arts, safety devices for machinery
nd an aviation section which passes
n the safety of ajrplanes and the 4
udilhNdtlO1i VI P'fO's'. 1AdJ IL. Wa
chroeder, former holder of the
orsds altitude record, is in charge
In addition to the original test, the
boratory follows up all labeled prod
cts by testing samples purchased
the open market or received from
sers from time to time. The auto Il
obile department alone passes on
cks whose use decreases insurance !.
remiums, and examines thousands O.
implies yearly.
An inventor appeared at the labora-
ries recently toShaye a new automo-
lie lock which he had perfected test-sI
|. Besides what he believed to be
! absolutely burglar proof lock, he
i'd equipped his car with, signal del.
ce intended to blow, II any one tam
red with the machine.
While he was arranging for the test
/ assistant In the laboratory went
Inside, picked the lock and hid the
r. The inventor was satisfied with
esdemenstrat iVnsnflthe lahoratory.s 10
hciency.