REMINISCENCES, ETC. 253 



owned by a company who control the right to make 

 " Fire Annihilators." We did not at the time we 

 invented the apparatus, nor do we now, regard it as 

 of much practical importance. Nearly seventeen 

 years ago we put in position the first apparatus for 

 cooling mineral waters and syrups at the place of 

 outlet, or upon the counter of the dealer. All the 

 new " soda water " devices seen in the shops are 

 based on our original device, and are but modifica- 

 tions of our invention. Upon this no patent pro- 

 tection was secured, but we have been informed by 

 an extensive manufacturer that its value^ at present 

 would be not less than fifty thousand dollars. The 

 numerous devices which have been lately introduced 

 for protecting lamps and fluid cans from explosions 

 are simply the reappearance of contrivances which 

 we made public twenty or more years ago. At 

 that time we covered metallic lamps with glass, and 

 prevented flame from entering the reservoir by a 

 chamber of wire gauze ; and also some wick ar- 

 rangements, now claimed as new, are found in our 

 old lamps. Time is worse than wasted in en- 

 deavors to make lamps safe which are designed to 

 hold and burn dangerous, inflammable liquids. 

 More severe accidents are caused by spilling and 

 igniting the liquids than by explosions. The in- 

 flammable light naphthas sold so often as kerosene, 

 cannot be harbored in any dwelling with safety. 



