1898 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



219 



honest set so much as he desired to stir up 

 discussion. He not only stirred up disciassion, 

 but he stirred up a bees' nest of bee-keepers. 

 As I said at the time, I think it would do no 

 harm to have the sui)ject ventilated. From 

 present indications it would appear as if, when 

 honey is faced, it is with no intention of de- 

 ceiving, but simply for the purpose of making 

 a display. With regard to the baled hay, no 

 doubt you are right. — Ed.] 



ACETYLENE GAS. 



The Nature of it ; Conditions that will Cause Dan- 

 gerous Explosions. 



BY C. H. DIBBERN. 



So much has been written of late, and so 

 many statements have been made that are 

 misleading, if not absolutely dangerous, that 

 we have concluded to give a disinterested 

 statement of our experience. 



About four months ago, after reading Mr. 

 A. I. Root's account in Gleanings, we de- 

 cided to put in a generator for lighting our 

 store, wishing to use about twenty jets. We 

 corresponded with various parties manufactur- 

 ing generators, and found there were quite a 

 number of them, usually each claiming to be 

 the very best, and the other fellow's contriv- 

 ances were either unsafe or of no account. 

 After investigating matters a while, and com- 

 paring the merits and prices of the different 

 generators, we decided on one having about 

 double the candle power we were likel)' to 

 use. We consulted the insurance companies, 

 and fotind they insisted that the generator 

 must be placed at least 50 feet from the build- 

 ing, although the manttfacturer claimed it 

 would be " absolutely safe " to place it in the 

 cellar. We, of course, wanted to comply with 

 the insurance rules, although we thought it a 

 useless expense, but are now very glad we 

 did so. It is absokitely nt-cessary to keep 

 the place, where the generator is put, from 

 freezing, so we constructed a sort of vault, 

 nearly entirely under ground, and large 

 enough to hold the generator and allow a per- 

 son to get in for any purpose. The vault is of 

 brick, and cemented like a cistern, and is cov- 

 ered with a double roof to make it frost-proof. 

 When we need to refill the carbide chamber 

 there is always plenty of daylight. The top 

 is lifted off, otherwise it would not be safe to 

 take a light of any kind, as enough gas might 

 have escaped in some way to render the air in 

 the vault highly explosive. From the gener- 

 ator a half-inch pipe is laid about a foot under 

 ground, 50 feet to the building; then for 100 

 feet more along the ceilings to where the 

 lights are wanted. The fixtures are construct- 

 ed of ^ gas-pipe, with the usual brass fix- 

 tures. 



We have finally adopted the Naphey jet, 

 which consists of two jet-points bent toward 

 each other so that the two streams of gas, 

 about the size of a needle, meet midway and 

 flatten out, making a flame about the size of a 



half-dollar. We are well pleased with the 

 light, and can use from one to twenty jets, as 

 the gas is generated automatically only as fast 

 as used. The light is as clear as sunlight, and 

 shows colors better than any other light. One 

 must not look directly at the light very long, 

 and then attempt to read or write, as the ef- 

 fect is about the same as looking at the sun. 



As a great many are now talking of putting 

 in this light, and as agents are going from 

 place to place putting iVi " ' plants " of various 

 kinds, many of them any thing but safe, we 

 want to give all readers a word of caution. 

 We think the arrangement as we have it is 

 fully as safe as city gas, yet it is well to con- 

 sider the nature of acetylene gas. That it is 

 highly explosive can not be doubted, as a 

 mixture of 15 per cent with common air ren- 

 ders it explosive, and for this reason it is well 

 to be sure that pipe and fixtures are absolutely 

 tight, and that all cocks are closed. We hear 

 of some agents putting generators in cellars, 

 and some manufacturers advise that course. 

 Now, we consider that, according to our ex- 

 perience, absolutely dangerous. The nature 

 of acetylene gas is such that it will find an ex- 

 ceedingly small hole, and we found our gen- 

 erator, as sent out, had several leaks, as also 

 had some of our gas-fixtures. Then, too, w^e 

 found that, when the gasometer was full, and 

 generation of gas should stop, it would still 

 generate to some extent, and bubble out from 

 under the gasometer. It would not take long 

 to release 15 per cent in a cellar; and then 

 suppose one went in with a light to see how 

 things were going, what would happen ? Or 

 suppose the building should get afire, or be 

 struck by lightning, there would surely be a 

 terrific explosion when fire reached the gas 

 in the generator. We believe acetylene gas 

 would create about as much havoc as so much 

 gunpowder, and it is always safe to be on the 

 sure side. 



If you doubt that the gas is explosive, just 

 take a match and let it burn a minute, and 

 blow out the flame, and hold the coal spark 

 in the gas turned on from a burner, and it 

 will invariably take fire. 



Notwithstanding all the above we are pleas- 

 ed with it, and, with all due safeguards, is no 

 doubt the "coming light." We do not see 

 how it could ever be a success, or even safe to 

 burn in a lamp to be carried around, and it is 

 well to go a little slow on this point. 



You have no doubt read of several fatal ex- 

 plosions caused by acetylene gas; but all such, 

 so far as we can learn, were caused by gross 

 ignorance or criminal carelessness. Carbide 

 is a good deal like quicklime, as it will slack 

 if exposed to damp air, only that it generates 

 an explosive gas. Now, if a quantity of the 

 carbide is dumped in a closed room, or, worse 

 still, a cellar, and allowed to partly slack, a 

 serious explosion may result. In our opinion, 

 carbide should always be kept air-tight, and 

 it is usually shipped in such cans ; and in 

 such form is absolutely safe, as there is no- 

 thing to explode. If this article will prevent 

 a single explosion, we shall be fully paid for 

 writing it. 



Milan, 111., F"eb. 7. 



