Scientific Lectures. 233 



From sperm candles, at 42 cents per pound ^-r'A cents. 



Gas, at $3 per 1,000 feet T Vo " 



Mineral sperm oil, in German student lamp, at 75 cents 



per gallon T %\ " 



Mineral sperm oil, in Merrill's lamp, at 75 cents per gallon 0-£fo " 



Mineral sperm oil, in Dual wick lamp f in Oyw " 



Mineral sperm oil, in Dual wick lamp f in Ojw " 



Astral oil, flat wick lamp, at 50 cents per gallon 0fVV " 



Astral oil, German student lamp, at 50 cents per gallon, Oy 4 ^ " 



Astral oil, in Merrill's lamp, at 50 cents per gallon ^tVo " 



Standard kerosene, in flat wick lamp, at 40 cents per 



gallon Oflfc " 



Standard kerosene, in German student lamp, at 40 cents 



per gallon OtVtt " 



Standard kerosene, in Dual wick lamp £ in -^ " 



Standard kerosene, in Dual wick lamp f- in T W " 



Standard kerosene, in Merrill's lamp, at 40 cents per 



2JL a 



"0 



gallon 0^ 



Common kerosene, unsafe, in flat wick lamp, 30 cents 

 per gallon _ 0^ 



u 



Petkoleum Legislation. 



Every effort thus far to procure suitable legislation upon this sub- 

 ject has proved unsuccessful. There is no law on the statute books 

 which effectually protects the public from these dangerous oils. 

 There has always been some defect in the construction of the law, and 

 the judges have been' obliged to throw cases out of court in conse- 

 quence. In several cases, when parties were brought before our city 

 judges, the cases were thrown out of court simply because the party 

 stated in his affidavit that he rendered his oil non-explosive by certain 

 chemical processes. It is now perfectly legal to*sell these dangerous 

 oils according to the rules of the court. 



In order to have an effectual law, we must, in the first place, make 

 it a crime against the people to sell burning oil for illuminating pur- 

 poses which will emit an inflammable vapor below 100° Fahrenheit. 



The failure in many cases is because the whole business has been 

 put into the hands of inspectors who are controlled by political 

 motives and influences. It should be detected and prosecuted like the 

 crime of murder, arson or theft, and any person that can prove that 

 the oil sold was below the standard should be an acceptable witness. 



The apathy of the public in regard to this matter is beyond my 



