'4^'; is: ; . . ., > . . . ,r W0 .,.. ' ■ ' ' ■ ■W/'V-''-’^ : ■ tv Sr^v'V' i‘v, • '. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY INJUKIES AND LOSS OF LIFE AND PKOPEETY ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE USE OF KERO- SENE, IN MICHIGAN, DURING THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1890. f Reprinted from the Annual Report of the Michigan State Board of Health for the year 1891.] [Reprint No. 385.] Continuing a practice pursued in previous years, the office of the Secre- tary of the State Board of Health, has, during the year 1890,* sought to obtain information relative to each casualty, alleged to have been caused by the use of kerosene, which came to the notice of said office. The principal sources from which this office obtains facts in regard to such casualties as above mentioned, are four, viz.: from reports by the Fire Marshal of Detroit, State Inspectors of Illuminating Oils, Local Health Officers, and from newspaper reports. The data collected from these sources, show that during the year 1890, information was received at this office, of the occurrence of 55 casualties consequent on the use of kerosene in Michigan. These casualties were reported to have occurred in 18 localities, causing loss of two lives, injury (non-fatal), to 3 persons, and damage to property to the amount of $18,282.00. This reported damage, does not include all the actual pecuniary loss occasioned by the above mentioned casualties, because in very many instances where houses, barns, and other property were destroyed, the loss was not reported. The following tables and extracts from correspondence, show the locali- ties in which the alleged casualties occurred, the nature of each casualty, the damage caused thereby, and whatever other details in regard to them this office has been able to collect. Throughout the year 1890, the legal test for illuminating oil in Michigan was a “flash” test at one hundred and twenty degrees Fah. in a closed tester, approved by the State Board of Health. TABLE 1 . — Casualties in Michigan during the year 1890, believed to have been conse- quent on the use of Kerosene, information of which was received at the Office of the Secretary of the State Board of Health. In this year the legal test ivas a Flash Test at 120 degrees Fah., in a closed tester. 1 i Number of Casualties. Number of Localities. Pecuniary losses. Dollars. Lives lost. • Persons injured (not fatally) . In Detroit In state ('outside Detroit) 43 12 12 $18,282 Not reported. 0 0 3 I Totals 55 13 $18,282 2 3 1 34 2^6 STATIC] }iOARl) OF nFALTJI.— RFFORT OF SF30RFTARY, 1801. lAst of Casualties Consequent on the use of Ker'osene, in Detroit, Calendar Year, tHUo. ( SuiqAied by William H. Baxter, Fire Marshal in, Detroit.) Date. Street and Number. Nature of Casualty. Amount of Damage, 70 Macomb Overtiowing lamp .Jan. 5 15.0 Napoleon Ijamp exulosion $48.1KJ 14 Locust Lamp explosion 81-82 (’roghan Overheated stove 265.00 Keb. 28 252 First Lamp exfiiosion . 839.00 Mar. 8 09 Monroe Stove explosion ..... . 15,00 198 Seventeenth Lamp explosion 1.50.00 Apr. 10. 181 River Stove explosion.. 90.00 202 ('ass .. Lamp explosion 50.00 Apr. 18 1429 Michigan .. Falling of lamp ... 117 St. Joseph Falling of lamp _ .500.00 80^2 Park Stove explosion ... .50.00 May 18- 88 Myrtle Stove explosion . 400,00 M ay 2.0 10 Thirty-second. Lamp explosion 745.00 i June 2 68 Baltimore E .. ... .. ! Lamp explosion June 9 33-35 Galbert Lamp explosion 686.00 1 t J .lune 19 3,58 Riopelle 1 Stove explosion ; June 24. 282 Orleans ' Lamp explosion 900.00 ! July 19 230 Houmboldt Leaking stove ' .July 20 260 Bagg Lamp explosion. 280.00 ' July 21 .... ' July 28 372 Townsend . Lamp explosion. 1,496.00 634.00 687 Clinton... Overflowing stove Au«. 10. .531 Sixth Lamp explosion. ... ' Auk- ^2 25 Monroe Falling of lamp ^ Autr. 2ft. 192 Waterloo .. Careless use of lamp Kept. 2 41 Beech.. Overflowing stove Set)t. 20. 280 Williams Careless use of lamp 1 Sefjt. 24 ^ Ser>t. 2.’) Hef>t. 20 45 Adams E. Lamp held too close to clothing 1,049.00 865.00 287 Clinton Stove explosion 25 (Jen ter. Ijighting lire with oil . Oct. (5 Steam barge in river liarnp explosion. 6,112.00 1 Oct. 11 115 I’welfth (kireless use of lamp 10.00 Oct. i:, 154 Mui)le Overflowing stove 15,00 Nov. 2 57 Wilcox Stiove upset 28.00 .Nov. .'i 221 Montcalm hi. Lamp hold too close to clothing Lamp too close to ceiling 25. (H) ,Nov. II 2.52 Croghan . 33.00 Nov, l.'i Ml. lOllioll Ijiiruf) tivo close 1,0 clothiiur . Doc. 8 . 1 178 High 10. Htovo uirnot -'n'> O'"' i Injuries and losses by kerosene in Michigan in i89o. ‘26? Lifit of Casualties Consequent on the Use of Kerosene in Detroit . — Continued. Date. Street and Number. Nature of Casualty. Amount of Damage. Dec. 22... 59 .Jos. Campau Lamp set fire to clothing . 200.00 i Dec. 24 441 Hastings Lamp explosion. 400.00 Dec. 24 368 Seventh ... . .. Lamp tipped over . Dec. 2.5 277 Michigan Tjamp explosion 381.00 Dec. 29 56 Montcalm W. Tjamp tipped over 5.00 List of Casualties consequent on the use of Keroseyie in Michigan {outside the city of Detroit)., calendar year 1890.'^ 1 1 Date. I 1 Locality. i Nature of casualty and resultant damage. ! ! 1 Jan. 7. 1 Manistee city Lamp explosion which caused destruction of a furniture factory, and death of one man, fatally burned. Fire caused by lamp explosion. Small house burned. Lamp explosion causing a paper mill to be burned. • Lamp explosion causing a house to be burned. Mar. 3. Bay City May 18. 1 Flint city... 1 j Aug. 3. Eagle township Nov. 21. r Sturgis village Ossineke township Fire caused by a woman attempting to build a fire in stove with kerosene. One child fatally, and one man and one woman seri- ously, burned. Fire caused by lamp being upset and broken, on a haymow. d ! Franklin township Fire cause by overturned lamp. .> ‘Si j Grand Ledge village Fire caused by the explosion of kerosene lamp. 0) i Grand Haven township.. Fire caused by lamp explosion. 1c 1 T3 Q Novi township.. Fire caused by tipping over a lantern. ^ 1 Vassar village Fire caused by overturning of lamp by a cat. 1 (Jrosswell village .,. Fire caused by explosion of a lamp. * The data on which this list is based were obtained from reports of local health officers, deputy oil inspectors, and newspapers. The foregoing lists show that of the 55 casualties therein mentioned, 22 were reported to have been caused by lamp explosions, 18 by careless handling of lamps, 6 by stove explosions, 7 by careless use of kerosene in stoves, and 2 by attempts to light fires with kerosene. A Man Fatally Burned at Manistee City. Tlie “State Republican” of Jan. 7, 1890, contained the following para- graph; “ Manistee, Mich., Jan. 7. — The Filer town manufacturing company’s furniture works here were com- pletely destroyed by fire yesterday, and one man burned to death. “ The fire was caused by the explosion of a kerosene lamp used by William Chambers, who worked in the finishing department. He was anxions to begin work before daylight and had brought the lamp to the works, where, on attempting to light it, an explosion occurred, and almost instantly the varnish, the man’s clothing and the factory were on fire. The unfortunate man was burned to death on the spot, and the other workmen barely escaped with their lives. The building was entirely destroyed, but was well insured.’’ ‘^68 STATE BOARD OF HEA LTH. -REPORT OF SECRETARY. 181)1 Fire nf Bay City Canned by a Lamp Explosion. In regard to this casualty, Richard Ferris, Deputy Oil Inspector, wrote March 15, 1890, to Hon. H. D. Platt, State Oil Inspector, as follows: “ Enclosed find statement made by Lawrence Cramer in regard to hie house burning. He says: His child was sick, and got up about 4:30 A. M., and was in an adjoining room; smelt smoke or something to that effect, and when he went to the kitchen found it in flames. Does not know how the fire originated but thought it must have been caused by lamp in some way. Does not think it was on account of tlw oil. Says he has used same kind for some time prior to fire and is still using it.” The following, relative to this casualty, is from the “ Detroit Journal ” of March II, 1890: ” A lamp exploded in Lawrence Cramer’s house. Hay City, yesterday, and the building burned. The l^ss was small, but it falls heavily upon a poor man.” Lamp Explosion at Flint Alleged Cause of Fire m Paper Mill. Geo. H. Turner. Deputy Oil Inspector, wrote to Hon. H. D. Platt, May 19, 1890, relative to this casualty, as follows: ” Yesterday morning, 2 A. M., Hon. F. R. Lewis had the misfortune to have his paper mill burned, or partially so. It w’as caused by an explosion of a lamp cr torch. The night watchman, it seems, after having made his rounds, came in the building quite cold, placed his torch on the wall (brick) burning, and he thought he would warm himself, and in doing so his lamp exploded, and before he could commu- nicate the alarm to the water works, in order to have them sound the fire alarm, the building burned, or nearly so. I made an examination or (test). 1 found the oil stood 126 degrees. “ It is conjectured that the wick in the lamp was burned down so low it caused gas to accumulate in the lamp which created the explosion.” Fire in Eagle Township Caused by Lamp Explosion. The “ Detroit Eveuing News” of Aug. 5, 1890, contained the following: “ Robert Patrick’s house, near Portland, was burned to the ground by the explosion of a lamp, and the family barely escaped with their lives. Nothing was saved and considerable cash was lost.” August 12, 1890, E. T. Yeomans, Deputy Oil Inspector, reporting to Hon. H. D. Platt relative to this casualty, wrote: ” lu obedience to your instructions, received Aug. 11, 1 have today been to the locality of the Patrick fire. The farm is six miles east of Portland, in the township of Eagle, Clinton county. “ Mr. Robert Patrick is the oOjly witness of the origin of the fire. Sunday morning about one o’clock, Aug. 3, Mr. I’atrick, feeling unwell arose to take some medicine. The lamp which he lighted had a larg > glass fount, holding about three pints, and was not much if any more than half full of oil. It hatl not been refilled during the summer. ‘‘ After lighting the hunp, Mr. Patrick left or placed it on a shelf close to a partly open window’. “ lie I lien went to a table on the ojiposite side of t he room to prepare and take some medicine. •‘'I’he room becoming suddenly f stx)vri blacking, composcid of pluinlxoio, black varninh., and gasoline. I am told that the firm use this to black their stoves. 'I’hey i)r(M>are it themselves. The way the accident occurred was this. Miss Wildsmith was i)nMmriug the l»lackingin a jar on the lauirth of the stove, in which there was a lire, and was stirring tlie gasolitm into the mixt.nre with a j)oker when the gasoline explod(«l, burning her to death. It was like till similar ctises a pieioof cartih'ssmtss, though 1 think the sale of such stuff should be pre- venbMl by hiw. riiough l,lmni might not, luivtt b(>en any harm done in canTid hands, or in the hands of the dttaler. 'I’litire itvalso another kind sold by all d(>al(as tliat has turpentine and oil in it., * * * which 1 am t)f opinioti is dangerous to public health, through just such carelessmws as the abovt'.” INJURIES AND LOSSES BY GASOLINE IN MICHIGAN IN mX). 271 A Man Fatally Burned at Oioosso. The Detroit Evening News, of Nov. 29, 1890, contained the following: “ Owosso, Mich., Nov. 29.— John A. Chapman was boiled to a jelly in a gasoline tank at the gas works last night. He was a new man, and went near the vat with a lighted lantern. A terrific explosion fol- lowed, and the unfortunate Chapman fell into the burning, boiling oil and remained there until this morning. “ The explosion happened about 6 o’clock and shook the whole city. A tlarae shot 100 feet into the air. Soon a second report was heard and fire burst from an adjacent tank. The two blazed furiously, bril- liantly lighting the town and country round about. * * * “The loss to the company will be about !l;.5,000, and Owosso will be in total darkness until the plant i.s repaired, as the electric light works will not commence running until next week.” In response to a letter of inquiry in regard to this casualty, sent from this office, to Dr. S. S. C. Phippen, health officer of Owosso, the following letter, dated Dec. 7, 1890, was received: “ Your letter received and in answer I would say that I have enclosed a clipping from the ‘ Shiawassee American,’ printed here, and which gives a very good description of the explosion. It is a better one than I could get up myself, although I hardly think the theory advanced as to the cause of it is correct, still it may be. The cause of it is not known and never can be found out.” Extracts from the clipping from the Shiawassee American,” referred to by Dr. Phippen, are as follows: “ Last Friday evening, about 6:30, the entire city was startled by a terrific explosion in the direction of the gas works, just south of the D. & M. depot, and instantly a flame shot up heavenward to a height of nearly seventy-five feet, indicating that the explosion was at the gas works. The effect of the explosion was felt throughout the city and for a long distance outside. “ The fire department responded with great promptness, and arriving at the scene found that the two large tanks west of the works were in flames, and at once commenced operations to save the building and works from destruction. Two streams were sufficient for the purpose, which were kept up until the oil had burned out, and the works were saved with but little damage to the building, and no stop in the supply of gas. Mr. O. F. Webster, superintendent of the works, says the department deserves much credit for thus saving the company’s property. “ It was the storage tanks for naphtha that exploded. These tanks were about forty feet west of the gas works, lying parallel extending east and west, and were in a hole dug in the ground for the purpose, the one on the north side projecting about two feet above the ground and the other but a few inches. The tanks were of 3-16th shell with half inch Iieads, made by Reeves & Co., of Toledo, Ohio. They were 30 feet long and eight feet in diameter, and held over 11,000 gallons each. The tank on the south side con- tained at the time between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons of 63 naphtha, and the other had at the time about 6,(X)0 gallons. The latter was a new tank and was filled that day for the fir.st time. There was no cover over the tanks at the time Mr. Webster says the new tank was absolutely air tight, as before it was filled it would float on the water that was in the hole. The new tank, containing the largest amount of naphtha, was exploded first. The manhole to this tank was in the center of the tank, and a few inches west of it was a hole just large enough to admit a two-inch pipe to connect with the transportation tank on the car standing on the south side of the tanks, “ Jonas A. Chapman, the engineer, and Charles Sprout were in charge of the works at the time. * * * “ The men commenced emptying the car into the tank about 3 o’clock in the afternoon of that day, and about two hours time was required for the naphtha to run through into hlie tank, and, darkness coming on. Chapman and Sprout decided to leave it until morning before uncoupling the hose connecting the car and tank, to avoid going near it with a light. “ Chapman’s house is a few rods directly west of the tanks and a beaten path ran along the north side of and close to the tanks from the house to the w'orks, and Chapman’s son, aged about 18 years, went to call his father to supper, carrying lantern, and in passing the tanks found a board sticking out of the hole somewhat obstructing the path, and he stopped and pushed it down into the hole beside the tank, so his father would net run against it. He says he was there at least two minutes with his lantern, and after calling his father passed back to the house. His father told him he would go to the house in a few min- utes to get his supper and get ready to go to Corunna to attend lodge. The boy had been in the house but 272 STATE BOARD OE HEA LTD.— REP( )RT OE SEORSTARV, 181)1. H few minutes when the explosion occurred. Mr. Nichols, liviiiK near, says (’hapman came out of tlio works with a lantern in his left hand, and locked the door, and he called to him to ko with him to the OdH Fellows’ lodge that evening and walked over to near Chapman, but the latter said he was going to Cor- unna and asked Nichols to go with him, but N. said he could not go. Chapman was then near the cormu of the building, and said he must hurry to get ready to go, and Nichols started for his home and had gone only about ten rods when the explosion occurred. “Chapman’s lantern was found, considerably bruised and the globe and bail broken out, about 25 feer southwest of the tanks and his cap lying between the lantern and tanks. After the oil had burned out his body was found about 11 p, m. in the pit on the north side of the tank within about two feet of the west end, his head toward the west. Mr. Sprout found the body, and assisted by the firemen, took it out . and Coroner Baldwin held an inquest. The left side of his face was burned and the hair slightly burned from the left side of his head, and his mustache was all burned off except a little on the right side. Otherwise the body was not burned or boiled, as erroneously stated in dispatches sent out, the water in. the pit and which ran in from the streams thrown by the fire department preventing the body from being entirely burned up. » * * “ Mr. Webster’s theory of the accident is that Chapman, who had complained during the day of a severr* headache, on going to his house accidentally stepped or slipped into the hole beside the tank, and in fall- ing naturally threw up his hands, and having the lantern in his left hand it struck the tank very hard, breaking the globe, and the light coming in contact with some naphtha that may have been on the tank . slopped over from filling, ignited it, and instantly penetrated the tank. The tank on the south side exploded soon after. The concussion of course killed Chapman instantly. A Woman Hatally Burned at Weston. The following paragraph appeared in the Detroit “Evening Journal” (jf Nov. 26, 1890: “ Weston, Mich., Nov. 26.— Maria Mead, a widow living over H. P. Tolford’s store, set her clothing on fire last evening, while lighting a gasoline stove, and died a few hours after. She leaves two young son.s. Mr. Tolford was badly burned in his efforts to rescue Mrs. Mead.’’ Dr. F. W. Essig, health officer of Fairfield township, Lenawee county, where Weston is situated, was written to from this office for further par- ticulars relative to this casualty. His reply, dated Dec. 10, 1890, was as follows : “ 1 will state that I was called in great haste on the eve of Nov. 26 (1 think) about 6 o’clock, to attend Mrs. Mead. I learned the following: It seems she filled the cup of the generator to her gasoline stove to overflowing. She then lit it and took a cloth to wipe up what had run over. The fire dropping on the cloth set it afire. She then tried to put it out with her apron, which in turn caught fire. She ttien ))Hcame frightened and ran down stairs, and seeing the door to Mr. H. B. Tolford’s store open started to go in, but was stopped. Mr. Stolford then ran up stairs and got a blanket and wrapped her in it. Before he got down, however, some one l)ad torn her clothes partly off. It was at this time that I was called. I ordered fier taken to her brother’s, one Jndson Schomp, where she died four hours later. About two- (hirdsof t)ie entire surface of her body was burned, the worse being her hands, abdomen, inner surface of )ier thighs, hyjjochondriac and et)iguHtric regions.” h\ital Hurniiuj of a Wdrman in Bruce Township. Not Causeji by (iasoline. Tlui Detroit TrilmiK' of April 22, 1890, luid the following paragraph: “ ItoriKU), April 21. 'I’wenf y-y*«ir old Mrs. Hchoultz t ried to liglit a lire by using gasoline this morning and will die probiil)ly as a result. 'I’lu're was an immediate explosion and the flames sot fire to Mrs. Hrh<»iiltz’s clothing. She screamed for helii, lad was horribly burned before the lire was put out by frlemls, who tiished to her rescue.” II apjx’/irs from tlii^ followiiiL? IcIltM' from I )r. John V>. l‘'7ireB, hcaltli officfr of the \ illago of liomco, Macoml) county, who was written to for CASUALTIES DUE TO NAPHTHA IN MICHIGAN IN 1890. 273 particulars relative to this casualty, that it was not attributable to the use of gasoline. Dr. Fares wrote to this office April 23, 1890, as follows: “ The particulars in regard to the accidental burning of Mrs. Etta May Sharfe, a lady 21 years of age, are as follows: She was serving as a domestic in the family of Orlando N. Devereaux, who lives in the township of Bruce, just outside the village limits. She had nearly completed the washing and was draw- ing water from the washing machine and emptying it with a pail. The stove had a low hearth, and it is supposed the skirt of her dress caught fire by actual contact with the wood fire which had been lighted in the early morning, but with ordinary wood kindling, no gasoline ever having been used in the house. She ran some fifty or sixty rods, seeming bewildered; in short, her clothing all burned from her body, and she died in twelve hours. l)r. Greenshields was called to the case. “ This occurred on Monday, the 2l8t inst.” CASUALTIES CONSEQUENT ON THE USE OF NAPHTHA IN MICHIGAN, CALENDAE YEAE 1890. During the year 1890, there were reported to the office of the Secretary of the State Board of Health four casualties in the State, caused by the use of naphtha, with consequent damage to property amounting to $50.00. Three of the above-mentioned casualties occurred in the city of Detroit, as shown in the following list, and one in the city of Owosso. Of this latter casualty we have no detail other than the fact that a fire was caused by an explosion of naphtha. List of Casualties Consequent on the use of Naphtha, m Detroit, Calendar year 1890. {Supplied by William H. Baxter, Fire Marshal in Detroit.) Date. Street and No. Nature of casualty. Amount of damage. Feb. 21 1 215 Gratiot... Using stove blacking while fire was burning May 20 160 Fourth Vapor ignited June 16 Wight Gas at varnish works took fire $50 00 35