explosion, and ignorant persons, biased by the saving of a few cents
per gallon, purchase the most dangerous oils in the market. It is not
possible to make gasoline, naphtha, or benzine safe by any addition that
can be made to it. Nor is any oil safe that can be set on fire at the
ordinary temperature of the air. Nothing but the most stringent laws,
making it a State prison offense to mix naphtha and illuminating oil, or
to sell any product of petroleum as an illuminating oil or fluid to be
used in lamps, or to be burned, except in air gas machines, that will
evolve an inflammable vapor below 100 degrees, or better, 120 degrees
Fahrenheit, will be effectual in remedying the evil. In case of an
accident from the sale of oil below the standard, the seller should be
compelled to pay all damages to property, and, if a life is sacrificed,
should be punished for manslaughter. It should be made extremely
hazardous to sell such oils." Prof Chandler is professor of analytical
chemistry, School of Mines, Columbia College.

There is no substance on earth, or under the earth, which will
chemically combine with naphtha, or that will destroy its peculiar
volatile and explosive properties. The manufacturers of petroleum
products have exhausted the whole resources of chemistry to make this
product available as a safe burning oil, and their inability to do so
proclaims the fact that it cannot be done. Chemistry has shown that
naphtha, and, in fact, the other products of petroleum, will not part
with their hydrogen or change the nature of their compounds, except by
decomposition from a union with oxygen, that is, by combustion. These
humbugs, who deceive people for their own gains, may put camphor, salt,
alum, potatoes, etc., into naphtha, and call it by whatever fancy name
they please. The camphor is dissolved, the salt partially; potatoes have
no effect whatever. The camphor may disguise the smell of the naphtha,
and sometimes myrhane or burnt almonds may be used for the same purpose.