Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 January 1893 — An Ingenious Contrivance. [ARTICLE]

An Ingenious Contrivance.

To obtain a light instantly without the use of matches and without danger of setting things on fire is an easy matter. Take an oblong vial of the clearest of glass, put into it a piece of phosphorus about the size- of a pea; upon this pour some pure olive oil heated to the boiling point, the bottle to be filled about one-third full; then cork tightly. To use the light remove the cork, allow the air to enter and then recork. The whole empty space in the bottle will then become luminous, and the light obtained will be a good one. As soon as the light becomes dim its power can be increased by opening the bottle and allowing a fresh supply of air to enter. In very cold weather it is sometimes necessary to heat the vial between the hands., to increase the fluidity of the oil, and one bottle will last all winter. This ingenious contrivance may he carried in the pocket, and is used "by'the watchmen of Paris in all magazines where explosives or inflammable materials are stored.