Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 257, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1914 — SUN’S RAYS CAUSE MANY FIRES [ARTICLE]

SUN’S RAYS CAUSE MANY FIRES

Reflections From Metal, Edge of Fish Bowl and Bubble In Window Pane Start Flames. " Topeka, Kan. —Harrison Parkman, State Fire Marshall, is trying to teach the people of Kansas the part the sun rays play in starting many of the costly flres, both on farms and in the eity. He says many fire* would be prevented if the people were educated to the fact that the sun. i* a dangerous agency in starting blazes, and would use care in eases where the sun rays shine through glass or on bright metal. Out in Rawline County the other day a woman put some matches on the window sill in the kitchen. It was bright and sunshiny and a few minutes afterward the woman returned to the kitchen to find ,the whole side of the room on fire. The sun rays shining through the window pane had set these matches on fire and they had set the building. At Holton a building was found to be on fire. It was almost new, and no cause for the fire in a corner of the roof could be found until someone discovered that a piece of tin had not been painted and the sun rays on it had set the roof afire. A bubble in a window pane of a home in McPherson County concentrated the sun rays on a spot on a lace curtain and set it on fire. The sun shining upon the heavy rolled edge of a glass fish bowl in a home in Mitchell County set a table runner on fir*, and the home burned. ‘lt is not unusual to hear of grass being set ajire by the sun shining upon bright metals. The peculiar thing about the fires caused by the sua rays is that they happen at any time of the year. It would ordinarily be supposed that the sun rays would not be concentrated mto enough heat upon a cold winter day, but some of the fires caused by sun rays came in January and February and one in December. Another seemingly impossible fire cause is electricity generated by friction. The wind whipping blades of grass against wire fences has caused many prairie flres. Special* investigation by electrical experts in Western Kansas are said, to have demonstrated that the high winds and constantly blowing tall grass against wire fences produced sufficient electricity to cause a spark an inch long and of sufficient brilliancy to set the grass on fire. About 30 prairie Are* which resulted in loss of hay and several homes and barns are said to have been the direct result of thl* sort of flame generator.