Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1918 — IF YOU WILL USE COAL OIL [ARTICLE]

IF YOU WILL USE COAL OIL

In Starting Fires, Be Prudent and Don’t Pour Direct From Can. The death of Roy Bussell from burns received while starting a fire in the kitchen range last Friday morning, from pouring supposed coal oil direct from the can, should again be a most solemn warning to people to desist from this very dangerous habit. In this case it is believed that there must have been gasoline mixed with the coal oil. There is nothing wrong with using coal oil for starting fires if ordinary precautions are taken. Never po.ur the oil, however, directly from the can onto the kindling, no matter whether ‘there is any fire in the stove .or n<st. Keep the large can entirely away from the fire, outside the house is preferable, and use a teacup or an old can that holds only a pint or a half-pint. Pour the oil from the larger can into this and then put it on the kindling. A gill or two is sufficient to start a fire, and by this method, even if the fluid should happen to be gasoline, no harmful effects of consequence can result from the use of so small a quantity.