FLOYD'S WONDERFUL FIRE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9669, 6 March 1897, Page 3

FLOYD'S WONDERFUL FIRE.

A Paste Which Whes Onck Iqnitkd* Nothing Can Pot Out. Cincinnati Enquirer. There is a fire that never dies, and it is here, and in this world, too. This strange fire is of the consistency of paste, and is harmless while in a quiet state. The friction caused by rubbing it against a hard surface will, however, set it aglow, and nothing will extinguish the flames, which will burn with a blue light and an intense heat until the compound is completely destroyed by combustion. Water has no effect upon it; it can be made into balls and thrown anywhere, and it will burn with a slow but fierce combustion which makes it unlike any known fire. Dynamite and gunpowder require a spark to ignite them, and powder produces an explosion, not a regular fire. To ignite this compound there is just the slightest friction of rubbing it against some ordinary substance. There is no explosion or rapid spreading of flames, but a strange, pasty substance composed of living fire, which cannot be stamped out or killed in any knownvway. John Floyd, the discoverer, has been for several years delving in all sorts of chemicals, as his numerous inventions required constant study. One day he wished to make a certain substance with which to experiment, and for that purpose placed in a liquid some waste substances which he thought would, when dissolved, produce the wished-for comEound. But he found the material he wanted efore the liquid was dissolved, so he left the jar containing the solution on the shelf for several weeks, thinking no more about it. Finally he thought of using the jar and, when lifting it down from the shelf, some of the liquid spilt on the floor. Mr Floyd thought nothing about the matter till noticed a sensation of heat about his foot, and on looking down found that the soft paste which bad fallen out of the bottle had become a mass of soft, flickering flames emitting an intense heat. He put his foot on the spot, stamping it out, as he thought, and turned to his work. When he turned around again he saw that instead of going out the tire paste was steadily burning, that his rubbing it had only smeared it over the floor, and it was eating into the wood every moment. He then threw several buckets of water on the stuff, but the water had no effect other than to be converted into puffs of steam, and the fire burnt steadily on, cutting its way through the soft pine flooring. As the experiments were being conducted in the back of a drug store, which was filled with dangerous chemicals, he knew that something must be done to put a stop to its ravages or the whole place would be blown, to atoms. After many fruitless attempts to put it out he procured a hatchet, and it was only by cutting out the entire square of wood on which the paste rested that hs succeeded in stopping the fire, which burned for at least an hour. Afraid of the uses to which this discovery might be put, Mr Floyd has never made the secret of the ingredients public; but he says that the cost of making it is so small that it can easily be used instead of the cheapest fuel. And for that reason he will not let the formula become known, for incendiaries would take advantage of it and no place would be safe from burning." Those who use oil or dynamite or powder ejan be easily traced, as some preparation is necessary, but with this hquid fire a criminal who knew its composition could burn his way noiselessly through any door or set any home on firs by throwing against it a noiseless ball of the composition. The cost of making this liquid fire is so small that it can be easily used instead ot coal in heating a furnace. But the most valuable properties are those which it possesses which are absolutely foreign to those of fire as known to us. All forms of heat, except that of electricity, must be generated in some kind of a furnace and be constantly supplied with fuel, but this fire is both flame and fuel itself. About a cupful can be set on fire and it will burn with a steady glow for an hour. This wonderful fire can be utilized in the kitchen, and stoves can be dispensed witr altogether as entirely useless. In order t< fry anything it is only necessary to hang the pan from a wire and smear over the bottorr with a spoonful of the liquid. In an instanl there will be a hot fire, which will-burn foi over an hour. So tbat the cook of the future can take her fire out into the country ; ii can be used in cooking in camping • there will be no coal bills, but the work of heating furnaces, of burning fires in grates, 01 running motors can be done by a harmles! little spoonful of paste, which can be taker around in the vest pocket. Of its practical uses there is no end, foi the subject is yet in its infancy, the inventor thinking but of the harm tbat might come, having stopped his experiments. He, however, says he intends to resume them and find out more about this explosionless, noiseless, unquenchable paste, which is fir< 1 pure and simple.