Lead melting burner.
Our tiny  town history museum has a gadget labeled "Lead burner" 1920. It is about 20" high and 12"d. made of metal (rusty steel?).
 
It consists of 3 parts - a bottom burner which holds kerosene, a middle part to hold a receptacle, a top round removable piece which seems to have been made to hold the actual "pot" used to melt lead. The intention was to melt lead, then used for plumbing.
Might have been used for railroad purposes?? (first trains in our town 1871).
 
There is no "pot" so the actual lead does not seem to be the problem.
Here is the problem.
We recently discovered that the bottom part still holds kerosene. - maybe a quart? We know this because of the weight, sloshing and slight smell. The screw cap is very tight - somewhat rusted as well. We guess that it has been in the museum "collection" over 10 years. No Deed of gift. It was supposedly "found in the old town hall".
 
Please:
Anyone know more about the piece of equipment?
Anyone suggest what steps we should do next?
Who should remove the liquid? What cleaning methods should we use?  Any other tips?
We have almost zero museum budget!     JPG photo available.
 
Any and all help would be wonderful!
Best wishes, Barbara Hass, retired librarian &
struggling untrained museum "volunteer".

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