The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-12-23
EV A S VII L E:

CLovERPoRT CoAL.-We have for week
been using, to kindle our fires, quantity Of
the coal from Breckenridge county, Ky, out
Of which the famous coal oil is distilled. It's
the most infamable and brilliant burning sub
stance we have seen in the form Of coal. 1t
ignites as easily as pine knots, and burns with
flame as strong and brilliant as gas; and
though burning with so much freedom and .
brilliancy, it seems as durable as other COAL
1t is a most unpromising article to look at, and
must not be judged by external appearances.
Any one who has curiosity to examine it may
see the specimens at our counting-roon 1t
comes from the immediate neighborhood of
what are known as the "Tar Springs" in the
waters Of which flow up particles and glob-
ules Of naphtha which flow over the sides and
lodge, become indurated and form a cone
around the spring We were acquainted with
this coal many years ago, when the world had
little thought to what purposes it would be
applied. Our opinion then was, that this sub
stance, which is now casscc as btuminous
coal. was the same as that which formed the
cone around the springs, and that it was in
durated naphtha. Whether this opinion has
been confirmed by scientific analysis we do
not know. 1t still appears rational to u.s.
At that time tie property containing it-some
two thousand acles-was offered for 81 800
We see by the report Of the commissioners
appointed to value it, that it is now es,ima-
ted to be worth some millions Of dollars
The recolections Of the loss Of this chance for
fortune causes some disconnected reflections
at the mention of Breckenridge coal. We
were then in the councils Of Mr.. Money Bags
who proved to us conclusvely then, that it
would 'never pay'-though we have seen the
same old gentleman since, buying at the rate
of a million for small portion of the same
estate. We have consoled ourselves with the
reflection that there were equally good chan
ces somewhere under our feet. that would
turn up some Of these days; and in this
faith we still live, and our advice to all, is
"let us look for them" The vein Of coal is
not a regular, uniform stratum, but varies in
thickness, as if it were deposited in pools
and now lies in isolated beds connected by
thin seams, running from one to the other
We are informed, the Coal Company have ceas
ed to sell it for fuel, and are reserving The
whole body of it for the manufacture of oil
The Company for the manufacture of oil ar
now running at Cloverport, twelve retort
night and day, consuming from eight to tel
tons of coal every twenty-fou hours, and pro
ducing $50 gallons of crude oil. Re distilled
this quantity yields 600 gallons of refine
oils, viz: 125 gallons of benzole, rs of nap
tina, 325 of lubrcatng oil, and 173 of oil 70
illuminating purposes.
Benzoe readily sells at $3.50 per gallon
lubricating at 81 20; naptha and burning a
80 cents. Preparations are making at Clover
port for the manufacture of a beautiful semi
transparent candle from the substance calle
"parafiine.'' resembling spermaceti. and whic
is formed in pearly crystals in the dark oil
of the last Installations after they have cooled
The paratfine as remarked by Prof Sllimar
Jr., does not exist already formed in the orig
inal crude product, butts a result of the hig
temperature employed in the process of dis
tllation, by which the elements are newl
arranged 1t derives its name from the III
alterdble nature of the substance, under I'll
most powerful chemical agents.
The resdum from the last distillatio
makes the first quality Of asphaltum, used Il
smearing vaults ETC., now imported and sol
at $50 per ton.