Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-06-01

Post has been looking up the books on
the subject Of natural oils. We make
the following extract from its article on
the subject:
We have had some little examination
Of such authorities as we could readily
reach which treated on this subject, and
find that this oil is included in ths va
riouss infammable mineral substances
which are termed Bitumen. These
substances differ in consistency from a
fluid to solid. .Naplha is the first
on the list of these substances, and is
described as o fine, White, thin, fra
grant, colorless oil, which issues out Of
white, yellow, or black clays, in Persia
or Media. 1t is highly inAammable.
In Parma there is spring Of it, which
furnishes enough to illuminate the city
of Genoa, for which purpose it is used.
It swims on water, its specific gravity
being from OIL to 0.84. 1t consists
Of carbon 1920 and hydrogen 14.70,
and is the only fluid destitute Of oxy-
gen. .5~
The second on the list is Petroleum,
the Seneca or tennessee oil Of COM
merce. Petroleum is much thicker
than Naphtha, and resembles common
tea. 1t has disagrceable odor, and a
reddish brown color. In short it an
swers the description Of the oil now be-
ing taken from the wells in Venango
county in such large quantities. In the
Birman empire is . hill containing coal,
into which 1--WE hundred and twenty pits
have been sunk for the collection of
Petroleum, the yearly produce Of the
hill being about 400, 900 hogsheads.-
Il is used as q lamp oil, and, when
mingled with earth o. ashes; as fuel.
It is also obtained FROM wells in the ISL
and of Zante. Herodotus, who was
born 464 years B. C.ydescribes these
wells. Modern travellers state the year.
~ product of Petroleum from them to
Be about one hundred barrels. Petro-
leum, somewhat differing in appearance
from that found in this country, is very
abundant in Persia. "a Many of the wells
seem to be quite inexhaustible, being
no sooner emptied than they again be-
gin to fill. ss:Kinner's Persian Empire''
says: "Some of them have been found
to yield from / 1000 to 1 500 barrels a
day ~ ssfs a
From this brief synopsis of facts
about Petroleum, it would seem that it
has been along time in use, with no
present symptoms Of its giving out. The
wells in the island Of Zante, it would
seem, have been worked for $500
years, and of the age Of those in Per,
sia and the Birman empire, there seems
to be no record. If these dates are to
be of any value in determining whether
the wells in Venango and elsewhere will
hold out, it would seem probable that
they will have the gift of continuance.
We suppose that no Spectator in oil
sites would care about having the yield
insured for longer period than $500
years.
We are we'll assured that the inaam-
mable qualities of the Petroleum are of
. very superior vslue-and it is also
alleged to be Of great value in rheuma-
tism, chilblains, &c., but we shall not
hear of it again as q medical remedy,
no matter what its virtues may be, for
it will be entirely too cheap. Medi-
cines Of all sorts are, by common con-
sent, agreed to be expensive Injuries,
and nothing that is cheap in that de-
partment can be good.
Whether this oil is Of any use for lu-
purposes, We have no means
# knowing. But it is now undergoing
IL manner of tests, and BY the time
he machinery for its proper distillation
hall be prepared, We will, no doubt,
70 duly advised of all the uses that il
an be put to.
Ef your sole object for reproving /,
person is to improve him, take care i
{ the temper with which you reprove.
ad temper in the reprover is pretty 1
,,n ~ ,,ro1uno ;<s n{fsnr;nn IN fhn ~. ,