The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-12-26
USES OF PETROLEUM,

i. As an IAUminGto The lighter varie.
ties Of rock oil may be burned with proper
lamp in their nstural state, but all yield on
distlllation from 30 to IS per cent. OF burn.
| ing fluid, which affords remarkably pow.
erful, and at the same time, soft and pleas.
ant light. No lamp, as far as sm aware,
has yet been invented in which it can be
we'll burned without chimney but those
now SO generally used for coal oil, are
equally we'll adapted for its use. In these
it burns with brillancy fully equal to that
Of the best oil distilled from coal, with less
tendency to smoke, and with no offensive
odor, and lasts as long. Its light is superior
to that OF the purest sperm oil, and at pres
ent prices cost less than half rs much. AT.
fording SO brilliant, SO portable, and go safe
light, at so small price, it possesses ev.
cry requisite for popular illumiuator, and
must ultimately supersede all those now in
use except gas, which though more expen-
sive, is less troublesome, than any lamps
can be, and hence will continue to be used
TO some extent in towns.
I 2. As Lubricater.-The rock oils, which
like those of Mecca and Grafton, have in
their natural state, thick and oily consist.
ence, end not very offensive odor, are ex.
cellent lubricators for machinery as thev
come from the wells-not being liable 10
"gum," and retainifg, to great degree,
their fluidity in the coolest weather. Care
should be taken in the use of the crude oil
as lubricator TO see that it is free from fine
sand, which is sometimes mechanically mix
ed with it as it is pumped up. 1t is even
probable that all such oils would be improv.
ed by snbjocting them to hasty distilI4tion
TO rid them of any foreign matter they might
contain. The Mecca oil, when thoroughly
washed, has been used by number of en-.
gineers, and 50 for as | have Heard, to their
entire satisfaction. In the process of rein.
ing, all the varieties of petroleum yield a
portion Of heavy lubricating oil. The quan.
tity Of this is proportionate to the specific
gravity of the crude oil and its huidi,y will
depend on The quantity of burning fluid alb.
strscted from it. Among tn. crude or
:, manufactured petroleums, then. we. may oh.
tain, at comparatively small price, lubri.
Gators of any degree of consistenee, from
that Of lard to the finest oil, which, if pro.
4 perly prepared, will not gum nor corrode
4 metnl, and will keep journals.cool.
sse.-shia
e l+4pnapa ess11st be immense There afe some
railroad companies whose annual expenses
: are more than S25 900 for nbricators alone
A sscle manufacturer in England (Youne)
testified 10 Court to having manufactured
and sold over 400,o 900 gallons of Iubricatine q
oil in one year, at about one dollar per gal
Ion. This oil was from COAL The "white
oil" OF New York, and several patent lubri.
: Gators used in this country, are sold in large
: quantities for dollar or more per gallon
1 while the mixed lard, fish and coal oils,
largely employed and, indeed, all the lu
bricstors in general use, command a price
fully double what an equally good article
made from petroleum can be furnished for.
8. As Paint Ou.-Petroleum has also
been used for printing, in this country, but
to a very limited extent, and the experiments
made, though very satisfactory, 'as far al
! present appearances 60, have not had thu
, test of time applied TO them. In the oil
n world the rock oils have been quite exten
$ sively employed in painting, and have serv
e ed a very good purpose in that connection
r The Mecca oil, in its natural state has bee
4 used in painting several houses, outside an
y within, white and brown, and apparentl
d with entire success. The oil was boile
e with "dryen," precisely as liDseed oil
n treated, and mixed with lead and other paints
l 1t formed good body, covered the woo
b we'll, dried rapidly and perfectly ; and no
it seems smooth and hard, and has no odor.-
ar III that can be asked is that it sha! hul
e, out as it has begun.
Re The lighter petroleum-as that of Titu;
'g Vile and LowelIvlle-sre not as we'll sui
Is ed to painting, as they come from the well
is being too thin, like spirits OF turpentine; th
heavier portion of them, however, whe
is separated by distllatioD, may be, and indeed
g has been successfully applied to that pu'
ct pose. 1t is highly probable, therefore, thu
Ii some portion of the rock oil raised from ou
II wells will find market as painting oil.
le 4. As Fuel.-Should petroleum ever b
ls produced in such abundance as to glut th
IS market, and the price be reduced to fttee
Is cents gallon, it will be used as fuel Q
Is steamboats,, locomotives, and elsewhere
a wherever, indeed, highly concentrate
il portable and manageable fuel is required
# The superiority of oil over coal for gener
, ting steam consists in F.: lst. It's great
heating power, pound for pound. I'd. |
k more compIete oxydation in the furnace.
Y, 81. Its combustion in immediate contu
10 with the surface Of the boiler and fues.
c. PRODUCTS OF DlsT1LLArIoN.
'i As yet, the attention of refners of COT
s. oil and petroleum in this country has bee
confined to the product most readily derive
D from them, viz burning fluid, lubricatir
ID oil, and paraffine but the European man
es facturers have demonstrated that the proce
'e msy be pro6tab!y carried much further. al
Y. that other and more valuable secondary pr