Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-03-07

distilled In natures laboratory, issued spon-
taneously from the earth. IL was already
known to some, and soon ascertained by all,
that these natural oils, by q simple and
inexpensive distillation, you'd yield a large
per centage of liquid fully equal in illumi-
mating power TO the bed oil derived from
coal--in great degree free from the OBJ
jectionable odor Of coal oil, and less liable to
smoke.
Still, the quantity Of petroleum attainable
seemed quite too small to permit the hope
that the enormous consumption of burning
fluid could ever be supplied from that source.
The spontaneous flow of oil from springs, in
the aggregate amounted to but few gallons
yearly; and the salt wells, in many of which
petroleum existed-but only as a neglected
and often troublesome product-furnished
wholly inadequate quantity.
The salt wells, however, suggested to
thinking mind the effort to procure the oil
as distinct and independent object. TO
Col. Drake, of Titusyf2z, Pa, we owe the
demonstration of the practicability ofobtain-
ing large quantities of petroleum from holes
drilled in the rock for that purpose. II re-
quired unusual boldness and energy to go
into new field, to sink the well, to procure
and set up the engine, in the face Of gener-
al incredulity and much ridicule, led on by
the hope of pumping up remunerative
quantity of oil from the narrow oriice Of a
four inch drill hole. That scheme, though
bold, was, as everybody knows, not vain
and fruitless one but the courage and per-
sevance which conceived and executed it is
resulting in wealth, not only to the pioneer
in the enterprise, but 10 many others who
have followed his lead. Already the amount
of petroleum daily drawn from the wells
bored to procure it in Pennsylvania and
Ohio, may be safely estimated to be at least
five hundred barrels; and the business of
raising it is only in its infancy.
Covering so wide range of uses as this
oildoes, and produced SO cheaply, it seems
destined to supersede large part Of the
oils, both animal and vegetable, now consum-
ed in the country, aaate become most i'm
portant element in the resources ofour State
and the revenues ofour people. As such it
claims something more than the historical
notice have given of it; and even demands
as full description of its character, uses,
modes of occurrence, and processes Of manu-
facture, as may be given in the present state
ofknowledg indeed, as will best ena-
BILE our people to discover and make availa-
BILE all the repositories of this useful article,
which exists within the limits of our State.
Nothing like full exposition of this subject
can be compressed, however, into the space
which propriety assigns to this article, and
the circumstances ofits publication. l shall
con6ne myself, therefore, to the briefest pos
sible sketch oft under the different heads
enumerated above.
NATURE AND ORIGIN OF PETROLEUM.
Petroleum is the common name for min.
eral oil, whatever its color or consistence.- =
These vary greatly: sometimes 10 is dark
viscd, and tar-like; from other localities
almost transparent, very fluid and volatile
More generally it has an oily consistence, {
brown or greenish color and strong char
acteristic odor 1t may be regarded as {
compound of several Of a large group o
bituminous substances, which differ much il
their physical characters, while they pre-
sent striking similarity ofchemical compo
sition OF these, the two extremes-As
phaltum, a hard, black solid, and Naphthi
are exceedingly light, volatile and trans
parent fluids; exhibit a'marked contrast o
form, yet they, as well as all the intermediat,
4 members of the series, are composed almos
entirely of carbon and hydrogen. Thes
hydro icarbons are considered by all chemists
to be of organic origin-that is, to be de
rived from the decomposition Of vegetabl
or animal tissue. Ordinary coal, which ma.
!, be included in the same category, is of pure
" vegetable origin, while some cannels an
bituminous shales contain portion Of AM
8 NAL matter. Petroleum has usually bee
= produced from bituniinized plants, but thos
: varieties of il which are obtained from rock
: filed with animal remains-as highly fossi
ferrous limestones-and which have a pc