The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-04-03
Tcorre, ponoence Of the Gate City.1
MeNoNaEHALA HousE,

MR. EDITOR Dear Nr--Just imagine
Yourself comfortably seated before coal
fire, in comfortable room II the above
named house, in the smoky city, with
myriad Of stern.wheel boats at the levee,--
enough, in this modern age, to fully entitls
it to the modern name of the "Cisy of Stern
wheel Boats" or, Gas that unclothed and un-
refined name may shock the seOsibilities Of
some Of your lady readers,) boats with their
wheels an, and the broad canopy Of heaven
for wheel house, and you can imagine,
10 the language Of q colored gentleman.
"wbar de writer i.;'' and if you think
enough Of his soribbling to give him .
record in your journal, you can do so.
Since leaving home the all absorbing ques-
ton Of the Union have heard cusssd and
discussed the former in Virginia, ~ have
there been within the circle OF the influence
| Of John Tyler, who, an sorry to say, has
an iuHuence, and who after presiding over
the PoAee Congress and shedding orockodile
tears for the Union is now using his entire
| influence for secession; and Virginia will
doubtless, in tho course OF . short time,
make the fatal step, which will hand her
name down 10 the record Of history to fu.
sure generations - aiding in trying to
| destroy ,ne OF the best governments ever
| formed. Az l shrink, however, from en-
larging upon that view, it being entirely re-
pugnant to my feelings, will leave the
former and devote my time partially to the
latter, and can here record general express
sion in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and
Pennsylvania, for the Union.
Central Ohio, your old home, believe, is
losing sight Of great questions, and 10 now
ia the midst. OF an oil excitement, which,
perhaps, has no comparison in interest, con-
fning it locally, save the California and
Pixies Peak gold excitement. Oil wells are
being bored at numerous points along the
Central Rail Road and along the banks Of
the Ohio River, both in Ohio and Pcnnsylva-
MIA, and thousands are seeking their fortune
10 that direction. To give you en- idea Of
the extent of the ssile ercifemsnt," a. every
body in the region referred to seem to talk,
and epen think oil, will narrate q circum-
stance that occurred on the cars. The writer
sitting one seat back from the stove, (to.day
being cold stormy day, a light snow fall
ing more than half the forenoon conversing
With an occupant Of the Same seat on ma
tional affairs, the number ct guns ut Fort
Sumter, &C., an old gentleman who sat on the
side seat facing the stove, with bis head
bleached with the SHOWS OF many winters,
with carpet sack resting on bic lap, seemed
jus. to get enough OF our conversation to
imply numbers, We Of course meaning the
number OF guns in IT. Sumter, when, be
says "Look here, stranger, how many bar.
rels a day did you get from that well?" mo,
waiting for reply) Eve have got wei
: down in our parts that turns out over l0o
, barrels day OF as good lie as you..ever saw
These oil wells are truly wonderful freak
Of Nature, and will tend materially to revo
lutionize some branches of our manufactures
They will, in time, if the supply proves ex.
haus,less, give us light nearly, was 60
iue to say, US cheap as daylight.
J. As more mil ute description may prove
Z of some intereet to some of your readers,
. will give it to you aud close. Tho oil i
doubtless . deposit from the coal beds, as i
:, is mostly found in the coal mine localities
: The wells that have been sunk vary in dept
: from 25 to 100 feet, and upwards. In som
the oil rises above the surface, aud in other
it 10 pumped out, machinery being used TO
that purpose. In appearance that which
/. saw (it was in its crude ssate) had darl
!. green appearance, and about as thick a. or
binary writing fluid. II is used ia its crud
'e state here generally for lubricating purpo
e ses, answering the same purposes for ma
y chinery in the Rolling Mills and on the Ra
u Roads as tsllow and other oils. Il can b
II purchased by the quantity Mt the walls - 10,
u as 80 TO IS csnts per gallon. When 20
= = take into consideration tho price that hs
I. ruled for some time for Lard and other oil
d ranging from e5 to 95 cents per gallon, use
70 for lubricating purposes, you will It ono
:. see there 10 saving 10 that direction {
! about 800 per cent.
in For burning purposes the oil is equally 1
IL good, being easily refined. The refining
ii however, destroys il for lubrieating pul
% poses, ~ it becomes sticky and Rummy aft,
refining, and not smooth enough for ms
et chinery. When refined il 10 % clear an
" transparent a. any OF our oils made by d
pi old process, and is, in fact, virtually I'll
A. | sans thing. ~ thew could not be told anAr
I'd either BY appearance or smell.
Ms also saw large cake OIL the 'pATrAfne,
Ia The clarified residium Or the oil sitter "a
2 fning, which VAS perfectly clear and trans
a. parent, resembling Gum Camphor very muc
to in appearance, and from which candles q
% being manufactured that surpass in beaul