Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-10-30
The Coal Oil Business.

Ccal Oil and its products are rapidly
: coming into general use. In the way o
safe, cheap and good light, coal oil has ne
equal. unless it be gas not furnished by
monopolies Such is the testimony of the
people of the rural districts who have test
ed everything from tallOw dip to the best
sperm. Coal oil lamps are manufactured
of almost every variety of pattern, and the
kitchens and parlcrs of the country are
now about as cheerfully lighted at trifing
expense, as those of city residents by cost.
ly Gas burners. The monthly bills fol
light are very much in favor of Coal oil.
The refining of Coal Oil has become
ouite an extensive branch of business il
most of the cities. In this city the Coal
Oil Refneries now number twelve, and they
manufacture about one thousand barrels Of
the refined oil per week. 1t finds ready
and wide market, and the demand is in
creasing for winter use. Cleveland oil is
sent to the interior, the West, Chicago, Mil
waukee. Detroit, Lake Superior, Western
New York. and New England States. As
lubricator, some of the coal oils are being
extensively used.
Formerly sperm oil dealers in New York
would not con5escend to trade in lard oil,
but coal oil has already so worked into the
trade that it is estimated that from three
to five thousand barrels of refined coal oils
arc now sold weekly in the comL2ercla' en-
porium. There are in New York twenty
five companies engaged in distilling anu
refining coal oils, and several other estab-
lishments are about being commenced
Eighteen other firms deal only in coal oils,
which now form part of the stock of nearly
all oil merchants. So states the CONNER
cidE AdcertiSer.
There seems to be no danger of the lack
of crude oil for the present at least. The
flowing wells of Pennsylvania grow more
and more marvellous in the yield as they
are sunk deeper into the vast fountains in
and under the rocks. Some of the reports
are quite incredible. Single wells at Oil
Creek yield hundreds of barrels daily, and
we saw note in business letter yester-
day from a candid and truthful Clevelander
now residing in the oil regions, stating that
recently opened we'll of over 500 ft. in
depth at Oil Greek, is actually spouting oil
at the rate of 100 barrels per hour! 1t is
stated that the Lewellyn on the Kanawha
yields 400 barrels in ten hours, and that a
new well in the vicinity viii yield 24O0
barrels day!
Petroleum, formerly known as Seneca
oil has long been considered valuable
melicament for wounds of men or horses.
There are dozen substances in coal oils
that produce colors. Thirty distinct coiOrs
have been obtained from coal oil, some of
the most gorgeous. Naptha and Benzone
are coal oil products of value. Naptha
like Benzone, removes grease spots and dis
solves gums, and since the Southern block
ade, is taking the place of alchohOl or tur-
pentine in preparing paints and varnishes;
in New York it has risen in price from
twenty to fifty cents gallon. Naptha is
also used in making fine Brussels and three
ply carpets to remove the oil in the stub
bing WOOL before being spun, and thus the
fabric is prepared to receive brilliant dye.
Both light and heavy oils are, by a pressure
of 100 and l50 pounds to the square inch,
forced into the pores of the wool to preserve
it. Picric acid, formerly worth So or S
a pound, the basis of some rich dyes, is
now produced for thirty or forty cents a
pound. A chemist has made from one of
the produtcs of coal oil. powder at an es-
timated cost of fifty cents pound, which
has twice the explosive power of gunpOw-
der. Favorable results in manu- acturing
fireworks from some of the products of coal
oil have been obtained; and some of the
products of coal oil can be advantageous
ly used in preparing furs and certain other
skins. The Commercial enumerates other
valuable qualities of coal oil, and its pro-
ducts are proved by chemists and manufac-
turers, and says many new and important
uses will yet be discovered, thus exempi-
flying the wisdom and bene6ccnce of that
Providence which has supplied these sub
stances in such immeasurabIe quantities.
CleUeLuld Herald