The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-02-15
The Elrly History Of Petroleum.


Although the existence Of oil hus been
known more than IL Century. it was not
until within the Inst twelve years that
any effort VAS mrde ~ make 1t staple
pr"Iu,t OF the country, aud send It 10
all parts OF the world.
y Gazetteer of'Prnn>ylvania. pub.
Ii>hr,l rs early as 1903. refers TO the cS
isrcnce Of oil in the western and north
rru parts of Pennsylvania. by rcl,iiuS
the fact that noted doctor was III the
naJi, of riding over the mountains on
hor<eback, t'kins his saddle bags filed
with buttle.; then fl in. tho bottles
with the oil taken from the ground,
would return and sell i, to the primitive
settlements cast Of the Allrghnnir.. ns Il
panacc. lur all the ills that afflicted
mankind
Its development aud its extensive use
not only ia tbs cuu"try bur in Europe.
here. among other services. it 's M"
;; used to li.ht the streets of 81. Peters
burg, aud 10 South America. where il
furnishes Iirht To illumin tie the apIrt
mrnts Of Brazilian princ,ss:s. anil the
more remote par,s Of the world. such rs
Asia and Africa, whittier !, is M article
of extensive export frum this cnnnrry
may be looked up,n with n>tuni,hmen'
and iucrciu!i,y by the .casu Il observer
| Lu, those who carefully examine all the
facts connected with the subject. can bur
wonder that it WAS 80 long allowed to
rem,in uu,levrlrp.l rs an article o: gen.
cral use and commerce.
In the spring Of 1853, Mr.. George II.
Bi>selI, formerly uf New Orleans. upon
nj. return Nurth from that city. saw at
.,h. ,tI;rc Of Prof y. Crushy. of Dart
m,u,b C,iIc.. \ H.. small bottle Of
,,.,r,I.uu riyn, Dr. & hv his neph.w,
y. pr,.w.r 81 'rur.y;Ile p, and f;upd
n. H. Lad r,,.. V,.r,,,,
'an,,,. -" 49, - ". r;...,I hrc,m,. orr,,Iv
a,. Il :, :, .nJ ,Lnu, -. nnr,hs
r,,,.,r,rI. .,.;.,.l L;usrIf with n
','' ', ,L .,;,,l,,
,r,., ' ,,',",,.,n'n ,r,,no.I.,l :, T;,u.yiIl,.
"I ,.,-,.h ...J 49,, =, 49,. ,hrn considered
H." 'L.' ,l.,,,,.',.,i ,,;l I,rI. 81 p.nn.yIyani,
$ 80 W,.Ir. Hr.w.r Wt.,p y C., q,
r;,m.,,Ia t,r s,;n,0 N,.,.r. +, y 4
,La~ ,,rr.,r;,.I - ,nmr,ry upJ,.r ,hc
,,.""., -: w.. :. pruu.rIy,ni, E,.k OH
rnmr,rr ,rJ ,r,rr,J,.,l I, A,v.lop ,b.
! lands hr ,rrpchiu. them and raisiu:, the
,urt,r. oil and Natrr into watts. Thcsc
,,r;,;,;vc on,r,,i,us wrr. conducted for
,h,u, three ye,r4. only limited amount
,,r nil h,w.yyr beirr raised, and that
mad rt;,,,n,lIc hy liuiu.u, makers. In
H.. .'r;n., ~ jS53 Mr,sr, EycIrth and
E;..ru ~ ,,,,;j.ra5>. exrcnsc, en-
pInyeL Professor Sliiimrn. OF Yale Col.
..-., to auaIyxc the oil, aud furui ,hcd
him with all urcdiuI apparatus fSr hi.
experiments. Prof. \. w#s engaged
about four months in his ana vsis, and
! in the fill of 1875 AleSsrs. + l. Z, pub
Iishc Professor sillimrns very full and
vIab"rA'c report. This report cSr''"d
some attention in Ne" Haven aud some
senrirm'n 'n g! that rl'y pr"p"ScI T."
Ar,srs. T. 4 I'. to rcorI'n'ze the COM
pa"y in New Haven: THIS was DONE
Professor S'l!lnan he'"S the iIrst pres
ident Of the company Tho work Of
raising the oil hy 'renrI'n: was con-
'inucd bY the company until 1873. ~hr"
IN arrangement Was cuncIlIcd hy The
company with some OF It's members t"
bore an ar,rsian well on tie lan1. y
new company WIS then t"rmcl. called the