Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1865-02-08

broad awake, with "A light burning in the
room, would both hear those noises, and
would call each others attention 10 them
at the time the heavy bodies moved in
the centre of the room, the plates ratified
in the piazza, ard the light tip-toe foot
steps passing between both their beds.
Lecture 0Es Petroleum by James
w Gerard.
4 lecture on the all-prevading subject
of petroleum, and the sinking Of artesian
wells, was delivered last evening before
the pupils of the Twentieth Ward Gram
mar School, situated IN Twenty eighth
street near Ninth avenue, by Mr james
w. Gerard. The school-room was filled
with the pupils of the institution ard their
friends, Mr.. Gerard was introduced bv
AIr. Dobbs. one of the school officers of
the ward After minute description of
the internal fires and volcanic upheaving.
of the earth, the lecturer said Petro-
leum was known as far back as the lime
Of the building of the tower Of Babel, it
was then used as cement 10 tasten the
bricks of that editice together, with which
our ancestors sought TO scale the realms
of heaven Ii was used by the Egy ptians
for the purpose of embalning their dead,
by the Ghebers of Per~ia to construct
their sacred fires, and was known and
used by other nations of antiquity for
various uses In Italy petroleum was
realized from the earth two hundred years
ago, and the streets of Geneva have been
lit by means of this fluid for a number of
years back Petroleum was known TO
the Seneca tribe of Indians under the
name of Seneca oil, and supp d by them
10 be sn infalhble cure for rheumatism
and all manner of pain and bruises In
1859 the first well vas bored al Oil Greek.
IN Western Wenn~y ylvania, producing inn
mense streams Of the precious find. Oil
has since been discovered In West Eir-
ginia, at Lockport on our own state, in
Canada, in California, more recently at
Fishkill and in other parts of the country
too numerous for mention. Millions of
dollars have been and are being invested
daily IN this exciting search after this new
stone The fortune seekers
after petroleum are not dismayed at the
OdoF emanatiRg from the oil
in IFS crude state ; on the contrary, he
reioices inwardly when knocked down by
the stencil from a newly discovered OIL
well. When gold was first discovered by
The Spaniards in California, they named
the country Eldorado, or Land of Gold.
and the seekers after petroleum might
have profitably initiated item by naming
the oil districts, Oildorado or Land OF
Oil. Whenever the earth is torn and
-usged indicating volcanic action, that is
I certain sign that oil will be found in the
,avitics and fssures beneath the surface.
To find oil you must bore through the
'O!id rock IN diameter OF at least Ihree
inches until you strike the third sand
stone, where you will strike the cavities
II reservoirs Of oil, which Immediately
'puris up in streams of more or Ices force
N Pennsylvania you may bore four hun
lred feet or more before you succeed in
eaching the fluid; in Western Virginia.
lowever, half that depth Is only necessary.
The truth OF the Old proverb-'' there is
othimg new under the sum-" Is proved by
he fact that the Chinese were bo ing we'll.
rom five TO nine hundred feet in depth
Or oil, over three thousand years ago.
The force Of a stream Of oil is explained
" the fact in those cavities or tissures be-
cath the surface of the earth, the oil.
Fatcr, and gaSses, are all pent Up togeth-
+, and when a well is sunk, the gas.
citing vent. oil ond water is forced up
Yard prOEiScuously by the concentrated
orce cf the gasses Very often the wells
ct on fire, and burn fiercely until the
oil is thrown into the well, wafer having
o effect whatever, petroleum bring the
lost volatile substance known. \ her
netically sealed barrel has been invented
y some Individual for the pH pose Of pre-
cnting the escape of the tiui@, and should
ne invention answer the I,urpoee design
4, the enterprise Will prove a greater for
me TO the diScovsrer than any oil that
as ever been bored. The lecturer. at
Dme length, described Ghe component
arts o. petroleum, aud the proccsr of dis
llation. by putting the crude material
l au utensll over the fire, al "A trmpera-
ire of 40, a vapor is formed which is
nown as naptha or beuzine, universally
sed by painters. kero~ene, which gives
le mot brilliant Gaht, IL a!so produced
'otn the crude material. ATphaitum is
..nther substance taken from crude petro-
.utn wien rectitied. A.phaitum is used
a dve and produces the moi bcantifu
.ors Among the various uses 10 which
etroleum is put that of lubricating ma-
hinery is one of the most prominent
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