The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1865-12-09
From the Reno Times.
Petroleum Fuel.


Petroleum Fuel.
In the case of many wells upon Oil
Creek the gas from the wells has been
utilized by being conveyed through pipes
10 the furnace, where it partially or
eholly supplies fuel for heating the boil
rs. As yet, the use Of Petroleum itself
rs fuel has not been made generally
oracticable. All experiments. however,
end to show that this can and will be
doue. \ New York company has pur-
chased six American patents, aud re
Gently one of more Importance, taken
out By Mr. Stephens. in London, in
June last year, for improvements in
he application Of Petroleum, Coal Oil
and other similar substances, to the pur-
poses Of heating lighting and obtaining
motive power, and in the apparatus en-.
ploycd therein" The general principle
Of the invention is the vaporization OF
crude petroleum or any hydro. carbon
Ill, and the admixture of Atmosphere,
a'rwith the yapors by pressure with 9
Ie-ular and steady blast. and in thcpro
cess Of burning there is said 20 be a.
entire absence Of smoke or SCOT. whici
renders ii particularly valuable for dry
ing operations where cleanliness is ma
terial consideration, The ?atentoe
say:
"For locomotive boilers the use of pc
troleum as fuel is, with a substantial an;
easily adjusted apparatus, fitted into th,
fire box without alteration of the presen
shape, except the removal Of the CRATE
bars and the discOnnection of the eX
haust pipes from the furnace. Th'
mixture of hydrocarbon vapor and steam
with air in sufficient quantity for com
button, produces a very intense heat
ard steam is generated in the boiler more
rapidly than by wood or coal fire. The
flame can be regulated by proper valves
and cocks, aud every part of the appa
ratus is under complete control. The
advantages of these Improvements arr
the short time required to obtain suffi
cient heat to rise steam" One of tn,
chief advantages claimed by the pat
entec is. as We have before remarked, tn
entire absence OF mokc, ashes. or rcfus'
of any kind. This, no doubt. will prov
TO be Of immense value, if the price g
the material burnt is sufficiently low
compete with coal for short voyages o
raiwuv purposes This is not the cas-
with any Invention having the same OBJ
ject in view that has yet hcen tried.
For stationary steam boilers in fac
tories. printing offices, &c, this inven
tion, if successful will prove of grea
advantage in the saving of labor, and il
the cleanliness of its use. The appara
tus required will be similar to the ar
rangements for locomotive boilers FL
sugar houses petroleum can be conveyed
in pipes round the buildings, and tn
apparatus used direct to each pan, so a
to produce great heating power. Itcar
be adjusted so as to allow its use in pref
erence to other fuel to heat the boiler
and sugar pans. The discoveries of ricl
hvdrocarhon deposits in the West Indi
Islands, and the decrease supply of othe
fuels with the present transition irou
servile to free labor, make the improve
ments of the company appear more va,
liable for use in tropical countries
THE HIGH PRICE OF PAPER .-Pape
has risen almost one hundred per cen
since the first Of August, and is nov
quite as high as it was at any time las
year, aud the tendency is still onward
and upward. There is little praspec
for relief before next spring. Paper
ink, labor, aud all the materials whicI
so to back newspaper are 50 high tina
no proprietor can afford to pub
lish a paper for less than double tn
price received before the war. Still
people complain because the prices, are
not reduced, never thinking that thC
matter is entirely beyond the contro! o
publishGs.-De5a JcrHt.