Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-10-27

were necessary, on Whlch account
ID is not considered advisable To
have largo quantity Of oil in store,
at the diggings, where so many pco'
Pile are habitual smokers Of pipes
and cigars; for Notwithstanding
smoking is strictly forbidden in the
vicinity of the petroleum, some tor
rible conhagrations have taken
place in the oil region,
The discovery Of petroleum in
such quantities soon suspended the
operations which were being made
in the manufacture of oil from can
mel and bitumcnous coal, of which
there were about titty-six factories
in the United States, mostly in Ohio,
kentucky and other States, abound
ing in camel or bitumenous coal.
The capital which was thus invested
has been estimated at 100000
employing between 1000 and 5000
men, women and children. This
business, although then considered
largo, is but n small item compared
with the capital invested, and the
amount of labor rnow engaged, either
directly or indirectly, in the pctrole-
um business. The oil wells in north =
western Pennsylvania have made II
hilly, poor section Of country rich, in
which cities have been built, and to
which railroads have been made by
its petroleum. Crowds have gath
cred there from far and near, all
anxious to become very wealthy,
for they have heard or read that
sudden and large fortunes were
made at the "oil diggings;" and why
may not they do likewise. There II
man may be so poor as to be deemed
unworthy of being trusted to tho
amount of five dollars in the morn
ing and be u millionaire in the
evening, for he owns either the
whole or part ofa well which strikes
the oil stream or fountain, and 1t
rushes to the surface at the rate of
several hundreds Of barrels per day.
Still boring for oil in what is termed
the oil region Of Pennsylvania, is II
very uncertain business, because it
is impossible, from external indica-
tions, to determine the exact spot
of the oil stream orrcseryoir beneath
the surface. Hence Il well may be
sunk within few feet of the sup
ply of oil, and yet not obtain any.
Again wells sometimes cease to flow,
the supply may give out, or the
stream may have been "tappcd" by
other wells higher up the valley
With ali its uncertainties the bust
ness increases rapidly. In the year
ending June 1st, 1866, there were
exported from the single port of
New York 11,212,647 gallons of
petroleum, which is but a small part
of what is retained in the country
for home consumption.
The oil wells in Pennsylvania and
Virginia are sometimes sunk into
the subcarboniferous strata, and at
others still lower into the Dcvonian,
both of which are beneath the coal
measures. In the Northern coun-
ties of Texas, bordering on the Red
River, and also in the Indian Ter
ritory, near the State line, bitumen-
GUS springs occur. Mr.. Russell, Of
the Texas Boundary Commission,
told us of one which he saw that
had constant flow. This is some
where in that section, but we can
not specify the locality. In the
geological rooms are specimens Of
indurated petroleum or bitumen
from Northern Texas. Specimens
of bitumen have been lately brought
to us which are said to have flowed
from rocks a few miles north Of
Austin. There are tar springs near
the town Of Burnet, in Burnet coun-
ty, from which tho bitumen is said
to flow at particular seasons. There
are said to be several situated in q
line extending nearly northeast
and south west, We visited one Of
these springs in the fall of 1860
It.was then dry, but induratcd btu
men was ON the rocks. This spring
is on the top of q small creaceous
hill. Bitumon is also reported to
be found in the vicinity Of Sour
Lake, in the south eastern part Of
the State, and in the neighborhood
Of Nacogdoches. The Northern
coal fields and the Ignite beds of
Southern and Eastern Texas show
that we have large quantities of
petroleum making materials; and
the coal oil or bitnmen which eXudes
from beneath the surface in various
sections, affords conclusive. evidence
that its streams or reservoirs are in
the depths below. Those who are
fortunate enough to tap them will
realize fortunes.
Kerosene is the best remedy we
have tried for destroying insects or
expelling them from their accus-
toned haunts. Its liberal applica-
ton in the crevices of bedsteads or
in the cracks of a room, viii expel
the vermin. We are now occupy
ing rooms in which these insects
were very troublesome a few weeks
ago, but by means of this remedy
we arc now rid of the annoyance
1t will also kill and drive ants away.
Ii is said that a sheep skin with the
wool on, saturated with kerosene
and tied around a fruit or other tree,
will protect it from ants. All oils
are destructive to insects. Insects
have breathing pores in their bodies
which, elosed by oil or greese, stops
the breath and smothers them.-
Coal oil well diluted with water and
sprinkled over vines or plants will
protect them from insects. The oil
must be frequently stirred into the
water, Or it viii rise to the top and
not be distributed equally. 1t is
said a tablespoon full of kerosene in