Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-04
CLEVELAND MANUFACTURES.
OIL REFINING AND REFINERIEs
History Of the business i'm Cleveland
List Of PrOprietOrs Of Refineries-
Description efthe rOeess OF Re-
fning-SOmething AbOut the
Discovery of Petroleum.
ITS BEGINNINGS.

ITS BEGINNINGS. /
Less than five years ago the first barrel
of oil was refined in this city. Some six
years ago, Mr.. Cheney and Mr.. Wat
son, and afterward Mr.. Aaron Clar'7, had
small establishments ZONE barrel s%tills)
for the extraction of oil from Camel coal.
The oil thus produced was like gas-tar,
very strong, and difficult to deodorize.
The refinery Of Mr.. Watson was sold to C.
A. Dean, who placed Mr.. John Alexander
in charge as foreman. 1t was conducted on
rather a small scale, but commenced max
ing money, when, in 1860, twas discovered
that Illuminating oil could be distilled
from the petroleum which sprang out of the
earth in Western Pennsylvania Mr..
Dean, ihcredulous, in common with every
body, at the idea Of oil actually flowing
from a well, nevertheless paid a visit to the
Drake well in Venango county, Pennsyl-
vania, and also to the Parker Spring. He
found Parker anxious to test the refining of
his oil, and the result was that Mr.. Dean
brought ten barrels back with him; dis
titled it, and produced a superior article of
burning fluid. The Parker spring very
soon became famous, and its proprietor, now
a citizen of this city, wealthy. This was
the commencement Of the oil refining
business, and Mr.. Alexander, now one of
the largest refners in the country, then, as
a workman in a small establishment, re-
fined the first barrel of petroleum ever
brought to Cleveland.
The value of crude oil was not as well
known then as it is now. 1t could be bought
at the wells for twenty cents a barrel!
However, there were disadvantages and
drawbacks in the refining business of a
serious kind, resulting from ignorance of the,
combustible nature of the chemical COM
pounds of which petroleum is composed
and much loss resulted from fires caused by
the explosion of the gases. Then, too, so
strong was popular prejudice against the
business that several capitalists, who would
nave established extensive reineries at this
point, were unwilling to do SO. 1t sounds
strangely ridiculous now to hear Of the
manifestations of that prejudice. 1t was
affirmed that the presence o~frefneries caused
disease; brewers declared the odor spoiled
their beer; others, living half a mile distant,
were willing to swear that the butter and
milk in their cellars became rancid and
sour on account of the offensive smell and
one man, at least, was driven to taking
bitters every morning to prevent sickness at
Il 4ha akofaooh Z 1pdaaI afrnrfs mana raaIa 20
have the refineries indicted as ~nuisanees,
but failed through the good sense of the
Judge of the Court. These crude ideas,
however, soon disappeared before the stream
of crude oil flowing in; and refining is now
one of our most extensive and important
branches of industry, and probably the
source of greater wealth than any other.
REFINERIEs OF TODAY.
The business has grown to such proper
tons now, that but small profits are realized
from the manufacture of refined oil, and in
order to make money, a large capital is re-
quired. And capital will continue to be in
vested largely at this point. Pittsburgh, at
the present time has more refneries han
Cleveland but Cleveland is destined to take
the lead in this, as well as in some other
manufacturing pursuits, because of the nat
ural and artificial advantages of its location;
the Lake furnishing means of direct COM
munication with Europe, and the network
of railroads bringing the oil and coal re-
gions of Pennsylvania into close proximity
with our harbor. Our nearness to and per-
feet system of railroad and water COM
munication with the West and Northwest,
have already given Cleveland the preference
in the market for oil
There are at present in Cleveland about 80
oil reffneries in operation, as will be seen by
the following list. If we nave omitted any,
we will take it as a favor to have the omis.
sion supplied:
LIST or nErIrsnIns IN CLEVELAND
Alexander, Schofeld & Co.
Backus, Williams & Co.
6. H. Bierce & Co.
Burton & Douglass.
A. NJ. Burke & Co.
G.. w. Clark d Co.
Corning, Hooper & Co.
Critchley, Fawcett & Co.
Clark, Bros. & Co.
Chandler & Read.
W. J. Guild.
Gardener, Myers & Co.
Hussey & Mcbride,
Hanna, Doherty & Co
J.. G Huston & Co.
Lambkins & Langdon.
Marshall, Barkwil & Co.
j. H. Miller.
Cultivate, Shurmer & Co.
VIM. Poole & Co.
Brewster, Pelton & Co.
H. Potter & Bros.
Rockefeller 4 Andrews.
VIM. Rockefeller & Co.
Reynolds, Bishop & Co.
Major, Smith & Co.
Henry C. Smith & Co.
Smith & Lee.
Short, Mel & Co.
]. ". Turnbull & Co.
Besides the above, there arc several in
process of construction.
The amount of oil refined by these estab-
lishments, taking their returns to the reYe-
nue. department for the months of Septem-
Der, October and November as o criterion,
has not fallen short of three million gallons
in the last year, on which has been paid q
government tax of 20 cents per gallon. The
Il
price Of crude oil at the wells is new 5000
per barrel of 40 gallons cost Of transPOrta-
ton to Cleveland about $3.50 per barrel.
Refined oil is worth from p to 70 cents per
gallon benzole 40 cents tar, or rcsiduin.
$500 per barrel.
In succeeding numbers of the LEADER
will be given a separate notice of each oil
refinery in this city, showing, as nearly as
we can ascertain the facts, the amount Of
capital invested, the extent and capacity Of
the works, the number of hands employed
with the wages paid them, the number o.
gallons of burning fluid, gasOlene, naptha
and tar turned out, the amount of revenue
tax paid, and such other items as may be o.
interest.
For the information of the general reader
and those curious in such matters, we viii
conclude this preliminary article with
hurried description of the
PROCESSES OF REFINING PETROLEUM.
Many people, removed from the circles Of
oildom knowledge, imagine that the won
derful fluid which eliminates their houses
in Mace of the time-hallowed ~tallow-dip
and the various fluids once in use, is pump
- Tho secret laboratories of ma