The New York herald., 1869-12-16

Tho Convention OF Petroleum ienncrs reassem-
bled yesterday forenoon at the rooms OF the Ship
owners Association, IN the building OF the
Merchants Exchange and News Rooms, on Pine
stree; Mr. b. w. Morgan, OF Pittsburg In the chair
and Mr.. Robert verplanck, OF New York acting as
secretary. After reading the minutes which were
approved, Mr.. Hertz OF Plttsburg, moved the fol.
lowing resolution
STANDARD MERcHANrABIE OIL.
Resolved Thar the standard gravity of crude petroleum in
January |, is7o, al contracts shall b. made a,
and between fortyiour and foryeisnt degrees gravity
ssss sas any s.r,s s'l G M bearing fray asQys forty
y the purshase Except IN case @l Of .pessa pee
.rssmsn as 70 o. the rsdas.,on beyond that which !.
wishes to deliver crude Of gravity lsser than forty
deduction Of three half per the price paid per
.e or gallon Tor each degree or part OF degree above
deliver OIL NOT aduersed below forty degrees
allow the seller the amount iree and hall Der een.
on each and every degree
This resolution was seconded and adopted unani-
mously by the Convention. and thus made
obligatory upon the whole trade. or at least
that portion Of the petroleum renners who have
agreed to consider the resolutions oil this Convcn-
ton as binding upon their action. But there is
SECRET
about II, and as this matter touches deeply the in
terests OF the great public which constitute the con-
sinners, and even affects the security OF life and
limb this secret had better be told. The readers
must recolect, from the report In yesterdays
HERALD OF the first meeting OF the Convention that
there was quite animated debate In regard to the
quality and purity OF the oil, and statements were
made that within the last few years the quality has
dcgeneated so that now only sixty per cent OF pure
oil could be obtained by the rener from the oil fur
nished by the well owners-a fact which was taken
as conclusive that 1t was already aduteraed at the
wells The views as TO the best means prevent this
In the future were very dvegng as regards particu
lars. though oil seemed TO agree that graduating
scale OF prices based upon the specific gravity OF the
crude oil would be the proper measure 1t should
be known that the purer the crude OIL the higher is
Its specific gravity, and that by the addition OF
naphtha or benzinc this specific gravity is raised
beyond foriysix and even forty-eight. Some OF the
members OF the Convention were in favor of excud.
Ing adnlterated oil altogether, but on counting
noses" II was ascertaned that such q vigorous mea
sure would meet with much opposition. Hence the
above resolution was prepared and submitted to
Tuesday ana peIore the meeting yesterday and
FOUND 10 be acceptable. It's presentation ana adop-
ton IN the Convention was therefore, mere mat
ter OF form. by IT the rehner is still pernltted to
purchase oil Of lighter gravity than forty-slX but
the sc Ter ls TO receive only reduced price To the
extent OF three and half per cent. Whether this
Will effect what the public SO much need-a pure
unexp oslve OIL Tor their household purposes so
! a powder
notwithstanding to be seen. Yet, IN TINS very
compromise. wheihef effective or not, lies that
secret spoken OF above.
The BROKERS' TAKE THE HINT
number OF petroleum brokers were present at
the meeting at the time or the adoption py the meet
Ing ,he resolution, and, when it had passed shey
NIL made Dexter's speed down the stairs ami 10 the
telegraph oflce OF the Exchange room. That their
haste 10 get of their message to the West was in
some way connected with the resolution and with
the ock OF OIL on hand everyb Idy believed, bat
precisely what they were about left TO surrnise
INN a int tl.lt that
taxing the hint uy the brokers mad the purpose to
proiuce rise in the price OF crude oil IN colse
quence oi the passage OF the above resolution.
COMMITTEE on STANDARD TssTs.
Mr. FORSYTH or tittsDurg, offered the following
Resolved That committee OF three be appointed to have
made accurate instruments for testing crude OIL and have
them sent to the dderent petroleum associations throughout
the standard instruments.
This resolution a so unanimously carried and
the following gentlemen were appointed ny the
Mr.. Wicks, OF New lorE, and Mr. tiager, Of Cleve-
land.
AND NOW CAME THE TUG OF WAR.
The President leaving the cnair, which was taken
by the Ice PRESIDENT Mr. WIoks, OF New ork, then
offered the iolOwing:-
Resolved That from after the ls day OF January 1870
will not sell oil except by actual weight and tare and that
committee be appointed TO meet the exporter. and
the mode and num1er or pounds per gallon Of refined OIL
In advocating this resolution which was cacu-
lated to produce quite revolution in the petroleum
trade. Mr.. MORGAN spoke warmly upon the many
MADE victims OF by the dishonest. 1t was well known
that many frauds are lerpetrated. barrel marked
fory.slx gallons, is empued OF one gallon aud the
purchaser only receives orty-fve gallons. wile he
pays for forty-six. Dishonest dealers go TO dis
honest rener and actually ask barrels to be marked
one gallon over to cheat tle public. Ii the Q Wer0
sold by weight, this could not happen. He would
refer especially 10 the home trade IN TINS connec-
tion. Every grocer had scale aud could weigh the
OIL but he mad no rod to guage II. He tne speaker)
knew the injurious influences which these
practices had upon the trade, ior as
result, the honest cannot compete with tho
dishonest.
same course. II the resolution pass ana they were
going TO sell oil by weight only, aud not by measure,
1t would break up one-half OF the small and dis
honest reipers III the country, who are preparing
mixture or efzine by getting ire proof oil OF 10
degrees ana add ma htha or Denzine TO |. The
convention snoud sOp this Tor reverts and casts
reprOach upon the whole trade. These people were
selling now an article more dangerous than gun
powder. II the sale be made by weight, tho impure,
mixed anu lighter oils would be detected. Tney had
made ample experiments OF TINS al Pittsburg and
had number OF scientific gentlemen TO assist then
and they concluded tnat weighing the OIL was the
best test not only Or quantity but also FOR quality,
!or ssos w mo. s m Ssd as Lou Inc As
oil by weight only alter the lst Of January next and
II the New York and Cleveland rehners would not
Join In the reform, they may continue tner pre- ent
practice long rs their purchasers Ike 1t. Toe
speaker was informed ttat 20 sen ny weight ls the
general practice III Europe, and ne hupea the Con-
Vention would adopt it here.
VOICE From THE irB.
Mr. MERRILL, OF Boston considered this question
OF grave consideration. tnc house he represents
has connections abroad anu he knows mat tue prin
Cipal sale Of petroleum Is on the European conu
pcnl, and he knew or no port there but what sells
oil by weight. lie believed that system couid he
perfected by which account OF sales could nc
adjusted. Tor instance say connt six pounds eight
to the gallon which might b. ADAPTED to the
system oi 23l Inches of on. lie Tor one woud not
express any op nion Tor tue present in Tie proposed
Change, but lie belleved IL could De- managed 70
simplify business.
CLEVELAND LEADS n OPPOSITION.
Mr.. FLaGLER Of Cleveland, expressed himself
msinformed to weights ia use III Europe, anu
nsAed Mr.. Merrill for Information VINO stated tnat
European weights In general are representative
aud easily diviahle. Mr.. flager continued renarS.
ing that hau never been In Europe, but convorsed
lately with u gentleman just returned from there.
who told him that no hau seen In museums things
two anu three centuries Old. and the same things
are sun IN to-day. This gave evidence OF the
nature OF progress in Europe sort OF progress tne
American people are not apt TO follow. As 10 laise
measure nc would say that tile man VINO steals with
a rod would steal with scales also. As the represen.