Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-10-07
OUR INDUSTRIES.
Manufacture Of Illuminating Gas from
Crude Petroleum.


been set on foot in the county to ilu-
inmate the town at an expense of So to
s. so per 900 feet. This is theory.
The report of the Los Angeles Petro-
leum and Refining Company is sub
Joined. They promise to supply benz
zine, parafline, naptha, and lubricat-
ing oils, and are prepared to illuminate
the city in the same way that Sharps-
burg is lighted. One barrel of oil will
make 5000 feet of gas, and the compa-
ny is prepared at once to adopt and put
into practical operation the Clearing
process" The retorts and machinery
that the company propose to place here
will utilize 1000 to $500 gallons per
diem. The oil supply is endless, and
the scheme practical. 1t is submitted,
without prejudice or further comment,
to the readers of the HERALD. An
neXed is the report of the Company,
and also description of the operation
of Illuminating gas, taken from the
Scientific american:
The Pittsburgh Commercial states
that the method discovered by Mr..
Charles Gearing, of that city, has
been put into successful practical OPP
Grafton ut Sharpsburg, Pa, and the
borough is now admirably lighted by
gas made from crude petroleum oil,
S,WO feet of gas being produced from
one barrel Of oil.
AS the subject is one of great inn
portance, not only to the inhabitants
of our town and cities, who need good
light at a cheap price, but also to gas
companies and oil producers, we will
give few details of the Gearing pro-
cess, from which practical gas men
may, in some degree, judge of its act
ual merits. TO us it looks like good
Improvement, worthy OF a careful in-
vestigation of all who are interested
in this extensive branch Of industry
to which it pertains.
In the simpler form of the Gearing
apparatus, some seven rctorts are em-
ployed in connection with one furnace.
made by enclosing small cylinders
within other cylinders of large diam
eter. The inner cylinders are filled
with pebbles, the object of which is to
provide very extensive heating sur
faces. a jet of steam and air is, by
means of an injector, introduced ut
one end of the first series of retorts,
and then passes ON through the peb-
bles, successfully into and through
three other retorts, until the steam
and air is thoroughly dried and heat
ed; thence the jet goes into contact
with the crude petroleum in another
retort and takes up therefrOm supply
of the oil vapor, thence oil successive
ly through three other retorts, con-.
tanned in the furnace, where the final
heating takes place, thence into the
gas holder. The operation Is simple
and continuous. The construction of
the retorts is alleged to prevent the
loss of oil by conversion and deposit
into solid carbon, the only resulting
usually found in crude oil, with some
other foreign matters.
A company has been formed, we
understand, to put this process in OPP
Grafton in Titusville, Pa. We shall
look with much interest to the practi
cal results. The success of this or
any other methcd of employing crude
oil for permanent gas illumination
would create an immense demand for
the article and give relief from the
depressing effects of over production
under which the oil market now
suffers.
A translation of an article on the
subject, from the columns of La Gro
MICA, is also submitted:
We read in the San Francisco Rullc-
tin OF September 22d, that Charles
Gearing, of Pittsburgh, Pa. has invent
ed wonderful process, by means of
which he obtains from crude petro-
leum an excellent gas. The success of
his invention has been practically de-
monStrated in such II manner that
In order to supply that city.
But it is not Pittsburg alone that
should welcome the news of such an
invention, and where its good effects
should be felt. Our county of Los An
gcles seems to possess large and inn
mensely rich deposits of petroleum;
deposits whose existence is not really
known to-day; and it is but natural
that we should derive great benefit
from the invention of Mr. Gearing.
On the other hand, the gas we are now
using is extremely bad, and, properly
considered, injurious to health. These
are sufficient reasons for us to try and
obtain the proposed object.
The Los Angeles Petroleum Refining
Company intends to make great and
laudable efforts to develop this new
branch Of wealth, and there is no doubt
that if we apply the new invention to
our petroleum, we shall not only enjoy
its benefits and comforts in our city,
but we will also have new production
to stimulate our industry, and new
element of wealth.
Following is the report of the COM
pany alluded to:
Board Of Directors Los Angeles Pc
tr0leum Refining Co., GENTLEMEN:
We, the Committee Of Inspection and
Location, beg leave to report, That We
believe the best interest of the COM
pany requires that the Refinery should
be located on the railroad line beyond
San Fernando pass, on the land of Mr.
A. Malezewsky, where wood and wa
ter can be obtained at less expense
than at any other place we have been
able to discover.
Believing it would meet the appro-
baton of the Company, we proceeded
to select location, and negotiated for
the same with water privileges, at
very satisfactory figures. We surveyed
the lot, but having no map of the
township we could not take deed, rs
we desired but during the present
week the deed to the land will be
made and signed. .=ssss.s .5xt