The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879, 1873-08-12
Pure West Virginia Oil.

mecca" ever attained the reputation
as lubricator, that has been reached
by the heavy oil produced in West
Virginia. All requirements. seem to
be met in this oil. 1t is entirely free
from gum, and this cannot be said OF
the rurtSt sperm. l; has a body heavy
enough for the most ponderous bear
ings, and yet is so limPid as to run
freely through the most delicate oil
cup. 1t retains lis body in the hottest
weather, and refuses to harden under
the severest cold OF winter. 1t lacks
the pungent smell common to other
mineral oils, so that the close air and
warmth of the factory fails to produce
from it the slightest unpleasant odor.
1t will not ignite at any lower tenn
perature than animal oils, and possess
cs this enormous advantage over them
all, that it is not possible under any
conditions 10 produce spontaneous
combustion with it. The Importance
of this feature can be seen from the
fact that in factory districts, where
rags and waste, saturated with oils, are
liable to accumulate, one fourth Of all
the losses by fire arc caused BY sPon'
tane5us combustion. What more could
be asked of an oil g.? And yet, while
sperm, of purity more or less doubtful,
costs the consumer not less than two
dollars a gallon, the most approved
brands Of West Virginia can be bought
Tor from fifty to sixty cents. What
wonder that the adulterator who Seizes
upon everything that we eat and drink
and wear, should catch a reputation
like this to palm off lost Of oil OF a
lower merit: We made the assertion
a few months ago that somebody was IN
the habit Of mixing" oils, which were
afterwards sold as pure; 4 statement
certainly modest enough to pass un-
challenged. But the Volcano Ln6rt-
Gator. anxious for the reputation Of the
merchants of West Virginia, in reply
to our statement, says:
1--WE venture 10 assert, that not a
single reputable firm in West Virginia
endeavors to sell mixed oil under any
other title than mixed oil. If con-
sumers want to know whether they
get the oil they order or not, it is easy
for them to do so; let them buy from
producers and they will then know, or
let them apply the freezing test, and
that will satisfy theni."
We have nothing to say in reply to
the first statement Of the LHbricat0r,
for with the reputation OF men or firms,
we have nothing to do, but we can but
take exception to the other statements
Tor the simple reason that thousands OF
barrels Of Franklin oil pass through
this city consigned to producers or
those who claim to be producers OF
West Virginia oils, and we think the
conclusion is fair one that these par
ties sell it again in some form or other.
And as to the freezing test, no one
knows better than the producers them
selves that it is no test Of the purity OF
oil. We have before us as we write
sample Of Gil IS gravity, W hich will not
chill at zero, but which has not drop
Of West Virginia oil in it, and we have
also samples of oil which we have good
reason to believe are pure West Vlr-
ginia oils, 20 gravity, which chill solid
at 10 degrees above zero. The fact Is
we would not vouch for the purity OF
any sample of West Virginia oil, un,
less we had with our own hands caught
it flowing from the we'll, seen it barrel
ed, and then sat on the bung hole while
it was in transit.
No better proof of what we say is need
ed than what every oil dealer knows
t. be VIGOROUSLY true, that what pur-
ports to be pure West Virginia oil can
be bought BY the single barrel, in any
large city in the country. to-day, at
price less than the cost Of pure oil at