Smyrna times., 1879-09-03
Oceans Of Oil,

writer in the Boston Journal of Chenistr,,
reveals some of the wonders of orr oil
supply. 1t appears that over !, 800. 900 gal.
Ions of petroleum are brought to the surface
every day in the Pennsylvania oil regions
alone. 1t is brought up more rapidly than
it can be cared for, so that 100000 gallons
run to waste every day in this district.
The great United Pipe Line, and other
methods of conveyance, utterly fail to
convey the oil to markets, and the enormous
tanks for storage are full and overfowing.
There are tanks owned by companies which
hold 100000 barrels of oil, and all of them
are full. The wooden tanks owned by in
dividuals and private concerns amount in
their aggregate capacity to as large a NUM-
Der OF barrels, and these also are full.
Thus it will be understood that there are
great lakes OF oil above ground, as we'll as
below; but there is good reason to believe
that the subterranean deposits may with
| greater ipropriety be called oceans rather
| than lakes. The oil workers are evidently
pumping from inexaustable supplies in the
rock chambers below, and what are called
the "spouting wells" deliver their vast
| currents with the same impetuosity as when
| the drills first tapped the pent up stores.
An interesting inquiry arises as regards
what becomes of the oil that cannot be
| secured; into what does it flow, and where
is its final resting place? Any one who has
visited the oil regions will know of the
nature OF the country, and readily under
| stand that much of the oil flows into brooks
or small rivers, and in time finds its way
into large rivers, and is lost ultimately in the
Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean. Still
larger quantities are absorbed by the earth
IN raVlnes and in marshy places, and thus
is lost to view. In the famous district one
is led to excaim: "Oil, oil everywhere, and
no untainted water to drink" There is oil
in the soil oil in the springs; Oil on the
bushes and trees oil in the atmosphere
apparently; oil on the.clothing, and in the
mouth, eyes and hair of the workmen: the
bread and coffee of the region have the odol
of oil, and the beds are saturated with it.
7 How wonderful is all this! Well do W,
remember the first vial of crock oil" tha
fell into our hands. 1t was called "Seneci
OIL" and it was claimed to be most effica
cious remedy for variety of ills to whicl
the human body is subject. The statemen
that it flowed spontaneously from sprin
in Pennsylvania was received at first witt
much incredulity, as that it was regarde,
as impossible; but in short space of tim
, the truth was known, and the oil was n
} longer regarded as a mixture devised b
J human hands.
American petroleum oil is now used as
source of artificial illumination in nearly al
} parts of the world. 1t goes along with run
, powder and muskets to the savage tribes
] Africa, and the mud houses on the bank
S Of the rivers Of the interior are illuminate
t by its combustion; it is found in the interic
, of the Turkish Empire, in Persia, in Egyp
t in Palestine, in China, in Japan, and in tn
remote islands of the sea. For the paltr
e ! sum of fifteen cents we can purchase ga
! lon Of the clear refined oil, and the cost
/ the light afforded, in comparison with q
f as furnished at the lowest cost in cities,
J, as one to twenty in its favor Tonke
a Statesman.