Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-05-25
wond srs OF Petroleum.

Among the most interesting develop.
ments which have followed in the wake
of the discovery of petroienm is the im-
mense trade which has sprung up in
Ozokerite, CT Ozocerite, as Webster has
il. No fairer substance ever sprung
from most unpromisiug parentage than
the snowy, pure, tasteless opalesceni
wax whi IA is evolved from the loud
smelling, pitohy dregs OF the petroleum
still.
The remarkable properties OF ozoker
ite, parafino or petroleum has won ioi
il field Of utility in which it reigns
well nigh supreme. This comely, i'm.
pressionable article, with ali It's smooth,
soft beauty, deiies agents which de
It oy the precious metal, d eat NJ
sugar. sulphurio and other potent ac,d'
have no more effect on ozokeriie thai
spring water. Ii is alike impervious tc
acid and to moisture. Its advent seem,
b. have been special dispensatlon IL
us age of electricity.
Every overhead electric light cable, o.
underground conduit, or slender wise
cunningly wrapped with cotton tread
all these owe their fitness for conducting
the subtle fluid to the presence of TIM
wax. And IN still more famil ar forms
let us outline the utility Of this sub
stance. Every gushing scnool gul " III
sinks her White teeth into ehes
ing gum, chews this maritime wax
Every caramel she eats, contains this
wax and is wrapped in paper aturatod
with the same substance. The CLOS
seen upon hundreds OF varieties OF con
feciionery is due 10 the presence o
this ingredient of petroleum.. used u
give the article u certain consistency
AS the lauudress uses starch. SO that
"a product taken f,om the dirtiest
worst smelling OF tars finds its way I,
the millionairss mansion, an honOref
servitor. IL aids to make possible th'
electric radiance that Hoods his rooms
or, in the form Of wax candles, shed'
softer lustrc over the scene. 1t polishe'
tho floor for the feet of his guests nm,
IL mets IN their mouths in the costlles
candies.
For tho insulation of electric wire
parafiine wax has to-day no successful
rival, and the growth of the demand fol
this purpose keeps pace with the mar
vellous growth OF the electric lighting
system. A single Chicago concern buys
parafline wax in this city by tho car
load. lts price is but half that of bees
wax, and yet the older wax yields read
lily to su'phur,c or other acid, this being
test for the presence OF beeswaS IL
parafline. The demand for paratlinc FOL
candles as yet heads the list. Then
comes the needs OF the paper consumers.
In 1877 a single firm in New York
handled II 600 reams Of waxed paper.
This year their trade will be $50, ,00G
rnams. Not only for wrapping candy
is this paper invaluable, but tint
cutlery, hardware. etc, encased
in waxed paper is safe from the en-
croachment OF rust or dampness. Fish
and buster, and n score OF other articles
are also thus wrapped, and there seems
literally to be no end to the uses found
for the paper saturated with this pure
hydro. carbon. In the chemists labora-
tory il is invaluable as coating for arii-
cles exposed to all manner OF powerful
dissolvants; brewers find it capital
thing for coating the interior OF barrels,
and the maker oi wax.tlowers stimulates
Nature in sheets Of parailine.
And yet. until Drake drilled his oil
well in 1859, the existence in this coun'
try OF this boon TO civilization was un-
suspected, and il may lay in the depths
OF Pennsylvania rocks, where thousands,
possibly millions, of years ago it wai
stored by the hand of an all-wise Great
or-independemt Record.