The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1885-09-30

OIL Refining.
he HrauLANp News.

OIL ornGe' OF loD5 ana looVi now tnot
fortunes we're made IN an hour; poor
farmers became millionaires; aud Oompara-
lively worthless land became worth fabulous
sums aud a filthy e1udaiion that had long
been considered a great evil, on account Of
its interference 10 the manufacture Of salt,
became the AlRdin's lamp TO bring untold
wealth. Speculation was rife, aud money
flowed like the oil, for which It was given.
All that has passed away, and the novelty
Of oil wells has worn OF, and q steady per-
manent industry has been established, in
which millions Of capital are invested,
but which, nevertheless, is subject to no
more huctation, perhaps, than any other in
vestmont.
A resume Of the history Of the develop
ment Of oil industry might be Of some in
terest, especially to the younger readers,
but time and space will scarcely permit us
to present such a view Of the subject, at
this time, 80 we will but briefly refer to Il.
Petroleum, rook-oil, like natural gas, has
been known from antiquity, in various
places In the world, and was long known in
the UnitedStates before any practical value
was attached TO Il. Il had been collected
and used for various purposes, but still it
was little regarded. Even the Indians had
made limited use Of It, and the Mound
builders had dug numerous wells in Penn
sylvania and Ohio, to collect the oil which
flowed into them.
But manufacturing coal-oil, from btu
minous coal and other substances, developed
an interest in the oil springs, ETC., which
were found In vnrious places, in the United
States. But IL was found that collecting
the oil, from the surface Of bitches, with
blankets and squeezing it into tubs, was
too expensive q process to compete with the
ooal-oil manufacture.
In 1858, however, Col G. L. Drake, the
Superintendent Of the Pennsylvania Rock
Oil Co., began to bore on Oil Creek, Ven.
ango county, Pa, an artesian well, for oil,
much to the amusement Of his friends and
neighbors, who considered the project ub.
surd. When, however, on Aug. 2s, 1859,
he struck OIL" ct the depth Of seventy.
one feet, that yielded four hundred gallons
per day, worth ffty-fve cents per gallon
there was a great excitement. This wa
the beginning Of a yield, which, in Penn
sylvania alone, in ten years, amounted Il
27, 700, 600 barrels of oil, from $500 wells
OF late years, however, the yield has great,
fallen off, and there are now compantivel,
few wells that must not be pumped, whil
the price has been reduced to two and thre
fourth cents per gallon, for Smiths Ferr,
Crude Oil, which commands the highes
price in the market.
We promised to make the historical ref
erence to the petroleum trade, brief, ant
lost we transgres5 our limits, We will tax
up the more interesting part OF least to ul
Of preparation Of the crude oil for generl
use.
sMTTH's PERRY.
Smiths Ferry is a small tOwn-quit
small-on the Ohio River, about four an
one half miles above East Liverpool, i
Beaver county, Pa. There is nothing a
tractive in the town, itself, as it has Ion
passed the meridian Of it's greatness, as q
oil center. At the town Of Smiths Ferr
there are very few oil wells, bit it is Il
railroad point and market for the oil regio
which lieH a few miles back, from the rive
+ A few yards above the dilapidated depo
is the office Of Mr.. ). NJ. Kelly, the repr
sentative Of the Standard Oil Co., wi
, buys most Of the oil marketed at the plac
r The Standard Co., have redneries here, b
. are at present not being operated. Th
, buy the oil and store it In the huge tank
t until boat load is secured, when it
hoatsd down 10 Wheeling TO be refined
d Mr.. Kelly, who is a resident Of EG
4 Liverpool, aud whose acquaintance we b
r previously formed, on being made acquail
d ed with our desire to study oil refnir
k kindly gave us a note Of introduction
r Mr. Ashbrook, gentleman in the ompl
of Mr.. Chase, whose refinery was in ope
o tion at the time.
b Mr.. Ashbrook is thoroughly acquainl
3 with all the mlnutiae of the oil busine
}, having worked in every branch, from
II raising Of a derrick to the placing Of
o refined article on the cars, for market.
10 was for a considerable time in the emp
l. of the Pittsburg Exchange as an ''Oil
pert, and is a very pleasant gentlem
% ready to explain anything, and everythi
j. to the honest enquirer. We are deeply
70 debted TO him for his kindness, in show
1t us around.
ls PROCESS OF REFINING.
{, The apparatus for refining consists pr
t. arily Of an iron still, connected with
1t or worm Of wrought iron pipe, which
ID submurged into q tank Of water, for
purpose Of cooling it, The crude oil, VIII
IN is brought in from the oil country, in b
ID rols, Is emptied into a trough, in which
O. strainer, TO take out any Jumps or site
from which It runs into an iron tank,
the side Of which is o guage, which !
listers the amount received from this 10
It is conveyed in tubes 10 a large iron Ia
where It remains until pumpedinto the 81
as Refining, as usually practiced, invol
% three successive operations /, fraotio
- ns-tsr9-ag.-. % .-FE.Ee--