Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-07-20
SCOTCH OIL MINES
rb. Curious Petroleum Field as "o''
Calder, Scotland.

The Curious Petroleum riei"
Calder, Scotland.
William F.ndley, of West Calder.
Scotland. which is the ancient OIL
shale region of that country has oeen
making A tour of the Pennsylvania
petroleum fields during the last Jew
weeks, and was in New YORK 'h's
week.
Jam more than amazed. said he'
.at what have seen. The petroleum
of Scotland is mined like coal. and al
ihnuph had read # the oil-wells OF
America | was not prepared Tor sucu
vast difference in the methous Oh OH
production. The Scotch petroleum is
not in the fluid state. bat in shaie
formation. The extracting OF the
products of this shale was for many
years n most important industry anu
is q lite an extensive one yet; out inc
American oil, both illuminating anu
lubricating, is now set down In our
m.rkets cheaper than the Scotch oil
can be produced. and how long our
oil pr d uction will last is only ques-
ion of how long national pride VIII
resist considerations of economy.
The Scotch oil shale is black. aud
lies ut depth of about four hundred
feet beneath the surface. The shale-
Producing regions are all between Z l.
in burgh and Glasgow. and are known
AS the oil fields OF West Calder. They
are very extensive and literally mex
haust bic. That is one hope we have
The flaid oil of this country will un-
doub ely become exhausted or great
ly curhailed in production some time
ia the future. 1t would not be kind
in me TO say that hope 50. but. well.
am interested in West Calder.
When your fields cease to pour out n
quantity of oil that enables you to
refine it. export it. and sell it IN Sco'-
land at less figure than it costs us to
extract the oil from the shales at the
very threshold of Scotch markets we
will come to the front with our oil
mines again. aud know whatever hap
pens they can't be exhausted.
When the oil fields of West Calder
we're being operated TO full capacity
the shale ref merry there known as the
Addiswell oil works. and which cover
twenty-five acres of ground, gave EN-
ployment TO over two thousand men.
In various parts of the field there wer,
stale crushing works. not unlike YOU
.nal breakers where the shale is run
=, b,;,,, t,lyop fr,r, Tho ,,iroc II IL
'ruken up into small pieces, and the
rude oil extracted at the crushers.
What we call crude OIL You would cal
IT over here. The refiners take i
n that condition. and from it extract
Illuminating and lubricating oil. am
nonia and wax. The latter is called
arafine in the oil trade of this coun
ry The tar from a ton Of shale will
1ield fourteen gallons of illuminating
iii. This is sui jected TO four di
erent acid Oscillations. each one
puch heavier than any the Amer
lean fluid petroleum requires. The
'csult is clear. white high. hasl
tluminant as good as American kero-
|ene, lut four times as expensive. J.
the American product simply came il
competition with ur iliumin atine oil
the fleet on our trade would not b,
If much consequence. as in tina
branch of the Scotch oil business i.
not where the profit lies. The lubri
cant, he ammonia, and the wax ar,
the products which make the sha ale
mines valuable. The American lubri
eating oil is cheaper. and those wh'
u;e it say better than any. The latter
together l can't agree with. O
course the American oil does not in
erfere with our ammonia produc; $,
or with our wax trade, but we can
Cord TO produce kerosene and lubr
Gazing oil to throw away in order tina
we lay get at the ammonia and wa,
that the shale contains. l am forced
10 say. therefore, to use an American
ism. that the Scotch oil business l.
MT booming at the resent time. IA
T. San.