Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-11-16
THE SCOTCH OIL MINES.
A Curious Petroleum Field.
tits Waiting For American Wells to
Run Dry-The Oil is Not in Fluid
state, But is Mined Like Coal.
New York sun.


William Findlay of West Calder, Scot
land, which is the ancient OH shals reg ion
of that country, has been making tour
of the Pennsylvania petroleum fields dug
ing tbs last few weeks, and was ir New
York this week.
Il am more than euazed," said he sat
what l have seen. Tue petroleum OF
Scotland is mine d like coal, and although
l had read of the oil wells of Americs, l
was not prepared for such vast fer
ence in the methods of oil produc,lon.
The Scotch petroleum is not in the fluid
state, but IN shsle formation. The ex
tracing of the products of this shale was
for many years most Important indus
try, and is quite an extensive one yet;
but the American oil, both illuminating
and luorlcsting, is now set down in our
markets cheaper than the Scotch Oil caa
be produced, and how Ions our oil pro-
duccon Will last is only question of
how long national pride will resist con
slderations OF economy.
The Scotch oil shaIe is black, and lies
at dspth of about 400 feet beneath
the surface. The shale-proGu cing regions
are all oetweea Edinburg and Glasgow,
and are Known as the Oil fslds of West
Calder. They are very extensive aud
literally lnexhaustibie. That is one hope
We have. The fluid oil of this country
will undoubtedly become exhausted or
greatly curtailed in production some
time in the future. 1t would not be kind
in me 10 say that l hope so, bst-well l
AM interested in We7t Calder. When
your fields cease TO pour out g quantity
of Oil that enables you to retiue it, export
it,and sell it in Scotland at a 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, and know whatever
happens they can't be exhausted.
When the oil fields of West Calder were
being operated 10 full capacity the
shale refinery there known as the Adds
well oil works, and which cover seventy
five acres of ground, gave employment TO
over 1000 men. Ia variCus parts of the
field there were shale crushing works, not
unlike your coal breakers, where the shale
is run on being taken from the mines. 1t
is broken up into small pieces, and
the crude oil extracted at the crushers.
What we call crude oil you would
call tar over here. The refners take it
in that condition, and from IL extract il
Eliminating and luhricsting Oil, ammonia,
and wax. The latter is called paraffine
in the oil trade of this country. The tar
from ton of shale will yield fourteen
gallons of Illuminating oil. This is sub
iected TO four different aoId Installations,
each one much heavier than any the
fluid petroleum requires. The result is q
clear, white hight flash illuminant as good
as Ameri san kerosene, but four times as
expensive. If the American product
simply came in competition with our il
Eliminating Oil, the effect on our trade
would not be of much consequence, as in
that branch of the Scotch oil business is
not where the profit lies. The lubricant,
the ammonia, and the wax are the products
which make the shale mines valuable
The Anerieatia lubrioating oil is cheap
er, and thoss who use it say better than
any. The latter altogether Il can't agree
with. OF course the American oil does
not interfere with our ammonia products
nor with our wax trade, but we can't af
ford to produce kerosene and lubricating
ell 10 throw away in order that We may
get at the ammonia and wax that tn ehale
cont2icS. l am forced to say, therefore
to use an Americanism, that the Scotch
oil business is not booming at the pres
ent time.