The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-08-14
AGE OF GLYCERINE.
TONS USED IN THE NEW YORK AND
PENNSYLVANIA OIL FIELDS.
The Invention of Oil Well TOrpedoes-
Manufacturers of Nitro GIycerine
Shooting an Oil
Well.
bradford CPa.) letter.

"This is emphatically the age of glycer.
Inc, P" remarked an oil man, as he pen
sively contemplated the evershifting
figures in the electric indicator in the
hallway Of the Petroleum exchange
LESS than two years ago Dr. Roberts.
who invented oilwell tOrpedoes, had a
monopoly OF the business. He raked in
several million dollars before his patents
expired, but he spent more than million
in bringing lawsuits against INSCRIPTIONS
persons who infringed his rights
There was always competition, though,
and all of the doctors money could not
crush the daring men who secretly manu-
featured and covertly exploded the glyceT,
inc in the wells after nightfall. Then
they were called moonlighters. Now the
business is free to all Many moonlight
ers were blown to pieces while engaged
/ in their unholy work. The profits, how
ever, were 50 large that men were found
at all times who were anxious to risk
their lives.
GLYCt8'Ni COMPANIES EVERYWHERE.
AFTER the Roberts patent expired
glycerIne companies sprang up in every
direction. The day after the monopoly
expired the announcements of a round
dozen gIycerine manufacturers appeared
In the oil Country papers, The era O.
high prices came to an end at the same
time. In Bradford alone there are nc
less than nine large firms who manu-
facture and explode about thirteen
tons OF glycerine per month.
Never before in the history of the re.
gion has the use of glycerine been so ex
tensive. For years the producer in the
Bradford field was content to use fifteen
or twenty quart shots 1t was feared thai
heavier doses would ultimately destroy
the sand formation and ruin the wells.
The enormous prices charged for large
torpedoes III those days a so had bearing
on the situation Torpedoes were quoted
as high as i 200 j or $500 a wealthy
oil man could give his well a good shak
ing up. Then glycerine was sold by the
quart Now oil men buy the stuff by the
s barrel. a barrel contains forty-two gal
Ions, and costs about $3.50.
"BradfOrds nine firms employ fifty
shooters, They are kept On the 60 both
day and night asst month over twelve
tons Of glycerine were burned in the Brad.
ford field alone. In July at least ten tons
Of the explosive were lowered into thu
wells and, from all accounts, Septem
ber's record will surpass that
PHENOMENAL SHOTS.
Eighty quarts, or nearly half barrel,
Z now represents the average shot. Dyna.
/ mite squibs have, in a large measure. sue
+ ceeded the go devil. The go devil
is weight which was dropped at the
critical moment on the firing head of the
torpedo, exploding it. The constant en-
largement Of the cavity in the oil bearing
+ rock necessitated something better, and
that was the dynamite squib While the
e average shot is eighty quarts, there are
many firms who think nothing of explod.
( ing from two to five barrels of glycerine
I IN well. The shock tears out the rock
and opens up the Clogged veins of oil.
The cans in which the deadly explosive il
( transported about the field have been en-
4 larged from six to eight quarts capacity,
I and each shooters wagon carries ten cans,
4 Or eighty quarts, of the stuff.
Il some wells are treated to phenomenal
shots. The owners of a test well in War
kren county wanted to make a big show.
7 ng. They used over ton of glycerine
The earth around the we'll trembled and
The spectators were Frustrated on the
1 ground. 1t was the largest shot on record.
: well which produces from one to two
barrels per day naturally. has its capacity
Increased to eight or ten barrels after
hooting. Wells do not hold out long
litter such an experience They gradually
f decline. and in the course of a few
weeks fall off to their original figures.
s. "Dollar oil in Bradford, and the heavy
premium paid for lower country, or white
and oil, is the cause of this boom in the
.lycerine market. During the past six
honths over fifty tons of the explosive
lave been consumed in the New York and
pennsylvania oil fields. If oil ever touches
- barrel it will pay producers to man
facture their own glycerine.