Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-06
THE LAMP OIL TRADE.
An Interesting Review of the Rise of
the Petroleum Industry.
MINERAL OILS USED LONG AGO.
A Glance at Americas Output and Russia's
Rich Fields.
ENGLISH WANT NEW PETROLEUM LAWS


of a bill entitled: ''The Infammable Liquids
Bill, " dealing with the storage, transit ant
sale of lamp oils, has brought into promi
nence the extraordinary development o.
the trade in petroleum, paraffine, naphths
and other hydrocarbons, says a writer in
Chambers Journal When Mr.. Gladstone
in the course of his last visit TO Midlothian,
inspected the works of the Pumpherson Oil
Company, near Uphall, and was shown the
method of extracting pure white oil from
finty rock, and of utilizing by-products
formerly considered waste and un-
profitable, he said that in the po-
Htical world it was common to speak
of revolutionary movements, but that when
he learned what was being done in indus
trial centers, he felt the phrase would be
much more opposite if applied TO the
changes continually going on in trade and
commerce. The remark is a true one The
growth of national movements, which some
times culminate in revolutions and the fall
of dynasties undoubtedly attracts more at.
tention than the discovery of natural law,
or the application to the service of
humanity of substances of which
but in the long run, it is by those who "scorn
delights and live laborous days' that the
most lasting benefits are achieved. 1t is not
necessary to depreciate the labors of others
when we claim the laurel wreath for those
who In solitary places, or amid the din of
industrial life, have worked out great prob
lems or devised means for increasing the
common veal, and hail them as heroes and
benetactorS. Caxton, Stevenson, Arkwright
and others are the real revolutionaries; and
the works they planned have done more to
affect the lives of the people than all the
acts of statesmen from Magma Charta TO the
present day.
Petroleum an Ancient Product.
We speak of mineral oil as if it were a
new discovery. This is only partially accu-
rate. 1t is certain that its properties were
known in the days of Miltiades (490 b. C.);
and it is coniectured that it was largely
used in times much more remote In Persia
it was employed in the temples Of the fire
worshipers and the palaces of the wealthy.
Large quantities were sent TO distant
countries, and an export tax imposed,
from which the Government derived a con-
siderable revenue. The legend of the fire
which came down from heaven and lit the
altarS Of the ZoroastrianS probably had its
origin in the discovery of a naphtha spring
Dul IL II tLl the last ~ wears
that the development of the trade in petro-
leum or rock oil has taken place In 1917
the late DIR. Young (Parafine Young he was
tamiliarlv called) had his attention drawn
10 a curious liquid eXuding from the ground
at Alfreton, Derbyshire. He distilled
portion, and obtained an oil suitable for
burning in lamps. The supply was soon
exhausted, but the experiment he had made
led hlm TO believe that similar product
could be obtained from the distillation of
coal. a few wears later he experimental
with rich gas coal found near Bathgate.
He was successful. 1t was afterward proved |
that other chemists had preceded him; but
he was undoubtedly the first to construct
apparatus for the manufacture of oil on a
commercial scale. In course of time, shale,
which had been often met with, but was
looked upon as mineral of no value, was
used in place of coal. Since then, the in
dustry has increased by leaps and bounds,
and has now become one of the most i'm
portant in the country.
America EcIipses Previous Records.
In 1859 petroleum was discovered in
America and Canada. 1t was obtained in |
liquid form BY boring. Some of the wells |
were extraordinarily prolific, the oil rush |
ing into the air in a stream so powerful as |
10 DEFY the control of those engaged in |
searching for it. One illustration may be |
given. While drillers were at work an un-
expected strong rush of oil occurred In
vain they endeavored to stem the torrent,
which shot into the air in a solid column
40 feet high. Every light was promptly
extlnguished save one, 400 feet distant, from
which no danger was apprehended; but the
spirit or benzlne, which is always present
IN crude petroleum, was ignited, and i'm
converted the column into a roar
ing pillar Of fire. An appalling catastrophe
was the result Everyone within certain
radius was literally burned up. The owner
OF the well was by the explosion thrown a
distance of 20 feet. He was with difficulty
rescued, but only lived a few hours.
The experience Of so years in the oil dis
tricts has taught drillers how to deal with
gushing wells; and accidents which were
frequent in the early days of the trade are
now scarcely known. In the process of re-
fining, the light infammable spirit is re-
moved and lamp oil thereby rendered COM
paratively safe. by act Of Parliament all
imported petroleum must not flash-that is,
give of intiammable vapor-under 73O
Fahrenheit close test, which is equivalent
to loOO Fahrenheit open test. AS
the temperature of oil in this coun-
try could not under normal condi-
tions reach 1000 Fahrenheit, the risk of
explosion is not great. There is, however,
Danger to be apprehended from the storage
Of large quantities in pOpulous centers, such
rs the banks of the Thames and the Mersey
In the event of fire breaking out in one of
the warehouses adjoining a petroleum de-
pot, the consequences might be terrible,
particularly as the ordinary means of ex-
flames are useless when burning
oil has to be dealt with.
Pennsylvania's Golden Grease.
Thirty-two years ago oil was ''struck" in
Pennsylvania. The output was 1000 bar
rels. In the following year the quantity
had increased to SOC. 900 barrels; and wear
later to over 100000 barrels In 1862
Canada became producing country, with a
of nearly Il, 900 barrels. Until
about 1870 drilling operations in the States
were confined to New York and Pennsyl-
vania, and the output from the wells was
), 2JO,O 600 barrels West Virginia, Ohio and
California then'entered the lists: but there
is not any reliable information as to output.
The combined production from these sources
was probably from 80, 600 to 200, 600 barrels
yearly. Down to 1882 there was a steady
Increase IN the supply of oil That year
he output from the Pennsylvania and New
York wells reached the gigantic total of
e, ,OOO,OOO barrels, or a daily average of
8, ,2O3. 1t was the eliminating point in the
history Of the trade. The decline was
'apid: and III 1888 production had fallen to |
Z 100000 barrels. To many it seemed
hat the days OF American supremacy
IS an oll-producing country was at
IN end. Meanwhile, mineral oil had
ound its way into every Euro
,ean country, and by its superior illuminate
ng power had driven off the field the more !
.ostly animal and vegetable oils which, out
ide large towns had heen in nnivarsal usa |