The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-12-11


Oil Company Detroit, sends us the fol-
lowing communications
"While the action of the last legislature
in lowering the fire test on KEROSENE was
undoubtedly serious mistake, it is not
entirely responsible for the very inferior
quality Of much OF the oil that is now
being brought into the State. The new
law is responsible for the increased
danger from explosions or fires, but it is
only partially responsible for the inferior
burning qualities Of the oil. For several
years past Michigan people have COM
planned that their oil was not what it
should be that it did not give clear
bright light, but burned with a yellowish
flame, causing smoke and gas to be
thrown Off which filed the house with
strong, disagreeable kerosine odor. More
ever, in u very short time the lamp
| chimney would be covered with thick
white coating V..y few people have
understood the cause of this, and q
great many have even supposed that all
KEROSENE had the same faults.
The facts in the matter, however, are
these. \ few years ago crude oil was
discovered in Ohio. 1t was found to be
very much inferior to the Pennsylvania
oil, and was supposed to be fitted only
for use as fuel 1t was found to contain
sulphur, arsenic, anthony and other
noXious constituents, which no process
| of refining could remove. With all these
| faults the oil still found friends, people
whose sole idea of business is to cut
prices, rather than to give quality in the
| ,..oo+ 90 r,,os,la for h,Ioipaco Tho ornAa
| oil could be obtained for song and
could be put through q cheap process Of
refining. he result is that many sec
| tons Of the country have been flooded
with this oil. The West has been the
chief sufferers, as in the East the people
| refused absolutely to burn the oil and
forced the refiners to send them better
| goods. Michigan has been chief suf-
ferer, as the people, having no petroleum
| i'm their State, are of course not so well
acquainted with it's properties as the
| people Of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio,
etc, and consequently fell easy prey.
| Not content with using this cheap, bad
crude oil. these retiners in their efforts to
retain and secure trade go further, and
| put it through the cheapest refining pro-
| cess known After the light oils are
| extracted from the crude, there still re-
| mains in them large per cent.of parafiine
whA his must be pressed out, or the
wax will clog up the lamp wick, and
cause the lamp to smoke, char the wick
and throw off bad odors This is not
done to the cheap oil, as it is an expen-
sive process, and the oil is sent out full
of the paraffine wax, and reaches the
consumer in the condition of which SO
much complaint is heard on all Sides The
| LII -, ha oil hn txhif 70
coating on the chimney, and the paraffine
wax and inferior burning quality of the
crude cause the poor light, bad odors,
dangerous gases and charred wicks.
"The State can prevent much of this
evil by ordering not only high fire test,
but also high gravity test. A gravity
test detects the presence OF paraffine wax.
A fire test alone accomplishes little as
regards the quality of an oil. A very
inferior oil may have high fire test The
very presence OF the paratine wax before
referred to gives an oil a fire test as the
wax will not burn. 1t is the two CON-
Lircd high fire test and high gravity
that a good oil must have. The add.
tipual cost to secure these properties is
but few cents per gallon, which is re-
pla. cd To Il large degree by the longer
life, and greater Illuminating properties
| Ct the oil
- "c""le Of Michigan should insist
IN, IT. representatives. passing law
L.ng these properties Of kerosine
g t,.e meantime, they should demand OF
r grocer that he furnish them the
t. ~ grade oil. At the present time
tAcre ie but one oil OF this quality sold
in Michigan. 1t is the National Light
oil. manufactured by the National Re.
, Hniug Company, which has n national
re, utation bis oil is guaranteed made
, from the best or ,des of Pennsylvania
crude. aud is entirely free from paraffine
wax or other foreign substances. 1t is the
best oil that can be refined, and is
Il guaranteed to give twice the light OF the
ii .h"it. ,il, will last longer and will not
w" tt least smoke or smell, nor char
be- wick. 1t has high fire test, 15C
, lygr,rs being guaranteed, high gravity
and low cold test. Every consumer when
| buvi their oil should ask fol
National Light" and they will not only
get tie best article, but also be entirely
rec from danger of explosion or fire."