The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-08
GOAL And PETROLEUM.
SuAtTt Of Professor Clarke'S Lecture at the
College.
RELICS FOUND OF EARLY ANIMAL LIFE.
s,,,ds, Liquids and contemplation
e..rch for Truth-vcgctable Matter-In-
eondescent CarbOn-Ammonia-C Tar.

oCool and Petroleum claimed the attep-
t,r Of the ipe audience that gathered in the
.,anel Al Richmond College last evening; a
..onjselv dark. heavy and repulsive subject
,.,,-,eeut 10 "a refined audience, but Professor
carko's lucid style and pleasing manner made
alright and attractive.
In addition TO many other distinguished
.....,ns in the audience were Mrs. DR. Curry,
g. lanes Thomas and a number Of young
lie. from the Powell Institute.
p.ofessor Winston. in presenting the lee
,--,r said that Professor Clarke might now
N'cslIrd "our distinguished friend, since he
al become SO we'll known 10 the people OF
i,chmond and so highly esteemed
Trofess0r Clarke. referring TO the subject
,tter of the two preceding lectures. said
lhet M the long ago after FIRE and water had
1,vel their chief part IN the composition of
Ic earth's crust life appeared animal and
,,.-crshle hfe-apd slowly developed from the
lowest 90 the highest forms.
Fossil remains found in limestone IN various
,,s-fs # the earth are the relics of carly am
ma lie. while the remains OF vegetable forms
.ro found IN cOal-beds.
me principal clements of vegetable and
oo.r,a1 tissues are carbon. hydrogen. nitrogen
.,l oxygen. HydIO-carbon compounds are
f,ind IN great abundance IN coal and petro~
.snm and 10 is the pressure OF various gaseS
rroduced by these compounds that force the
Oh up wells.
1r.re are no sharp distinctions III nature
h.t,oeu solids, liquids and gases.
N. have an example of this fact in the case
20 ,.star which is LIQUID at ordinary tempera-
.ur.. when subjected 10 intense heat II turns
...-.am. which is q gas. and when subjected
,o severe cold, it takes on the solid form, as
Petroleum az it comes from the earth is a
.,,osnish. dirty liquid and has TO be purified
Iefo-, being put on the market As tie kerO-
s.ne that is 80 familiar.
I'm certain localities in Cuba petroleum is
found floating on the surface Of the water III
spun-s. ,,r.,,
called Fitch Lake, where Che substance known
M a.phaltum Is obtained in large quantities
and used in some cities for making pavements.
Like petroleum aspLaltum IS compound
of HYDROCARBONS largely and IS closely allied
various theories have been held in regard
IN the origin of these gaseous compounds.
Experiments have shown that an exact fac
sirlile of petroleum may be obtained from fish
There are many things that we are igno-
The only kind Of ignorance that is danger
GUS is the ignorance of which we are lgno-
The great philosopher Leasing said If
God should offer me with one hand truth, and
with tie other the opportunity TO search Tor
truth. l would choose the latter"
II Is the business of the scientist to search
In coal-beds large tree trunks are frequently
found standing upright, and woody structure
is always found m coal.
There can be but little doubt that our coal
comes from the remains of vast forests that
existed untold centuries ago.
Coal ash is simply dirt which became en-
tangled in the vegetable matter in the process
of decay.
sulphur compounds are sometimes found IN
coal hence the disagreeabe OdOr that comes
from the combustion of coal.
Combustion is simply the union of oxygen
with the elements OF the substance that
burned and decay IS slow combustion.
When wood burns the hydrogen and oxygen
are driven of as vapOr and smoke, which are
hydro-carbon compounds, and the carbon IS
left behind
The vegetable matter that we now find in
the form of coal decayed under deposit of
earthly matter. 50 that the hydrO-carbOn
could not escape hence we have those com
pounds mixed with carbon IN the coal.
Graphite, which we use III lead-penclls and
stove polish. Is pure carbon.
Ii was once coal perhaps. and Is the result
Of a series of processes of combustion.
Fre-damp, which causes frequent explosions
in coal mines. IS the product OF the decay Oh
vegetable matter excluded from the air.
Explosions occur as the result of careless
hess in using the safety-lamp, or from miners
persistiug in lighting their pipes in the mine.
Choke-damp IS simply carbOnlc acid gas,
which is always fatal when inhaled 10 any con-
Siderable extent
Al this point Professor Clarke said that
The lecture was not designed 10 treat alto
gether of coal and petroleum.
BE desired 10 speak of some of the pro
ducts Of coal in their industrial relations.
Illuminating Gas is perhaps the most i'm
pQrtant of these products.
Every one has noticed blue flames playing
around burning coal
Chemists began about one hundred years
Ago % examine these blue flames and the re-
oult Of their investigation was the discovery
of the fact that a gas might be made from
ooal that could be utilized for purposes Of
TINS gas was first used in London about the
beginning Of this century.
The light produced by the combustion OF
.hls gas is due TO small particles OF carbon
'endcred incandescent.
u the manufacture of gas from coal other
substances are produced, such as coal tar,
ammonia and other things which were formerly
egardod as rubbish
Nearly sll Of the ammonia useGincOmmerce |
'0mes from this source. Coal tar IS now used |
for roofing purposes.
'hemists became curious 10 know what coal |
~ contained, 50 they went to work to find |
mt
About thirty years ago it was found that n
aluable coloring matter could be obtained |
rom cOal-tar.
The discovery WAS taken up in some of the !
Ierman universities Further Investigations |
evealed a variety of cOlOrs obtainable from |
bis wonderful substance, and coal-tar dyes |
re now manufactured extensively in Ger
many.
All shades and varieties of colors are obtained /
rom this repulslye-lookng substance, once |
onsidered rubbish. but which may now be !
haacterized as a fossil rain bow"
Specimens of some OF these dyes were |
hown 10 audience.
At the Johns Hopkins University a few years
~ another remarkable substance known as
sccharine, which is $50 times as sweet as
ugar was obtained from coal tar.
Valuable medicines have also been made |
rom coal-tar derivatives.
Ice is manufactured by the rapid evapora-
ION Of ammonia. which was formerly classed
mOug the rubbish produced in the manu-
actuTe Of illuminating gas.
Some day we may freeze ice-cream in this
nay. sweeten IL with saccharine obtained
rom coal-tar. favor it with vanilla. which
nay also be obtained from cOal-tar deriya-
IVES, aud next day our agOnles may be re-
leyDd by using cOal-tar remedies.
In by-gOne ages the plants were fed by the
IN. and when we hurn coal we Get the hone