Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-06-03
PETROLEUM.

of Petroleum ancient and modern. Second
It's transportation. Third its wide CON-
mercial distribution. Fourth the variety
of its products. Fifth the large numbers
of i,dastries embraced in its development,
TRANSFORMATION and manufacture. Sixth
the geological formations IN which 1t Is
found. Seventh its origin. Eighth the
amount produced, and the money received
from its export.
The meaning Of the word Petroleum Is
aRock oil" The first mention OF ~ Is III
one of the oldest books in the world, the
boot, of lob. In which it is stated that
the rock poured him out rivers OF oil. ms
has been true IN modern times. Literal
rivers of oil have come from the rocks.
Herodotus describes oil springs oOO years
before the Christian era. Phnney anu
other early writer's refer to 1t: II mas mas
been known in the world at least 4Ooo
wears. Its existance has been known III
Persia. India, China, Japan and otheI
countries. TIE ruins of Uneven ana
Babylon show its use in cement or mortar
In this country mention IS MADE OF lls
existence in New York State near the DOT
der line Of Pennsylvania in 1929. Prior 10
the year 1900. oil springs were mentioned
as existing along the valley of Oil Creek.
n was used by the Indians in that section
for medicine and other purposes. Many
remains of pits and wells are found IN that
vicinity. Some of these having been
eribbed. the timber showing marks OF
edged tools and sunk to the depth OF ~ OF
more feet. In these pits or wells now
nearly filed, have been found trees grow
ing hundreds of years old. The Indians
had no knowledge of who dug these wells.
II il presumed they were dug by a pre-
historic race. Perhaps by the people VINO
mined copper in the Lake Superior region
or the Mound Builders.
One of The first wells in this section OF
the country which produced oil was drilled
by Mr.. Kiers for salt water at Tarentum.
This well was drilled prior to 1850 and pro,
duced a.small amount OF oil when was sofa
in half pint bottles for medicinal purposes
at so cents per bottle. The first oil com
pany in this country was formed IN New
Haven, Conn, to operate lor OIL DeIo"
T;tnsvilIe on Oil Creek, Pennsylvania.
Mr.. e. l.. Drake came out as Superintend-
emf of this Company in 1858, having pre-
viouslv learned of oil being obtained in Kiers
we'll. he conceived the idea of drilling Tor
oil. He had difficulty in reaching bed
ock. Finally he drove iron pipe 80 feet to
the rock and drilled through this pipe. on
the 28th day of August 1859, he struck oil
al the depth of 69l feet. This well at the
| start pumped about 2j barrls per day, but
| soon settled to 10 or Is barrels. The OIL
| from It sold at 55 cents per gallon. The
| success of this well caused great stir III
| that section and the surrounding country:
Many people rushed to Oil Creek and
| hundreds of wells were drilled along It's
| valley. In the year 1860 and '6l large
| flowing wells were obtained, and many
large fortunes were made
| 0nerations were extended to various
| parts of Yenango county and to Tldloute'
| Venango county A considerable was done
/ in Lawrence county, but with little sue
cess. Oil was found in considerable quan-
1 titles in West Virginia on the ksnawa.
| Most of the early drilling wa5 done by
| spring pole and horse power, later by en-,
| gines. Oil was first transported from on
Creek by wagon, and later to Titusville,
| where il was shipped east by railroad IN
| barrels. 1t was shipped down OIL Greek
| ON poud floods to the Allegheny river
| thence transported in barrels on barges t.
| Pittsburg. In 1865 it began to be shipped
bv nine lines. This mode of shipping met
| with opposition from the teamsters at first,
| but it prevailed. Now it is chiefly trans
| ported by pipe lines through the oil regions
| and by large trunk lines to the seaboard.
| It has become one of the most extensive
articles Of commerce, both on account OF It's
Illuminating and lnbricating quantities. ltls
shipped to all the continents OF the world
and to many of the islands OF the sea. It's
uses are as extensive asciTlllzatl0n. III mas
| has become the most chief llinmlIaRt OF
| the world. 1t lights the cities, towns and
| villages of the Orient and most of the hab-
| itations of the world, where gas and cleo
tritity are not used. There is perhaps, no
other substance from which such variety
| of products are made. Their name il lie
giou. Petroleum has in it the seven eoiors
| Of the rainbow, as may by seen by casting
a small quantity of it On water, exposed To
| the rays of the sun. These colors have
| been extracted chiefly by French chemists.
Many of our new colors are derived from
petroleum Its purple approaches IN beu-
fy the ancient royal purple.
There are also great variety oil luDrl-
eating oils made from petroleum. 1T IL
dispensing with animal fat and fast be-
coming the lubricant of the world. 1t j.
used by railroads and all heavy machinery,
also in making the finer scented oils. lts
pasoleue and benzeine are used in making
gas and enter largely into paints and many
chemical compounds. From its parafine
of wax, is made all the wax candles and
chewing gum. From its coke, all the
carbon points used in arc lights are made,
and large per cent of printers ink.
In various forms it enters into an IN
definite variety of compounds. Some OF
the newest medical remedies are made
from it; among which | would name
Phenacentine the best known remedy for
headache. In fact, the by-products, as
they are termed, have now become ofmuch
more value than its illuminating oil.
Again, more industries are embraced III
its production, manufacture and marketing,
than perhaps any other commodity.
Among these | would mention the iron
which is largely used in the construction
of engines and boilers, tanks in which are
stored millions of barrels of oil, tank-cars,
tank ships, casing, tubing and pipe lines.
Also in tin in making cans in which .it.. Is
largely transported, lumber in Sauling rigs,
boiler houses, etc. Coal in drilling, pump
ing and transporting by rail and ship.
Rope in vast quantities; brass fittings
without number; rubber in making belst
and packers.
A great variety of workmen are employ
ed, the machinist, blacksmith, carpenter,
engineer, fireman, driller, pumper, team
ster, refner, chemist, shipper, buyer and
seller.
In regard to the geological formations in
which it is found, / would remark that it
belongs to the Devonian and Carboniferous
ages The Devonian rocks or formations
are noted for their fossil remains of fish
and shells. 1t Is found chiefly in con
glomerate rock and generally, but not
universally, along mountain ranges and
among their foothills. These rocks usually
bear the trend of the mountains and are
called belts. In regard to our Pennsyl-
vania deposits, would state that where the
Allegheny mountains have a bearing of
% degrees, the belt runs about the same
degree. When their bearing is - degrees
the oil deposit Is more likely to be in that
same direction. 1t is generally considered
by gelogists that these conglomerate rocks
were formed by deep sea currents or an
the true theory. We find the formations
TO be just such as are now found on an
oceans shore. AT one point on the belt we
may drill through quicksand, at another,
fine sharp hard sand, at another, pebble
mixed with coarse sand. 1t ID from the
pebble sand that the oil is obtained in
quantities.
In regard to the
ORIGIN OF OIL
there have been many conjectures. Some
geologists have contended that it has been
compressed from the fat of vegetable and
animal matter in the shalcs everything and
underlying the oil rocks and deposited in
them. This cannot be the fact as these
shales have the same characteristics as the
| shales found near the surface, and further
more, ii would be impossible for the fol
lowing reasons: That this deposit was
made by an ocean shore may be consider