Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-09-01
WONDERFUL PETRoLEuM-


Buchanan, Tor years engaged in the
oil industry, spoke as follows on the
''Rise OF the Oil Business"
The year 1849 marked the discovery
of gold in California and the first
real step to the petroleum develop
ment in Pennsylvania. 1t is true
that exactly a century before the
French commander at Duauesne.
writing to Montcalm, referred to oil
streams where the Seneca Indians
held their religious services, but it
was about 1849 that Samuel w. Kier
gave commercial value to what the
Indians had hitherto regarded as only
OF spiritual value, charging his fell
low citizens 1896 per barrel, the high
est price ever attained by petroleum.
Now it is quoted at so cents per bar
rel. His half-pint bottles of ''cure
all" went forth with the following
announcement:
''Kier's petroleum or rock oil, cele-
brated for its wonderful curative
powers, a natural remedy. Procured
from well in Allegheny county, Pa,
400 feet below the earth's surface.
Put up and sold by Samuel w. Kier,
1863 Liberty street, Pittsburg. Pa.
Price 80 cents"
1t is said there was a market for
about three barrels per day at that
time. Three years later the trade di-
minIshed, and this enterprising bene-
factor of the human race undertook
to distill the oil to make fluid suit
able for burning in lamps.
In 1854 all the oil territory then
known in Pennsylvania was traded
for COW; now 5000, 900, 900 would
scarcely purchase it with upward of
50, 900 wells that are producing oil.
The wells were originally drilled with
a spring pole cut from the adjoining
forest to depth of go feet to 300
feet; now the machinery developed
by the business is wonderful in the
width Of its range and the ingenuity
of its device, the drilling tools alone
weighing upward of a ton and the
wells being drilled to depth of 5000
feet. In the year Drake drilled the
well on Watson's flats, a couple of
miles from Titusville, the field was a
limited area on Oil Creek, and the
production, which in 1849 had been
only three barrels per day, had grown
to 1000 barrels per annum. Now
the oil field has extended northeast
and southwest over large portions of
the counties of Mexican, Warren, We
mango, Clarion. Butler. Allegheny,
Beaver, Washington and Greene in
Pennsylvania, reaching into New
York, West Virginia and Ohio. not
to mention the Western oil fields;
and the production has increased to
upward of 40. 900 barrels per annum,
including Northwestern Ohio.
For the past twenty years go, 600
wells have been drilled, or 3, 900 wells
per year. The industry has come to
give employment to at least $4,000
persons directly engaged in its con-
duct, who receive for their labor not
less than SIG. 900, 900 per annum, and
the oil has extended it's medicinal
and pharmaceutical use in ways never
dreamt Of by Mr.. Kier.
The amount produced within a ra-
illus of 80 miles from Pittsburg is
certainly 10000 bar. els per day, or
over Is, 900, 600 barrels per year, bring
ing to the city over SO, ZOO. 900 an
nuallY, 80 per cent. of which is re-
turned to the laborers, mechanics,
pipe works, lumber dealers, machin-
lists, and oil well supply manufacturers.
1t would be very interesting calcu-
lation to estimate really how much
the various manufactures in the
country, and particularly glass manu-
facturers, have profted from petro-
leum, for which at least ATS, 600, 600
barrels have thus far been produced.
The home and foreign consumption
for illuminating oil probably equal
each other. and can be arrived at by
dividing the total shipments Fuel
demand is considered generally in ex-
cess of the supply of Trenton rock oil,
which amounts to about Is, 900, 600
barrels per annum.
The highest production Of PennsYl-
vania oil was probably reached
through the sudden rise of the Nc
Donald field last November, when the
average for the month was reported
at 134, 500 barrels per day. In April
the average was down again to 92,-
PA barrels per day.
There are at least 10, 900 miles Of
all kinds Of pipe in actual use receiv-
ing, transporting, and delivering
crude petroleum, which is being con-
stantly added to. The capital in
vested in the transportation branch
of the business amounts to upward of
$50, 600, 900. The stock Of oil in iron
tanks consists of IS, 600, 600 barrels.
including 20, 900. 600 barrels OF Tren-
ton rock oil. There is a refining ca
pacity in the United States for illum-
mating oil considerably inEexcess OF
the production.
In 1872 the people consumed 252,-
600, 600 gallons of American petroleum
per annum To-day they consume
], 200, 600. 600 gallons The price they
pay to-day for this amount is $780,
600, 600 less than would have been
paid for the same amount in 1872,
and one-haIf of this saving. or $780,
900, 600, is attributable solely to the
cheapening Of the manufacture and
sale of the products, the other $780,
600, 600 being attributable to the de-
1900 in %F,a r-n1rra Of