Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-08
OIL FOR TIDEWATER.
Independent Pipe Line to the Sea-
board Now Being Built
THE STANDARD OCTOPUS NOT IN 1T.
Contracts Let and Work Of Construction
Already Under Way.
FATE OF A SIMILAR ENTERPRISE

The first independent pipe line, or one
not owned by the Standard Oil Company,
built from the oil regions of Pennsylvania
to the seaboard was commenced yesterday.
It will be known as the Crescent, and the
principal stockholder is w. L. Mellon, OF
Pittsburg. The pipe will be inches In
diameter, and will cost when completed
little less than 81, ,0O0, 900. From time to
time rumors regarding it have been pub
lished, but the first facts in regard to 1t were
given to The DISPATCH yesterday.
The intention of the owners was to begin
the work April Is, and have it IN operation
within the next 100 days, but owing to the
pipe not being ready they were compelled
to wait until the present time. The con-
tract tor nearly all the pipe, which will
amount to about !, $50, 900 feet, has been di-
vided between the National, the Duquesne
and the Continental Tube Works. 1t will
cost fraction over 55 cents foot, or near
ly 81, 900, 900.
VIII Extend to Tidewater.
The line is to extend from the Mcdonald
oil field to Marcus Hook, on the Delaware
river, a few miles below Philadelphia,
Marcus Hook is considered the best ship
ping point on the Delaware, and at that
point the Bear Creek Refining Company is
building refinery. This for the present
will consist of II stills of 600 barrels capa-
city each, or 1900 barrels day. 1t is not
probable, however, that this amount of oil
can be run from the refinery except once in
4S hours. The greater part of the telegraph
line has already been constructed along
the route which the pipe line will follow.
The Monongahela river will be crossed at
Port Perry, and then branching of to the
southeast will follow the southern tier of
counties to the seabnard.
There will be eight pump stations along
the line, furnished with improved Worth
inpton pumps, which will be able to force
little more than 800 barrels an hour through
the fiye-inch main line. What will be
known as the Western division will extend
from Gregg station, on the Panhandle, to
Mt. Holly, in Somerset county, distance
of 165 miles.
Hauling Pipe for the Line.
The contract for teaming along this divi-
sion has been given to G. A. Weeger, we'll
known oil .)untry teamster, and he has
commenced haul pipe to Walkers Mills
and Rivertcn, southwest of Pittsburg, and
screwing gan:s of 20 men each will be at
work in a few days, and as each gang can
put together about a mile day it
should not take them more than
go DAYS to lay the 800 miles of pipe. The
pipe Is being shipped to the railroad points
nearest the fine as soon as it leaves the tube
works, and the men in charge of the work
expect to have the last joint laid within a
few days after it leaves the mill.
The entire line, with its stations, tele-
graph wires, rights of way, machinery and
cost of construction will use up more
money than would take to build a narrow
gauge railroad the same distance. 1t will
transport more oil, however, than train of
10 tank cars leaving Pittsburg every day,
and the cost of transportation through
the pipe will be only a fraction
of what it would cost by rail. IT it is found
necessary the Bear Creek Refining Com
pany intends to enlarge its refinery at Mar
Gus Hook, and the Crescent Pipe Line Com
rany expects to build branches into all of
the neighboring oil fields.
The Tidewater Pipe Line Company was