The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-17
NINE, MILL AND RAILROAD.

William Heckert, a Findlay, o., me-
chanical engineer, proposes to replen-
ish the natural gas supply of Ohio by a
new process of his own. This process
is based upon the same principles as
are largely used in the making of arti-
fetal gas machinery, viz: forcing all
through a body of crude petroleum
This process Of making artificial gas
has been in vogue for many years, and
Mr. Heckert simply proposes to use the
earth as his gas machine. 1t is well
known that the gas bearing territory
in northwestern Ohio is underlaid by
vast stretches of porous rock in which
crude petroleum exists in larger or
smaller quantities. The Heckert pro-
cess proposes by means of immense
pumps to force a vast current OF air
simultaneously down several wells
which have yielded some oil. This air
passing through the oil-saturated
stratum of rock will become sufficiently
and permanently carburated to change
II to u gas for heating or lighting. The
gas having been thus manufactured
will find it's way to the surface ana
mains via other wells in the neighbor'
hood
All the arrangements for making the
test of the Heckert method have been
made. A large pumping engine and air
compressers have been purchased by
the company owning the patents, and
4 thorough series of experiments will be
made. Large capitalists and experts
from eastern cities have recently Wis
tied Findlay and investigated the Heck
ert theory, with the result that plenty
of money and other assistance have
q hn
and Oldest experts in Pennsylvania oil
and gas fields, representing vast inter
ests, have looked into the matter, ana
without exception reported their belief
in the ultimate success of the plan,
which, in it's results, would be equaled
only by the discovery of oil and gas.
1t would mean a revolution in the now
exhausted gas fields of Pennsylvania
and West Virginia, while the capital
and industries interested in the per-
manence of the gas would take on a
new feeling of security.
The chief of the bureau of statistics
reports that the total values of the eX-
ports Of merchandise from the United
States during the months ended Sept.
80, 1894 as compared with similar eX'
ports during the corresponding year,
We're as follows: September, 1894, S59,'
03S, ,S63; 1893, $72,02G,79 79S. Nine months
ended Sept. 30, 1894, $577, 7,O47O22 1898
S60S 221 ,S73 In September last the eX'
ports exceeded the imports by $S,449, ,353
In September, 1893, the excess of eX.
ports over imports was $25, 726, 1S6. Dur
ing the nine months ended Sept. 80, 1894
the excess of exports over imports was
$73,5l7, ,2S4, and the excess of imports
for the corresponding period of the pre-
ceding year was $22, 10S, ,499. In Septem-
her. 1894, the imports of gold exceeded
the exports by S463, ,301; and during the
nine months ended September, 1894, the
excess of exports over imports was $751;
G03.612. The excess of exports of silvel
over imports during the nine months
ended Sept. 80, 1894, was $25,5lS,5S9
A Dover, N. j., dispatch says: 1.-The
shops of the Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western railroad have been put
on full time and there is work enough
ahead to keep the employees busy foi
a year. The shops have been running
only eight hours day despite the fac
that much work was on hand and as
consequence many cars had to be sem
TO the Scranton shops"
Some years ago the pennsylvania
railroad company purchased large
tract of $4,000 acres ct West HaZleton
ostensibly for the coal that might b'
under it. For many months they pros
pected, but could not locate enough Goa
TO warrant the beginning of operations
their own men claiming that there wal
but little or no coal to be found. Th'
firm of ]. C. Hayden & Co. were theI
granted permission to prospect 'anC
practically obtained an option on th'
land. For the past year several mel
20 have been engaged in prospecting ant
succeeded in locating the coal.
Hickory Swamp colliery resumed op
erations at Shamokin Monday morning
giving employment to 800 men bnC
boys. The Reading company's Burn
side and North Franklin collierles als'
resumed, after six weeks suspension
giving employment to 1000 men ant
boys.