Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-06

l,ature Tor kerosene oil: and as it was pro-
quced from coal in breckenridge county.
Nehtucky. from mines IN which the then
vice president of the United States was
Interested, that distinguished gentleman
lent his cooperation, and kerosene lent its
ilSht to admirins crowds with gratifying
results.
The department IN which the kerosene
was displayed was devoted to various con-
trlVances for lighting buildings, the next
one TO mine being q gas generator, alleged
10 be adapted to private houses. factories
ana stores. This was presided over by q
venerable, Whitc-haired old gentleman from
New York, who was my bitterost antagon-
ISL. In explaining his apparatus, he assert
ed hat the beautiful light from his various
Jets was generated from refuse kitchen
grease, to prove which he would occasion
ally daub a spoonful into the retort. Human
nature is weak, and it is a painful fact that
the principal ingredient used was q goudly
quality of rosin.
One day. during the progress of the show,
a very distinguished elderly lady came
daughters and a lot of black servants Of
both sexes and all ages. The stately matron
stopped to admire the gas apparatus, and
as the nice old gentleman explained the
operation and showed her the pan of fat.
which, as he said, was the only material
used to produce the beautiful light, she and
her entire family were struck almost
speeches. with Admiration After inquir-
ing particularly about the cost of the new
tangled apparatus and filling her servants
baskets with all the explanatory docu-
ments, she paid my exhibit a visit. ''This,
madam" said in reply to her inquiry, "fs
Oil distilled from coal.' 'From coal" she
exclaimed, focusing me with her glasses.
Yes, madam, from breckenridge company
COAL and a lump of the coal was shown.
And this?' she asked, taking up a chunk
of p%arafine wax. THAT, madam, is also a
product of coal; and these beautiful trans
parent candle are produced from the same
material" Upon this the matron gazed at
me stu more lncredulously, and, gathering
her family about her, exclaimed, young
man, it is a peculiar trait of the Yankee
character to lie, but when shown by one so
young, such prevarication is extremely
shocking. You should take example of the
honest gentleman next you" With this
she and her flock moved off, leaving me
covered with shame and confusion.
In consideration of my services at the
fair, the Kerosene Oil company fitted out
for my brother and myself an attractive
rig for the Introduction of kerosene among
the inhabitants of Long Island. The first
farmer in the country who was induced to
adopt the new light was James Mott OF
Roslyn, a prominent member of the Hick.
site Quakers. His Endorsement did us such
good service among the fraternity that
kerosene was soon substituted for the dan
Gerous camphene on all parts of the island.
The oil distilled from coal was sold to
the trade for 81 a gallon, and was ~retailed
for $1.O a gallon. One gallon of this oil
would last as long as three gallons of that
now refined from petroleum.
OF course when oil was struck upon the
banks of the Allegheny our occupation was
gone. We no longer had a monopoly of the
district, as coal oil was soon for sale in all
the stores.
Previous to the latter discovery. however,
the Kerosene Oil company and Samuel
Downer had enlarged their works, the one
at Hunters Point, Long Island, and the
other in Boston, and l believe there was one
in Kentucky. These were the first re-
fneries in this country for the production
of kerosene Oil.