The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-12
OIL FOR FUEL.
Santa Fe Building Engines to
Burn Petroleum.
Large Number Now in Use in
California.
SAVES MUCH MONEY.
Oil Costs Considerably Less
Than Coal Equivalent.
New Style Engines Being Built
in Topeka Shops.
SAVES MUCH MONEY.

The Santa F'e railway is among the
foremost to experiment with petroleum
as fuel for locomotives. Indeed, the
word experiment is hardly the proper
one, for the value of crude petroleum
as a substitute for coal is undoubted.
The only question is whether the sup
ply of petroleum is large enough for
the demand.
Several engines to burn petroleum
have recently been turned out by the
Santa Fe shops here in Topeka It is
thought by the Santa F'e officials that
the opening of the Beaumont oil fields
Will make it possible to use crude Pc
troleum on engines in Kansas.
A revolution is being brought out in
the fuel problem of the Pacific coast
so wide Of effect that it's influences will
be felt Throughout the entire country,
among those who are most interested
in the result are the stockholders IN
the railroads of California During the
last year these roads consumed nearly
two millions of tons of coal, at a cost
of ten millions of dollars. They are
now being equipped for the burning of
petroleum fuel, of which seven million
barrels will furnish an equivalent pow
err at a cost of not to exceed i've million
dollars, leaving a net profit to the roads
for use in the payment of dividends OF
at least five millions additional to pre-
vious net earnings.
Many statements have been made of
late regarding the saving by the above
mentioned change, but accurate figures
have not been heretofore obtainable on
which to base a careful estimate For
a number of years both the Southern
Pacific and Santa Fe roads have used
fuel oil on their locomotives in that
portion of Southern California lying
west Of the San Bernardino and south
of the Tehachapi mountains, the sup
ply of oil not Warranting the roads in
extending the use of the new fuel fur
Their The years during which oil was
used in the section alluded to, however
gave the railroads an excellent OppOr-
tunity to test it's merits, and the re-
suit has been that they have agreed
that three and a half barrels of oil is
the economic equivalent of a ton of
bftunlfnous coal, costing on an aver
age at that point of consumption about
S.. Petroleum fuel has been considered
fully so per cent cheaper at the aver
age market price, which is above the
present price.
During the last two years immense
gains have been made in the production
of fuel oil the established fields have
been extended and a number of new
fields have been brought into produc-
ton Temporarily, the supply exceeds
the demand, and many wells are not
pumping to their full capacity.
The Santa Fe company has 135 en-
gines in southern California, the last
OF which has just been converted into
an oil burner, and about Go more are
expected to be put into commission in
this portion of the state during the
next few months. This will make a
consumption of 1850, 600 barrels of oil
annually, compared with about 350, 600
a year ago. The saving, as compared
with coal, will be in the neighborhood
of 100000, or one half of the value of
coal which would be consumed annu-
ally. The company is reported to be
planning for the extension of the use
Of oil through Arizona, though no Off |
cial steps have been taken in that di-
rection, and that feature of the move |
ment is not taken into consideration.
The statistical situation, looking /
some months into the future, is there |
fore favorable to the belief that within /
a few months there will be a demand |
for fuel oil in excess of the present pro
ductive power of the wells now drilled.
and the drilling of new wells will be /
greatly stimulated.