The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-03-31

The recent Texas discoveries of petroleum
have opened vast Industry and Is another
Illustration Of the numerous natural re-
sources of the Lone star state. This terri
tory. while not being at present sufficiently
defined to correctly establish its boundary.
enough borngs have hccn mudr to cou-
clusiyely demonstrate that It's oil fields are
hundreds Of square miles OF area.
The history OF the world records but few
instances of oil struck OF such magnitude
as the Beaumont gushcr." The result OF
this strike as an economic factor IN the
Manufacture of the various productions
that are capable Of being developed in
Texas can be little appreciated or comprc.
hended without giving the subject serious
consideration.
Ia presenting this paper, il Is our inten-
tluh 70 treat the commercial side ut OIL tut ,
rs neat producing agent rather than en-.
ter into an extended discussion on the
technicalltics OF the subject, CudcaNorius
10 the best OF our ability 10 clucidate this
question IN such manner that the dollars
and cents feature will De clearly set forth.
Oh fuel Is an Ideal one. 1t might be
wen said In the beginning OF tins paper
that many persons have given to this ideal
tuel, heat producing values--the results ~
laboratory tests-that have never been oh.
talned In the commercial world; have IA.
iflenied 10 II results that are only chem
ical have stated II VIII hually displuce coat
IN its entirety, and many other such non.
sensicnl Ideas.
The idcality OF oil as a fuel eau not he
denied, bull the statement that II will hnal-
~ uisplacc coal to any extent Is mCre
delusion, Fuel OH In the commercial world
must successfully compete with coal, AZ
the latter fuel Will always remain the unit
ot value. The price of oil fuel must inYari.
ably be in direct proportion therefore TO The
commercial value Of coal. oil fuel may in
crease In monetary value from lime 10
time, as more modern methods OF handling,
scoring aud controliing II are devised, buI,
us q river can not rife above It's source,
80 the price Of fuel oil can not rise above
its equivalent heat producing value In coat,
which viii ever remain the dictator of fuel
values.
VIC make this statement for the purpose
Of disahnsing the minds OF any prospective
users OF oil fuel that II oil was adopted
rs fuel the price would 10 any great extent
he advanced, aud thus debar him In the
continuance OF Its use and In the partici-
patton Of the benefits TO be derived there.
from. The supply and demand may lnhu,
cnce the consumption OF coal and the mar,
ket price OF coal may fall, but MS surely the
price Of oil will be lowered until the eduili.
lrinm OF the two fuels Is again restored.
No thinking person would be bold enough Ia
make, the broad statement that oil as fuel
VIII entirely displace coal. or even to amy
appreclable extent affect the latter Indus.
fir. Calses alone due 20 local induen,,u
statement.
produced In the world IN one year were
used is fuel aud not diverted into the mni
titudluous channels through which II hnds
an outlet 10 the consumer, the calorln'
value of oil consumed within this year
would amount to less than 2 per cent Of the
total caiorihc value Of the coal burned In
the same period OF time.
In localities where oil can successfully
compete with coal, aud the territory trih
utary TO the Texas oil fields Is such q
locality. the bcnehcent results obtained by
nslng this fuel are more potent. where
cleanliness, absence OF smokc, case and