Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-06-25

In view Of the present state Of Texas
law, and the attitude Of the Texas
authorities towards monopoly in gen.
eral and the Standard Oil Company
In particular, 1t is not likely that its
tentacles can fasten their hold upon
the situation, at least until compel
ing interests shall have had a fair op.
portunity to establish themselves upon |
just and prosperous footing. Aud
even IL the terminals at Sabine Pass
should fall under the control of the
| trust, the whole coast would still he
open to the export of the 6eld and,
while the Gulf has few natural good
harbors, the government is constantly
| improving them and adding to their
number. Indeed, from what l have
seen in Texas this week, am of the
opinion that, as Houston is the great
entrepot of the railroad system of its
eastern half, SO it is likely that
the oil product, as well as the cotton
and the grain, will find its way to sea
in that direction. If | am right about
this, then La Porte, 81 miles below
Houston, is destined to become q vast
center of oil export. The channel up
Galveston bay, 30 miles to that point,
which the government is now engaged
in dredging, will give landlockel
: wharfage, unequalled in safety and
capacity on the Gulf Coast, where the
shipping of the world could be moored.
out of reach of tidal waves and where
the craft can be docked in fresh water.
Once on the ocean and traffic is out
of reach of the blighting and dwarf.
ing power of monopoies of all sorts.
: whether fastened by legislation or by
the control of natures products
2 The advantages which the Beaumont
: sources of oil supply over the Russian
are that the latter is 600 miles away
from deep water, and in addition the
!, industry is considerably hampered by
e the peculiar and obnoxious trade laws
e in force in Russia.
4 These and some other considerations
: which l have not now time to men.
ton, seem to me to assure to the
t field here an enormous and lasting
S trade in the immediate future.
: With water transportation near by,
: the problem of finding market is
! at once solved. l am reliably told here
> today that oil can be produced and
piped to Port Arthur for 10 cents a
Il barrel, and that it can be transported
y by water within any point 1000 miles
/ of the latter place for 10 cents bar
II rel, or within 1000 miles for 25 cents
Is This limit will reach all the Atlantic
Is ports of the United States, the West
q Indies, Central America and the North
II ern. Coast of South America, while
u the additional cost of transit to Euro
" pean or still more remote markets pro
p portionately decreases as the added
u distance increases. 1t is quite within
1 bounds for me to say that in no dis
Ie tant time Texas oil can be laid dowr
E. in Cleveland or the other lake points
'r by way of the Gulf Of st. Lawrence
l. and then compete successfully, as &
IL fuel proposition alone, with the coal:
E. of comparatively nearby fields. For
ID SO far at least the ascertained utility
lie of the Beaumont oil must be confined
g to fuel purposes. Whether 1t can b'
refined for the uses of illumination Of
III not, has not yet been determined. Th,
u Standard people say not l understand
IL they claim it is too heavy for a lightin.
IN oil. But, as l remember they said til,
S. same thing in regard to the Lima oil
to only in that case it was too lght--un
IL til they had absorbed the field; then i
lie could be refined all right.
in The oil found here is heavy, like tina
It. of Russia, and similarity it has al
e. asphalt base with specific gravit.
IL of about 20 degrees. For the purpos
III of fuel nothing could be more admir-
s. able. For steam uses three and
e- half barrels of it are fully equal to
la ton of Pittsburg coal, SO that, upol
es the above basis of the cost of produc
b. ton and transport, the equivalent o
lg a ton of coal can be laid down on til
Sc wharf at Port Arthur for 35 cents
to though in form far less bulky an
ch difficult to handle, and ready for equa
e. ly cheap shipment to any market tina
IN can be reached by water. 1t is certain
p- l think, that, ton for ton, oil can b
nd carried on the water-by means eithe
Ii. of tank steamers or barges, for les
re than coal. And as the dozen wells a
of ready drilled in at Beaumont have
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