Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-06-05
The OIL Industry.

in the end expect to see the production
of oil dwi1 lie so that it will not be
the overshadcwing industry -tnat 1t
now is, but see it subside to the pro-
portions of many of Marlettas other
industries
What we want to call attention to-,
Just now, however, is to the useless
ness of going to this field under pres
ent conditions. We are not posted as
to the conditions as an expert would
be, nor do we claim to have any inside
information, in regard to this field, but
can only judge from the facts as stat
ed in the newspapers and by men who
have visited the field recently.
BEAUMONT CRUDE.
If the base Cf this oil is asphalt and
consequently only a small percentage
of Illuminating oil in it, then it is Ger
tain that it will not be available for
refining into Illuminating oil. If the
base is asphalt as claimed, then it is
only suitable for fuel and not being
very lnflammable it can be induced to
burn only by spraying 1t into a furnace
with steam.
Many hundreds of oil men if not
thousands, have gone to this field and
investd large sums of money, much of
it no doubt borrowed money, on which
interest must be paid. Many of these
men are no doubt small operators. A
large part of these operators have Sc
cured good territory and have put
down wells, struck the pay fluid and
then shut in the wells to await devel-
cpment. What are they waiting for ?
1nis: to see if the oil will be taken
by the commercial world and utilized
as fuel. To see if some big rich cor
poration will lay pipe line and take
their production as the Standard does
now with illuminting crude and where
all we have to do is to ct a good well
and soon its pipes are laid up to the
well anu a. we have to do is to go to
the office and draw the money. How
is it uown in Beaumont? Is there any
big fellow down there with pipe lines
and checks waiting for to strike pay
dirt and pay the market price for every
barrel? Oh. no, The Standard as we
understand it, does not handle fuel oil,
or at least has not yet taken hold of
the fuel oil of that section. Where
then will these producers sell their
oil? Not at the coast. for the ocean
going steamships have not yet adopted
oil for fuel. Suppose they had adopt
ed it, the output of few wells would
supply whole fleet. No. it is plain as
the nose on your face. that a crisis is
approaching down at Beaumont. These
operators can not always wait for a
customer for their oil. There are men
to pay for work, interest to pay and nc
prospect ahead for any market for
their oil. no matter how cheap they
may make it. 1t may be several years
before the chemists and the CONNER
cial world get down to business and
fix price on this oil Indeed after
the price is fixed. will the demand be
su.lclent to justify the outlay of capi-
tai to any large extent in developing
this territory? HOW many years will
it take for the fuel oil business to
reach the perfection and swing of the
illuminating oil business? These are
serious questions and must be an
swered by the oil operator, before he
leaves field like that around Mariet-
ia, to cast his lot in with such as that
at beaumont, Texas.
Marie ia, however, should take
warning and hedge against a possible
subsistence of the oil interests in this
region and be prepared for the worst
We must have manufactures in such
numbers that when the subsistence
does begin, we will go right along in
our growth and not feel the departure
of the oil men who have given such
splendid impetus to the business of our
city and county.
In saying this much it should not be
inferred that we are alarmists or that
we fear any exodus of oil men to the
Beaumont field. If any number of our
oil men should at airy time leave here
for that country '''e are satisfied that
they would not take their families
down there among swamps and where
educational advantages are slim. We
are persuaded that he will only move
away from beautiful Marietta to that
region as a last resort and when
urged by dire necessity and exigencies
of business. S. j. H.