The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-12
REJECTED KEROSENE
FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.
Bad Oil Dumped on This State
When Condemned in Georgia.

Mr.. E. B. Hook, oil Inspector at
Augusta, said yesterday: 81 have just
had to reject my first car of oil
since became oil inspector year
and ahalf ago.
"What do you mean by that??'' was
asked.
''You see," said he, "oil is shipped
into Georgia by the Standard Oil
Company and a few other big concerns
in tank cars that hold from 4, 800 to
5000 gallons. On reaching its desti-
nation in any Georgia town, sample
is take from the car and subjected to
a prescribed test by the oil inspector
at that place. If it comes up to the
requirements of the $50 degrees test,
it is stamped State of Georgia. Ap-
proved, and is salable anywhere in the
State. If it does not meet the test it
is stamped State of Georgia, Reject
ed and cannot be unloaded or sold in
this State. I have placed this stamp
upon tank car for the first time N
my service as inspector.
''How did it happen?"
81 do not know. The Standard
Oil Company has been very parti-
cular to send only good Oil into Geor-
gia since the STANDARD was raised on
the first of January, 1900, by Hon. o.
B. Stevens. Georgia's wide-awake
commissioner of agriculture. The test
in Georgia used to be l20 degrees, but
Mr.. Stevens found that different sys-
TEN was used in New York, which
made 150 degrees the standard, and
be said Georgia must have as good oil
as was demanded by any other State,
and adopted the New York test. The
Standard Oil Company was given
sufficient time to dispose Of the oil on
hand in the State and notified to ship
none after January l, 1900, into Geor-
gia that could not stand the $50 degrees
test. This has been strictly observed
heretofore, and I was as much sur
prised when the oil failed to stand the
test as no doubt the Standard Oil
Company was to hear that a car had
been rejected. -
WAS it bad oil, I mean dangerous
oil for the conSumer?''
'Oh, no; that is, it was no more
dangerous than millions of gallons
that were burnd in lamps in Georgia
before the test was raised from 120
degrees to $50 degrees. 1t would easily
have passed the test that was required
in Georgia before Commissioner Stew
ems raised the standard. The people
Of Georgia can rest assured that they
get only the best, and need have no
fear Of the quality of oil stamped
State of Georgia, Approved. -
~ y-o,, Il
ed'of the Inspector.
After stamping it rejected l ex-
pressed a sample to the State inspec-
tor, Mr.. Glasscock Barrett, at At
lanta, notified him of my action and
asked for further Instructions. l re-
ceived ghe following reply:
State Of Georgia, Department of
Oils,
Atlanta, Ga, June 3, 1901.
Mr.. E. 3. Hook, Augusta, Ga.
Dear Sir:-The sample of oil arrived
and was tested by Dr. McCandless in
the presence Of a representative of the
Standard Oil Company You were
correct in rejecting it, and not allow
ing them to unload it. They have
agreed to transfer this tank to Caro-
lima. Glascock Barrett,
State Oil Inspector.
1t will be seen from the foregoing
that the action of the local inspector
is fully sustained, and that the oil
will not be permitted to be used in
this State Carolina is less parti-
cular about the grade of oil furnished
to her citizens, and the tank car will
be transferred to some place in the
State. .-Auousta Chronicle.