The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-07
FUEL VALUE OF TEXAS OIL.
Result of Geological Survey invesu-
CATION of the Subject.

Washington Letter In Philadelphia Ledger.
Charles W. Hayes. OF the geological sur
vey, Is preparing a paper which is INTENDED
TO show the possibility of Texas oil COM
peting with coal for all purposes OF iuei.
The matter has been carefully ana thor-
oughly studied by Mr.. Hayes, who made
trip to Texas for that purpose, the cnarac-
ter of the oil and existing conditions nav
ing been given personal investigation Inc
paper will give the relative fun Vaiue OF
Texas and various other oils with both
bituminous and anthracite coal. question
of particular interest at present ms
publication being the first made by the
government treating at length the coal
question. it is believed 1t will be instru-
mental in guiding consumers of coal to-
wards methods for supplanting the use or
anthracite coal with OIL practical mo-
nopoly exists in anthracite coal, TOT INC
reason that its presence is conhnea 20
few square miles in Pennsylvania, Nh-ch
are owned and controlled by a Compare
lively few persons through corporations
Small quantities or anthracite are founo IN
Colorado and New Mexico, and seml-an-
thracite is found in Arkansas. but these
fields are small that they are not re.
garded as factors in the supply or hard
coal The geology OF the United states
has been so fully developed that the ex-
perts OF the geological survey are con-
WINGED there will be no discovery or an
thracite coal TO affect the monopoly en-
joyed by the owners of the Pennsylvania
fields.
This monopoly is now threatened by oil.
About 100000 barrels OF Texil oil were
sold last year for fuel purposes. A greater
demand for the product would have doubt
less led to a consumption OF four or i've
times that quantity, and could have been
readily supplied without making an un-
usual demand on the field. 1t was sold
from Is cents TO so cents per barrel No
economical method has been discovered for
refining this Texas oil for Illuminating pur-
poses and many experts are OF opinion that
no such discovery will be made. From
present indications. therefore. the use or
Texas oil is likely 10 be confined 10 pur-
poses of fuel. 1t is being used quite ex-
tensively on many of the railroads OF the
Southwest, this use having been forced by
the high price OF coal.
What has proven practicable in the
Southwest can be made practicable In
other sections and especially at points
reached by water transportation. Bulk
steamers OF $1,000 barrels capacity or more
| can deliver the oil from Texas ports 10
seacoast cities OF the East at very low
rates. Such distribution of the oil Is rem
dered very economical, because the oil re-
| gion of Texas, as now developed is at no
| place over forty miles from the coast. and
| the big wells are but twenty miles inland
II extends along the Texas coast dis
lance of about 800 miles. The oil Is carried
| TO the ports by lead pipe lines, which are
| comparatively inexpensive TO build over
| such short distances.
| Mr. Hayes has estimated that this oil has
/ a fuel value of at least 50 barrel. conn.,
pared with anthracite coal at $3.50 or ~ a
| ton 1t has sold UP TO the present time
| for about one-tenth of this estimate or It's
| fuel value. The fact that the superior
| crude oil OF Pennsylvania is produced, as
| whole, at a profit of s1.25 a barrel. and
| has not greatly exceeded that amount IN
| price for many years, is an indication OF
| what the price of the Texas oil will ac-
| tually be on the market. The effect on
| the price of coal of the introduction OF
this oil is a subject for speculation at this
| time. The work of educating consumers
| of coal in the use Of oil has been coins
| on for several years, but il has been a
| slow process, as the use of fuel oil! has
| involved some difficult problems. and con-
| sumers have hesitated TO introduce IL In
| their works until IL has been fully tried
| and the economy of its use demonstrated
| beyond a doubt.