The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-15
HOPE FOR AN OIL MARKET.

HOPE FOR AN OIL MARKET.
While there is no doubt that the
advice of Miss Tarben to Kansas oil
men to seek a way to market their
oil in foreign fields is good. yet there
is every prospect for greatly en-
larged market right here at home,
and in this probably lies the greatest
hope for Independent producers and
ref1ners to exist in competition with
the Standard. With equitable freight
rates. such as are guaranteed them
by the new railroad legislation in
Kansas, and with an enlarged market,
there is no reason why the oil BUSH
ness should not be profitable.
There is no doubt that the home
market for petroleum and it's products
is rapidly increasing. New uses for
oil and its products are constantly
discovered. Just now a number of
inventors are at work on devices for
the practical use of crude oil for
household purposes. If this can be
made a success-and it is believed by
some OF the people interested that
such a device has already been per-
fected-it will prove a tremendous
blessing not only for the oil pro-
ducers, but for the public as well. For
instance, it is alleged that two bar
rels of crude oil are equal to ton of
ordinary soft coal for domestic use
and two barrels of oil can be laid
down in Topeka, under the new maxi
mum rate law, for about half the
price Topeka has been paying for soft
coal. and still give the oil producers a
good profit. A successful device OF
this character would make a ire
mendous market for crude oil just fol-
domestic use.
And if such a device can be per-
fected for household use, the same
device will doubtless greatly simplify
the utilization of crude oil to manu-
facture power for factories. It is now
used to a considerable extent for this
purpose, but a simplified device to use
| it in furnaces will add to its consump-
ton in manufacturing industries.
| Southern California has probably
developed the utilization of crude oil
/ to a greater extent than any other
region in the world. Much of the oil
of Southern California is of a heavy
/ grade, containing a great amount OF
asphalt and unsuitable for refining
! Hence the necessity for finding other
uses for it-and necessity is the
mother of invention. Crude oil has
| displaced coal almost entirely in South
ern California. 1t is used exclusively
in the railroad engines and in all kinds
of power plants. The tenders of the
engines carry oil instead of coal, and
the boiler rooms of factories have
/ tanks connected with them instead oi
coal bins. The oil is more easily
| handled than coal, as the force OF
gravity is utilized. The railroads also
use crude oil to sprinkle their road.
beds. 1t prevents dust, keeps dowr
the weeds and preserves the ballast By
turning off the water. Crude oil Is
also used extensively in Southern Cali.
fornia in road making, and the roads
made with it are equal to asphal
| pavement for ordinary use. It is Sc
cheap that many miles of it are made
every year in the country districts.
The increase in the use of the re
fined products of petroleum are vel
known. While gas and electricity have
supplanted kerosene in the towns ant
cities to a certain extent, its genera
use is increasing, while the demand foi
gasoline has increased many times
OFGA III ACCCAAL SGc1 anu II 10 4AON
growing faster than ever.
The gasoline stove is now falling
into the background as consumer O
gasoline. 1t is the motor that nov
makes the big demand for it. A few
years ago the gasoline engine was al
experiment. Now thousands of small
plants where only a little power il
necessary are equipped with them. ant
they are coming into general use OF
the larger farms of the middle west
The perfecting of the automobile il
the last five years has greatly added
to the demand for gasoline, and thi
demand is sure to increase tremend
ously as automobiles come more ant
more into general use.
It seems probable therefore tina
the home market for both crude AM
refined oil will be greatly enlarge
within the next five years. to say moth
ing of the market that may be worke,
up abroad. With the Standard KEEP
within proper bounds, as it doubles
can be now that the public is wild
awake. there is no reason why the OF
fields of Kansas should not be a srea
source of wealth to the state after all