The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1905-04-28
CRUDE OIL COMING FUEL

planned to develop a market for
fuel oil. This is the information
they gave Commissioner Garfield
during his visit to the oil fields. 1t
is one of the ways open to balk the
Standard Oil trust and the produc-
ers believe that they can use it to
good advantage. If the railroads,
by coercion on the part of the Stan
dard, or for any other reason, seek
to block the developments of the
fuel oil industry, the producers will
ask the governor to call the legisla
ture in session and pass some rail
road laws that will fill the bill. The
producers, however, have the as
surances from the railroads that
they will get fair treatment, and
they are proceeding on that basis.
Fuel has always been serious
problem in Kansas, especially in
the central and western parts OF the
state. Common soft coal frequent
ly brings $S ton there. Timber is
scarce, and wood for fuel is ex-
.remely high. Soft coal has been
the standard fuel for Kansas ever
since the buffalo chips became ex-
hausted. Coal famines have oc-
Cured frequently and people have
suffered. This shows that there is
an opening for some kind of fuel
proposition. The oil producers be
lieve they can fill the long-felt
want.
Two barrels of crude oil are
equivalent to ton of slack coal in
producing heat, Three barrels
equal ton of the very best soft
coal. Under the new maximum
freight law a barrel of oil can be
shipped nearly anywhere in the
state for 80 cents. The producers
say that this is still an exorbitant
rate. However, the railroads take
issue and claim that it is confsca
tory. The courts will soon be
called upon to decide the question.
But under present freight rates
three barrels of ell can be laid
down at Western Kansas town for
S3.75, counting the oil at 81 bar
rel at the wells. This would be
cheaper than soft coal by from IS
to so per cent.
But the producers say they will
be able to sell fuel oil at less than
81 barrel and still make good
money. Crude oil, as it comes up
from the wells, will not be shipped
out for fuel purposes. It will be
treated in the independent refiner-
les. Enough kerosene and naptha
will be taken out to supply the
Kansas trade and the rest will
be used for fuel purposes. If the
producers can build up trade for
gasoline, they will also manufact-
ure that but just at present they are
not figuring much on gasoline. The
Standard has that field covered and
can sell it cheaper than small re-
6neries can.
Fuel oil stations are to be estab-
lished in all of the towns of the state
as fast as the business can be de.
veloped. They will not be owned
by the producers or the refiners.
They will be owned and operated by
the local people, just as coal and
woodyards are now operated. In
stead of dealer handling coal, he
will handle oil. He will have his
storage tanks, and delivery tank
wagon, and Will deliver oil to his
customers the same as the coal yard
delivers coal. With the kerosene
taken out, oil makes an extremely
safe fuel. 1t is also easily handled
and heating stoves can be as easily
regulated as the natural gas heaters
are.
The cost of converting coal and
wood stoves into oil burners ranges
from 81 to $2.s A furnace can
be fitted up with an oil burner for
s.. The advent of the COL yard"
would make business good for the
stove repairer for awhile at least, as
all Of the stoves will have to be
fitted up with oil burners. The ad-
vantage an oil burner has over coal
is that fuel can be bought in small
quantities. II will net be necessary
to lay in winters supply of fuel in
the fall, a. is now done with coal.
In California, hswever, many peo.
pie do lay in q big supply of oil at
one time. They have big tanks In
the yard, with pipes leading to the
tanks beside the stoves. Most pco-
pie buy oil a. they need 1t from day
to day. The oil wagon makes daily
trips.
The development Of this Industry
will make much business for the
railroads. They will have to lay in
a new supply Of tank cars. Only
two roads in the state show in their