Willmar tribune., 1909-01-13

There is nothing found in fiction to
equal the wonderful story of the mar
velous development of the petroleum
sndustry in this country. Perhaps the
nearest one might come to it would
be found in Scheherzade's tale of
Aladdin's lamp. the magic power that
produced wealth and luxury beyond
computation. The lamp of Aladdin
was no more marvellous than that
which burns Standard, water white,
$50 degrees test"
1t is not yet half century since
this industry began. To be accurate,
it will be so years on August 10, 1909,
since COL Edwin A. F. Drake COM
pleted that famous first oil we'll near
the banks of Oil creek, short dis
,ance below the present city of Titus
vile. The 40 years since that event
have been of the busiest in oil devel-
opment. The history of the industry
is an aggregation of romances unpar-
alleled: it is one great romance of
vital and intense interest.
Progressive Pennsylvania" has been
accused of a lack of civic pride. It's
monuments are few, though it's notable
achievements have been many and
its great men legion. Oildom promises
better record. A magnificent monu-
ment to Col. E. A. F. Drake stands in
Woodlawn cemetery. Titusville.
Now, a beautiful monument, com.
memorating the foundation of the in
dustry, is planned by Canadota chap
ter Daughters OF the American Revo-
luton, to be erected at the site of the
Drake we'll. 1t is desired to have this
monument unveiled on the fiftieth an
niversary Of the discovery that gave
to the world a new industry-an in
dustry that has done much-or more
to advance civilization as the appli-
cation of steam. The design of this
monument is shown in our illustra-
ton and 1t is to be provided by the
voluntary contributions of the crate
full SONS and daughters of the oil
country"
The crowning feature of the monu-
ment is to be flaming torch, illumin-
ating the globe. What wealth of
Suggestion! 1t tells the story of how
the cheap mineral oil from the earth
carried the light of intelligence into
- the dark corners of earth! Since
brakes discovery the obscure Lin.
coins of the world have not been com.
PEELED to read by the light of blazing
pine knots on the hearth; our Frank.
Inns have not been forced to study
philosophy by the feeble flicker of
sputtering tallow candles.
- Illumination, however, is not the
whole story of this industry. From
crude oil more than 300 porducts are
extracted. The parsfine wax, familiar
to every household, the equally uni
vtIaal vaseline, the gasoline that has
introduced a new era of power; the
lubricants that make the machinery
- run smoothly; the naphtha that en-.
riches to brilliancy, all manufactured
gas. Brilliant color dyes, Photographic
developments, many medical drugs,
come from the compounded fluid CALI
ed petroleum.
Natural gas, the perfect fuel, it's
- branch Of the new world opened by
brakes discovery; a world of effort
and wealth developed by other geni-
uses, who followed after. This monu.
ment will pay tribute to every one of
them, because it will be dedicated to
the vast and marvellous mining and
manufacturing industries of which the
-- Drake well was the foundation. 1t will
be "a monument to the race of men
Who have solved more gigantic prob
lens and met more emergencies in Sc
years than were ever given in the
same space OF time to any other race
Of men to solve.
In this short time the men of @toi1
K DOM have discovered a new product
dissolved it into it's constituent ele
ments, devised means for storage, ere
ateh vast systems of transportation
delivered the product to the uttermos
ends of the earth, devised new ma
chinery, conquered physical obstacles
and read the book of the rocky strat:
--as no other men have done.
From that little beginning of Col
Drake on Oil creek. small hole o