Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-09-20

Unstable line and connected with neaVy arm Oh
beam. driven by an engine which continually
raises and releases the arms and permits the drill
TO fall with great force into the hole With each
drop, and by it's own weight, the drill literally
brushes and pulverizes the rock into sand, which
is removed with sand pump" from time to time
as it accumulates In the boring AS the work pro-
crosses and the hole deepens the adjustable line Is
lenethened and the drill lowered required.
After drilling to depths varying from 100 to 1000
feet and when crevice is struck In the rock, the
oil is frequently brought to the surface by the
force of it's own pressure; but It often becomes
necessary in case the flow Of oil IL not considered
sufficient to insert charge Of explosive at the
bottom of the boring, shoot blast the well.
and thus increase the supply After the drilling
and blasting are completed, the well is then cased
with iron piping known q lining" and pump
inserted.
In the :A days each well was pumped separ
ately but the faaAstry is now conducted upon such
an economic and Sctentic basis that the wells are
pumped in groups b. veritable network OF con-
Meeting rods, extending aver the fields and driven
by an engine in centralized station.
In some districts the oil 3elds have been prac-z
tically honeycombed with wells and the productions
Of petroleum greatly reduced 81 scattered by con-
tinual pumping.
As the enterprise grew many complex problems
arose from time to time, but they have all been
gradually but edectually solved and the industry
@laced upon conservative and economic basis.
The total flow Of oil in the United States for
has been kept amounted to only 1000 barrels.
For the year 1909 the production as estimated by
David T. Day OF the United States Geological Sur
vey amounted to about 17S 600, 900 barrels, which,
If placed in single hoay, would be SUFFICIENT to
float gigantic feet Of s3b Dreadnought battle
ships Of the new &c, 000ton Arkansas type Of the
United States Navy.
Gradually the oil derrick wendell it's way from
a northeasterly to southwesterly direction, and the
petroleum industry was extended over vast terri
tory.
During the year 1908 there were 5000 wells
sunk in the United States of which but 3.214 were
dry
Extensive experiments have been conducted to
determine the value Of petroleum az fuel for rover
plants well as for the navy and merchant ma
rine especially in England and the United States.
Numerous merchant vessels have been fully
equipped for burning oil as fuel and, by practical
test it has been determined that oil will evaporato
80 per cent more water per pound than coal, 10
easier to handle and stow, offers no difaculty in
burning, and, in it's use, time formerly wasted in
coaling and in useless labor II saved, smoke clint
mated, fuel space economical, sz:aming and speed
capacities increased, strain on boilers greatly de-
creased, and clean ship assured at all times
The crude oil Of parah1n base is particularly de.
srable for fuel and the only obstacles to its uni.
versal use are: ~ Difficulty In optaining (2) in.
creaeed cost over coal. With the production Of
sufhcient petroleum at a reasonable cost there IL
little doubt that every ship aaoat viii be event
ualy equipped with oil burners and the coal gratas
pass from use.
The United States navy has equipped the Bat
tleships Delaware, North Dakota, Utah. Florida,
Arkansas and Wyoming with auxiliary provision
for from 400 to 600 tons Of fuel oil each.
The new battleships now under construction at
the Fore River Ship Building Company, Philadel.
phia, for the Argentine government. will also be
equipped for auxiliary oil capacities Of 600 tons
3 each.
The usefulness Of petroleum IL almost unlimited
Besides the many grades Of gasolines, naphthas,
illuminating oils lubricating oils, parafnn. and
greases obtained from the crude oil parafnn base,
filtered paranhn residues or concentrated 1elliea
are also obtained. These jellies are universally
employed as therapeutic agents IN diseases Of tbl
skin, basis In the manufacture Of medicated
ointments for general household use, and also II
the compromising Of shoe and metal polishes