The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-07-11

tracts. Tho inevitable result. how.
eger would certainly work harm to
the entire industry. and with O large
number Of free lancos in the fold
it is doubtful if the price Of Oil in a
years time would be as high as 20
cents per barrel
Point Richmond Is Oily.
There is some excitement over at
Point Richmond because a company is
being formed to drill for oil in the vi
cinity of Cerrito Hill on the edge of
Richmond. An eighty-foot derrick has
been erected on the site of the pro-
posed well by the Northumberland
company in the populated part of the
city. John Nicholl, the hopeful pro-
moter, is on a visit Of inspection in
the Kern river field in order to study
the best method of procedure and to
engage an expert to manage the oper.
atoms.
1t is stated that oil sands were
reached some time ago in the valley
back of the Fish ranch near Rich
mond at depth of 1000 feet, but why
the well was not worked, deponent
sayeth not. Probably because there
was not enough oil to make it worth
while to pump out of the we'll
New Market for Petroleum.
Slowly, but not the less surely, the
merits of petroleum and its products
are beginning to be recognized by
great transportation corporations as
a cheap and reliable source of motive
power. Judging by what is taking
place both in the East and here it will
not be more than two or three years
before petroleum will have supplant.
ed coal in steamships and railroad To-
comotives on the Pacific Coast, az
least, and very probably all over the
world.
According to the best judgment of
scientists and mechanical experts. thu
cost Of equipping a railway locomotive\
for burning oil, including the burner
and regulating valves, the friedrich
furnace and the tank with its pipes
and valves on tenders, is about $500,
and the cost of steel storage tanks for
roadway supply is approximately 25
cents per barrel. The oil stations cost
only about so per cent of the cost of
coaling stations, but the latter are in
place and already provided, while the
oil stations are clearly an additional
expense.
The Railway Age says that one Of
the principal advantages of oil fuel for
locomotives is the increased steaming
capacity obtained from the boiler and
the possibility Of maintaining this
pressure at a maximum throughout
the run. 1t is this which has made
possible the successful operation of
very large Mailet locomotives which
do,elOp a maximum tractive effort of
100000 pounds and nearly 2OOO horse
power at ordinary freight speeds. The
fireman does not become fatigued, and
even in hot weather the maximum
output from the boiler can be depend
ed upon whenever needed for any part
Of the run. While the physical eXer-
ton Of the fireman with oil fuel is not
Great, it requires more careful and
close attention than in coal burning
to secure economical combustion. The
fireman and engineer must work in
harmony, and with each change in the
throttle or reverse lever, CORE
spending regulation must be given to
the oil supply and atomizer If the
fireman is not careful and skillful N
this way it is possible for him to
waste large quantities of oil and a
greater value in fuel than is wasted
by a careless fireman on a coal-burn.
ing locomotive.
There is an economy in oil fuel as
compared with coal which is seldom
referred to, and that is the compare
tive loss when engines stand idle
under steam at terminals or are de-
layed at sidetracks. 1t is then posi-
Bile so to regulate the oil jet so that
there is but small consumption of
fuel, while with coal, the large mass
of incandescent fuel must be main
tanned over the crate to insure
prompt movement when orders for de-
parture are given. The saving in oil
in this respect averages so per cent
of the coal equivalent, and in freight
traffic in winter it is an important
item
1t is fortunate that large deposits of
petroleum are found in California,