The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1911-10-19

ployed The blanket was carefully squeezed and
the oily substance recovered. Rude pits were
dug, lined with rough-hewn timbers and the oil
was stored away for future use Thus began the
first known practical conservation OF petroleum
In America. Many OF these old Indian pits are
stll found in excellent condition, the tmbers
being practically az sound as the day when cut
from the forest
II was not long however before the white man
began 70 realize the value Of this remarkable
discovery, and enterprislng pioneers began to dig
pits similar 10 those Of the Indian and 70 gather
the oil. which for many years was bottled and
under the names OF Seneca OIL" Indian OIL"
and Snake Oh" sold extensively as a sure cure
for all the aches and pains to which man IN heir
II was universally accepted as a medicament but
with little curiosity as TO how great a quantity
OF the wonderful curative could be secured or
whence Il came
As early as 1890 the manufacture OF salt be.
came an important Industry in the United States
and for the purpose numberless brine wells were
sunk throughout the country especially along the
western slope Of the Allegheny Mountains wber.
the brine was found in great abundance collected
and evaporated into salt Many of these wells
had TO be abandoned on account OF their produc.
Ing uncomfortable quantities OF petroleum then
considered most undesirable element nota
Bile incident OF this kind occurred al Little Re,oy
Creek, near Burkesylle. Kentucky I'm 1929 whom
an attempt made to sink well and secure what
was supposed TO be an unlimited supply OF brIne
resulted In the striking OF a mammoth oil g,,sbor
CONSERVATION and disappointment spread among
the owners OF the well as they witnessed tho
great quantities OF oil flowing rapidly beyond the
creek and into the Cumberland River where n
hnaily caught fire and burned for a distance NJ
over nifty miles. When the fire was extinglisbed
tho oil flowed on as rapidly as before and with
me exception OF a small quantity which was later
recovered, bottled. and sold under the name n,
American Medicinal OIL" the product was
wasted va"
In l8i6 DR. Abraham Gesner discovered n
method OF extracting an excellent grade Of illum
mating oil from coal and In 1884 he patented
'uccessiul illuminant, kerosene" commonly
known as "coaloil" The Improvement was so
great over the animal and vegetable oils then IN
use the objectionable odor and smoke being eli,n
mated that they were gradually set aside apd IN
order 70 meet an enormous and eyer-increasing
demand FOR the product, II became necessary m
establish factories throughout the country for tbe
extraction Of this popular illuminating OF from
coal Altogether there were over co OF tbesa
estabhshments IN operation at one time and the
price OF Kerosene advanced rapidly until 1887
when II sold as high as 81 a gallon The industrv
was snort NYed. however, for upon the discovery
OF petroleum in sufficient quantities 10 erect
competition as basis from which Illuminating
ois could be manufactured, these Kerosene fac
tories we're converted into repnories OF crude IN
In order 10 prevent their total loss
The great demand for kerosene and its cor.. =,
Quent nigh price were the cause at attracting tha
worldwide attention Of chemists and sclentine
authorities and repeated attempts were made 10