Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-09-20
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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
still found in an excellent condition, the timbers
being practically as sound as the day when cut
from the forest :sz->aas.s-.a#4 -ss,.s ~ -
It was not long, however, before the white man
began to realize the value Of this remarkable
discovery, and enterprising pioneers began to dig
pits similar to those Of the Indian and to gather
the oil, which for many years was bottled and,
under the names Of Seneca Oil ;" Indian OIL"
and Snake o." sold extensively as a sure cure
for all the aches and pains to which man in heir.
It was universally accepted as medicament. but
with little curiosity as to how great quantity
Of the wonderful curative could be secured or
whence It 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 where
the brine was found in great abundance, collected
and evaporated into salt. Many Of these wells
mad to be abandoned on account of their produc-
Ing uncomfortable quantities Of petroleum then
considered most undesirable element. A nota-
Die incident OF this kind occurred at Little Renox
Creek, near Burkesville, Kentucky, in 1929, when
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 susher
CONSERVATION and disappointment spread among
the owners Of the we'll az they witnessed the
great quantities of oil flowing rapidly beyond thu
creek and into the Cumberland River where It
finally caught fire and burned for distance of
over fifty miles, When the fire was extinguished
the OIL flowed on as rapidly as before, and with
the exception of small quantity which was later
recovered. bottled, and sold under the name Of
American Medicinal OIL" the product was
wasted
In 1s46 Dr.. Abraham Gesner discovered
method Of extracting an excellent grade Of illum.
mating oil from COAL and in 1854 he patented q
cuccessful luminant, Kerosene" commonly
known az "coaloil." The Improvement was 30
great over the animal and vegetable oils then In
use. the Objectionable odor and smoke being elm.
mated. that they were gradually set aside and IN
order to meet an enormous and evsrtncreasina
demand for the product, It became necessary to
establish factories throughout the country for thu
extraction OF this popular illuminating oil from
coal. Altogether there wero over so OF these
establishments in operation at one time and the
price Of kerosene advanced rapidly until 1887.
when It sold as high az 81 gallon. The industry
was short lived; however, for upon the discovery
OF petroleum In sufficient quantities to effect q
competition as basis from which Illuminating
oils could be manufactured, these Kerosene fac
tories were converted into rehneries Of crude Oh
In order to prevent their total loss
The great demand for kerosene and it's conae
quent high price were the cause at attracting the
worldwide attention OF chemists and scientific
authorities. and repeated attempts were made to