Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1911-09-15
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poyed 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 sound as the day when cut
from the forest
1t 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 OH"
and Snake on" sold extensively sure cure
for all the aches and pains to which in heir.
1t was universally accepted medcament, but
with little curiosity to how great quantity
of the wonderful curative could be secured or
whence 1t came
came an important industry in the United States.
and for the purpose numberess brine wells were
sunk throughout the country. especially along the
western slope of the Allegheny Mountains where
the brine found in great abundance. collected.
and evaporeted 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 at Little Renox
Creek, Brkesville, Kentucky. In 1929 when
an attempt made to sink we'll and secure what
was supposed to be an unlimited supply of brine
resulted in the striking of mammoth oil gusher
CONSERVATION and disappointment spread among
the owners OF the well they witnessed the
great quantities of oil flowing rapidly beyond the
creek and into the Cumberland River, where It
finally caught fire and burned for a 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 1916 DR.. Abraham Gesuer discovered a
method of extracting an excellent grade of nIum-
mating oil from coal, and In 1854 he patented
cuccessful illumiuant, Kerosene" commonly
known as "coal-oil" The Improvement was so
great over the animal and vegetable oils then in
use, the Objectionable odor and smoke being elm
mated that they gradually set sside. and in
order to meet enormous and ever-increasin3
demand for the product, Il became necessary to
establish factories throughout the country sor the
extraction of this popular Illuminating oil from
coal Altogether there over so of these
establishments in operation at time. and the
price of kerosene advanced rapidly until 1857
when 1t sold as high 50 gallon. The industry
was short lived however, for upon the discovery
of petroleum in sufficient quantities to effect
competition a basis from which Illuminating
oils could be manufactured, these kerosene fac
tories were converted into refneries of crude oil
In order to prevent their total loss.
The great demand for kerosene and its copse
quent high price we're the cause at attracting m
worldwide attention OF chemists and scient,se
authorities. and repeated attempts were made To