The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-09-14
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ploved The blanket was carefully squeezed and
the oily substance recovered. Rude pits were
dug lined with rough-hewn timbers, and the OIL
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.
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 OIL"
and Snake OIL" sold extensively as sure cure
for all the aches and pains to which man in heir.
1t was universally accepted a medcament but
with little curiosity to how great quantity
Of the wonderful curative could be secured or
whence it came.
AS early 1870, the manufacture of salt be-
came 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
had to be abandoned on account of their produc-
ing uncomfortable quantities of petroleum. then
considered most undesirable element. nota-
bic incident of this kind occurred at Little Renox
Creek, near Burkesvile, Kentucky, in 1929 when
an attempt made to sink we'll and secure what
was supposed to be unlimited supply of brine
resulted in the striking of a mammoth oil gusher
CONSERVATION and disappointment spread among
the owners of the well as 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 distance of
over fifty miles When the fire was eXtinguished
the Oil flowed on as rapidly as before and with
Inc exception of small quantity which was later
recovered, bottled and sold under the name of
American Medicinal OIL" the product was
wasted.
In 1886 DR.. Abraham Gesner discovered A
method of extracting an excellent grade of ilIum
mating oil from coal. and In 1854 he patehted a
"uccessful illuminant 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 were gradually set aside, and in
order to meet an enormous and ever-increasing
demand for the product, it became necessary to
establish factories throughout the country for the
extraction of this popular Illuminating oil from
coal. Altogether there were over 60 of these
establishments in operation at one time. and the
price of kerosene advanced rapidly until 1857
when 1t sold as high as 81 a gallon. The industry
was short lived, however, for upon the discovery
OF petroleum in sufficient quantities to effect a
competition as 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 conseJ
quent high price were the cause at attracting tha
worldwide attention of chemists and scientific
authorities. and repeated attempts were made to