Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-17
SH|PLOAD OF OIL
EACH WORKING DAY
Atlantic Refining Company Said
to Be Largest Producer of
Lubricant in World

1oyed distinction as one of the prin-
cipal oil producing States of America,
IL is doubtful IL the real importance
of the city of Philadelphia as re-
fining center. is or has ever been more
than partially recognized. The state
ment that she is to-day the largest
| producer of luhricating oils in the
world, will, therefore. cause some sur
prise. as will the knowledge that
| good-siZed Shipload of petroleum
products is dispatched from her
wharves every working day through
out the year, to say nothing of the
! great quantities of oils and greases
regularly consumed by her own indus
ties or transported elsewhere by rail
| and by motor truck.
obviously, the mere mention of
| these facts will instantly suggest to
the mind of the reader the Atlantic
| Refining Company, once n subsidiary
| of the Standard Oil Company but now
an independent producer. operated
| and controlled by its own executives.
! And 1t is with this great concern,
which also operates refineries at Pitts
hurgh and at Franklin, Pa, that this
narrative has to do. Its Vastness as
| well as its systematic methods of do
| ing business will prove of interest to
the public generally. while its activi-
ties in the production of Atlantic
Gasoline and "Polarine Or will be
more or less eagerly followed by auto
mobilists in particular.
Founded in 1866
Founded as long ago as 1866. this
big concern, then known as the Allan
tic Petroleum Storage Company. was
subsequently absorbed by the so-Called
oil trust and continued TO do business
under its direction until n few years
ago, when the courts ordered sepa-
n nfh thSfl ia
concerns from the parent organization.
To-day its Philadelphia plant extends
over an area of no less than $50 acres
of land, stretching along nearly two
miles of river front on both sides of
the Schuyllill below Passyunk avenue
approximately three thousand names
are enrolled on its list of employees,
while its payments To the wage-earners
of Philadelphia alone aggregate ST.
500, ,000 annually. While the Atlantic
company, as has ben stated. is a large
producer. il is correspondingly a large
consumer of varying lines of merchan-
disc, and among other things pur-
chases an average of $50. 200 tons of
coal per year from the Pennsylvania
coal fields.
The big refinery in which every
thing is highly systematized, operates
about six miles fo railway lines, eN-
tending over its ground and used for
one plant to another. Its supply of
crude oil emanates from virtually
every oil-produeing section of the
country, from the oil wells of western
Pennsylvania TO those of Oklahoma,
and is transported to the Atlantic
company's huge tanks by means of
numerous underground pipe lines.
While "Polarine' oils are to be had
wherever automobiles are in use, the
Atlantic Refining Company disposeS of
most of its product throughout the
States of Pennsylvania and Delaware,
both of which are honeycombed with
its distributing stations and motor
truck delivery systems. Hanging upon
the walls of several of the companys
executive offices are huge maps of
these two States. each divided and
subdivided by accurately drawn lines,
stars and other markings, indicating
the location of the company's dis
tributing points and the routes of
something like l25 moto trucks, one OF
the most comprehensive fleets ever In
stalled by an American enterprise.
These trucks are supplemented by
numerous horse-drawn vehicles used
for short hauls. II is said that there
is no road of Importance nor town of
any size in either of the States men,
toned which is not regularly traversed
I by the Atlantic company'S vehicles at
| least twice a week. Besides this. the
company owns and operates a number
of barges, tugboats and other types of
/ riVeEcraft.
f7.O00,0OO Gallons a Year
An official of the company is the au-
/ thority for the statement that during
/ the year 1914, the Atlantic Refining
/ Company produced and disposed OF
over 4I.0OO,OO0 gallons of gasoline in
the States of Pennsylvania and Della
ware alone. The significance of this
4 ha ai.t 4
when it is explained that this enor-
nous quantity of oil fuel would be
sufficient TO propel a small automobile
1920 times around the circumference
of the earth, or 4,540 trips from the
earth to the moon.
1t must be acknowledged that PhiIa-
delphia has just cause for civic pride
and the State of Pennsylvania a sense
of qualification. over the increasine &
prominence which the port of Phila-
deIphia has taken in respect to export
shipments. The Atlantic Refining
Companys diversified products of pc
troleum constitute over % per cent. OF
nearly quarter of this increasingly
important ports export clearances
immensely. of volume has never
overshadowed perfection in product
with this company however in its
consistent and rapid progress. DUAL.
lty First with them is not only ar
ideal, but an actually. The attain.
ment of this successful struggle fol
perfection is evidenced by the recent
announcement of the Winton Motor
Car Company. of Cleveland, to the eff.
feet that in their Winton &c" repair
expense contest for 1914. John Grau
of Pittsburgh. who won last year:
contest was returned the winner o,
the first prize of $1,000. having driver
his Winton s. car over $4,000 mile.
with no repair expense, to which sig
nificant testimonial Mr.. Grau adds ir
detail that his successful driving wa.
secured when using solely the AtantI,
= Refining Companys gasoline. Polarint
oil, and Polarine greases. clearly stat
= ing that he attributed his success il
winning the contest to the assistance
1 contributed by this motor fuel anc
4; these lubricants of quality.