Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-04-30

&SS importance. One, it was
announced, will greatly in
crease the production of gasoline; the
announcement stated that the other
will make the United States indepen-
dent OF the rest of the world in the
production of materials necessary for
the dye industry and the manufacture
OF nigh explosives. These discoveries
nave the double importance of being
of the highest interest scientifically
and probably of the highest value COM
mercially.-
The old method of refining petro-
leum was to heat up the material in a
still and condense the vapors coming
of. Gasoline is all of the vapor
which passes off up to $50 degrees CEN
Upgrade. This was simple distilla-
ton process. The experimental work
OF Doctor Rittman has been done at
various ranges of pressure from up to
nearly 500 pounds per square inch
down to partial vacuum and at ranges
of temperature from 1000 degrees cen
t1grade down to the lowest tempera-
ture at which the apparatus could be
worked.
In his laboratory at Havemeyer hall
at Columbia university he has an ex-
perimental apparatus which occupies
one end of a small room and in which
he can make experiments upon any oil
under any conditions he chooses. The
results are carefully tabulated and the
products produced are analysed. Be
fore carrying out these actual expert
ments, however, the problem was at
tackled from the purely theoretical
side.
Working from a theoretical stand
point, the expected results were
mapped out and then the experiments
were tried under the chosen condi-
lions in order to either verify or dis
prove the representations. Using this
general method Of procedure, the re-
search was carried on and the discov-
cry made of the conditions necessary
to produce larger yields of gasoline
from petroleum. Later were found the
conditions necessary for the produc-
ton of toluol and benzol from petro-
leum.
The consumption of gasoline by au-
tomobiles, motor cycles, aeroplanes,
motor boats, and the various types of
internal combustion engines used for
last few years. The increase in the
number of motor vehicles shows this.
for, according to the best estimates,
there were, in 1910, $4,000 such We.
hicles; in 1912 there were 100000
while at the present time the number
has reached 100000. Upon the as
sumption that each motor vehicle uses
ten barrels of gasoline per year, the
demand from this source alone would
be 100000 barrels of AZ gallons each
The gasoline exported and that used
for other purposes makes our annual
consumption reach a total of about
25,0O0,000 gallons, which is the pres
ent production.
The supply has not been increasing
as fast as the demand, however, anG
it not for the fact that in the last three
years many new processes have beer
patented for increasing most of the
production. These have had no com
mercial value, however, except one
the Burton process, which is con
trolled by the Standard Oil company
The situation which developed wher
this process was brought out three
years ago was an interesting one Tht
supply of gasoline was so nearly ex
ceeded by the demand that the situa
ton was very critical and the price
was high. There was a real "gasolin,
problem" 1t seemed impossible t,
meet the increasing demand with al
adequate supply.
Benzol was also put forward as
substitute. 1t was found possible t
use this material for motor vehicle
in Europe to certain extent by EN-
ploying special carburetors, although
1t was not entirely satisfactory.
After all, nothing was really able t.
take the place of gasoline in being en-
tirely satisfactory, nor was there al
adequate supply of any other material
1t was at this time that the Standar,
Oil company solved the "gasolin
problem" by utilizing the Burton proc
ess, which gave prospect of an abur
dance of gasoline for some years a
least,
However. the independent refir
ers, who were prevented by tn
patents from using this superior metf
cd of distilling their crude oil, coul
not materially increase their outpu
ANN ACTED THAT TILE MThI