The Washington herald., 1916-10-15
Seen and Heard by George Miner.

New York. Oct. I4.-At the national meeting
OF chemists now going on, notice that they are
seriously discussing the question of finding a
cheaper substitute for gasoline
Why substitute? Why not simply cheaper gas
oline?
Everybody knows that gasoline can be made
and retailed with good profit at ten cents gal
lon The government pays only eleven cents a
gallon for the enormous quantities it uses. 1t is
not as though there was any shortage of oil to
make it from. There is plenty of oil. In fact,
there is a great deal of oil available that is not
being used
know this seems like rather extravagant
statement, but it is absolutely true nevertheless.
Take the Mexican oil fields, for example, the most
prolific known in the world today. There are flow
ing wells there which would yield million bar
rels daily if there was any demand for it. Instead
OF that, there is a market for only some $4,000
barrels day The rest of it is capped and lying
idle. In other words, only per cent of the Mex
ican possible output is going into commerce. There
is plenty of oil available to make gasoline from
The growth of the oil business in Mexico has
been rapid Beginning in 1906 with a pro-
ducton of less than half million barrels, the
Mexican output increased with such rapidity that
in 1914 the total was 2s,72s,4o3 barrels while the
production held under valve for lack of market
was <SO'OOOOOO OdIrclS. Even IN lace OF the rev
olution then going on, foreign capital flowed in
there freely. 1t is estimated that American in
vestments in the Mexican oil regions aggregate
$I75,ooo,ooo while there is reputed to be more
than $4,000 5000 of British and Dutch capital also
engaged.
An example of what Mexicos petroleum
supply means, let give a brief history of the
opening up of Cerro Azul, No. 4, the greatest oil
we'll in the world. l get the facts from the rec
ords of one of the American companies holding
title to of the large fields there
Caro- Azul, No 4, bought by the Huasteca
Petroleum Company February TO- 1916 1t is now
shut off. The measured flow OF this we'll for the
twenty-four hours before it closed was 200, 900.
The pressure stands at 1895 pounds to the
square inch.
When this gusher opened gas came with
such force that it threw the tools stripped off
the valve and destroyed the derrick. A day later,
it shot oil into the air to a measured height of 600
feet 1t flowed more than 100000 barrels OF
petroleum before it was brought under control on
February II.
The gas came without warning and with
terrific The workmen ran for their lives
but fortunately none was injured. The drill Bit
which weighed two tons landed I25 feet from the
we'll, imbedding itself twenty feet in the ground
within three feet Of the photographer, who was
making moving pictures Of the scene.
The roar of escaping gas and oil was like the
continuous discharge Of cannon. During the
tire time that the well was being brought under
control, the noise such that the men could not
hear one another speak within half mile Of it.
1t is estimated that $4,000, 900 cubic feet Of gas
escaped before much oil made its appearance. The
suction created by the upward rush Of this vast
column drew in fresh air, so that the men could
work without discomfort.
For two miles around the we'll the country was
saturated with petroleum as the column, which
ranged in height from 500 to 600 feet, was swayed
by the wind. Bright sunshine by day and a full
beauty.
And that well, the greatest in the world, is
capped for lack of market for the oil. Does that
look though there would be any difficulty in
getting all the oil that was needed to make gaso-
line of? Somebody is putting one over on the
American public by charging 25 cents gallon for
gasoline.
Then look up in Canada. They have some wells
up there near Calgary that spout regular gasoline.
You can put it in and run with it all right.
But there is of course, comeback to that for
after few months of of this natural gasoline
the engines of your are more or less ruined.
The gas needs refining something to take the
injurious elements Of it. Still that should not
be such very difficult expensive undertaking.
1t couldn't cost more than few cents barrel at
the most
No. Mr.. Chemist, we do not need cheap sub
stitute for gasoline. All we need is cheaper genu
inc gasoline.