The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-12-19

The largest ana most important VI
the Artlmore owned refineries in this
community, is that of tho Chickasaw
Refining Company. located on the
Chamber of Commerce Industrial Ad-
dition, about a mile north of the
corporate limits Of the city. While
it was established and in the main
financed by Ardmore people, its char
ter was obtained under the laws OF
Delaware. The institution was Or
ganized in May, 1917, at time when
the procuring of materials and equip
ment was most difficult, and the as
sembling thereof almost impossible.
because OF wartime congestion OF
freight on all Of the railroads. Not
withstanding these handicaps, the en-
terprise had rapid development
from grass roots TO output.
The authorized capital of the COM
pany is $3.500,o0O and enough of its
stock was placed locally to purchase
the site. erect the buildings, install
the machinery. purchase tank cars,
and put its product on the market.
All Of its officers are, and have been
since its initiation, Ardmore men, ana
its business has been conducted from
offices in this city. From the start
its finished product has been Of the
highest quality produced in this por-
ton of the Mid-Continent field, and
has and does sell TO the dealer and 10
the consumer at a price above that
at which competing gasoline is sold.
This accomplishment, the management
says, is due to the methods used in
manufacture details of which are
entered into later in this article.
The Chickasaw Refining Company
owes in fee, so acres Of land, lying
on both sides OF the main line of the
Santa Fe railroad, just north of the
city, and along its entire frontage
has a double track spur leading from
the main line into the grounds of
the companys property. Not quite
all of the 20 acres lying on the west
side of the railroad is yet covered
with the buildings, tanks and other
equipment Of the refinery, but exten-
sions and expansions are being added
as the business grows. The 10 acres
lNlnR east vi lilt IdllI IOtu ttlt hSiu
in reserve for future expansion.
Two of the important factors in
the successful operation of a refin-
cry of crude petroleum are. fuel
and water. OF fuel the Chickasaw
produces its own in the form OF
fuel oil; water is obtained from the
Ardmore city mains. and from both
wells, and a good sized ARTIFICIAL lake,
located on the companys property.
Beside the buildings and equipment
hereafter described the company has
on its property two 1880 barrel tanks
for the storage Of crude oil, and 10
tanks of lesser size for storage of
finished products and products in
process OF manufacture. One Of the
tanks for storage of finished products.
however. has capacity of $4,000
barrels.
The plant is -four unit" using the
Blaisdell process. 1t has a capacity
for handling 1900 barrels Of crude
oil per day OF "a hours. and receives
its raw material chiefly. through
the pipe line Of the Coline Oil Com
p'ilSs NiANi tblliFNHS > WIN eiAt AANtAN
ton oil field in Carter county. II
likewise has an all steel loading
rack at the railroad front Of the
property, with capacity for "a cars,
the spots being installed and in daily
use. In the Healdton field II has 20
miles of gathering line" and at
Hewitt eight miles, leading to their
own loading racks at Sand Pit, five
miles east OF Wilson on the o. y.
Al. & p. railroad. From these sources
it is possible for the company ia
assemble crude oil in ample guam
titles, and 10 keep their two big
crude oil tanks full
For transportation of its finished
product the company owns 200 tank
cars Of eight and ten thousand gal
lon capacity, and has 80 tank cars
leased. II is the policy Of the
Chickasaw Company 10 own, rather
than TO lease, tank cars. and as
their lease contracts run out, addl-
tional cars are being purchased. rather
than new lease contracts entered into.
1t Is quite probable that n large
proportion OF the readers OF the Ard
moreite have but an imperfect idea
Of how gasoline. kerosene, fuel oil
md the other prodpcts of an oil re-
finery are made. So. too. had the
writer before visiting the plant OF
the Chicknsaw Company. and had the
process pointed out and explained tc
him by the genial plant supcrintend-
ent, W. A. Jones. But under the
clear explanations and illustrations by
Mr.. Jones, II now seems simple and
easily understood.
Let's see II the picture cannot be
placed before the understanding Of
the reader so that II Is equally in
tolligble to him or her'
A unit OF the refinery. II one Of
those boller.likc looking objects you
see as you ride by the plant on q
Santa Fc train, together with the
skelcton-looking structure standing i'm
mediately behind II. and the pump
house" (which you cannot see from
the railroad) standing behind the
skeleton affair--the technical name OF
the skeleton" being the condenser
box" The boiler-liko object Is the
"still": and there are four of these
standing side by side on the rise
of land near. and facing the railroad
Extending up from. and resting or
the rear end OF this "s,lll' Is a roun,
tower. made OF boiler iron. about 81
inches in diameter and 22is feet
high. This tower is filled with 1906
"crocks" or bricks. ex6 inches II
size. lying closely on top Of eacf
other. but with space enough around