Year: 1874

the establishment placed hlmseI1 NJ our
service.


Passing from the small Office to the
yard, the first objects that attracted US
were several large tanks, in external ap-
pearance not unlike gasometers. These
were all plainly lettered A, b, G and D,
and so on, and much larger one than
any yet in use was being built by a
swarm of grimy workmen.


" Two of the tanks contain thirteen
thousand barrels of crude petroleum,
and the new one when complete, will
hold twenty-five thousand more," the
clerk explained. "The crude oil is de-
livered in bulk to us, vessels specially
constructed for the purpose being used
to transport it from the railway depots
to the works. The boats, with their
holds in the form of tanks containing
from five hundred to twelve hundred
barrels, come right up to the wharves,
where the oil is pumped by steam pow
er into these reservoirs. and there kept
until wanted. The other tanks con-
tain the oil after publication. Let us
now see how the oil is distilled"


We followed him until we came to an
extensive brick building, divided by an
aisle, on both sides of which are long
rows of stills or boilers, with great fur
naces blazing beneath them.


In it's original state the petroleum has
a murky green color, and it is conveyed
here from the reservoir through iron
pipes, to be separated from the tar and
other impurities.


How is this done ?" we asked.


BY boiling"


Surely it is very unsafe to have fire
so near such explosive susbtances! Mr..
Sibthorpe exclaimed.


"The greatest precaution is taken of
course, and though accidents do occur,
they are not frequent. AS the vapors
arise from the boiling liquid, they are
conveyed into pipes surrounded by cold
water, and in this manner they are con-
densed. The first give naptha, and
those produced by longer boiling give
burning oil. About five per cent. of
the oil put into the still, remains in the
form Of tar, which, by another course
of treatment, is converted into paraffine
and ccke. Come this way, and you will
see the oil after distillation."


Our obliging guide beckoned us to a
sort of platform behind the stills, and
here we saw the refined oil spouting
from numerous little mouths into OBJ
long iron pans. 1t no longer bore the
deep green color, but was as transpar-
ent as fresh water, and beautifully
tinged with delicate blues and purple.
From the receiving room it again passes
into underground tanks, and thence it
is conveyed to another part of the works
for " treatment" and washing"


This idea of washing oil much tickled
the fancy of the two boys, who Won
deled how it could possibly be done,
and gave us no rest until the clerk ex-
planned.


"This is the BATH he said, but we
call it an 'aSitator.


He pointed to a circular tank, sur
rounded by woodwork, and supplied
with a staircase leading to the summit.
Up this he invited us to climb, and at
last we came breathlessly to small
platform at the top. The tank was un-
covered except by the roof of the plat
form, and looking into it we saw that it
was filed with oil of q disagreeably yel-
low tint.


After remaining in the under
ground reservoir for q short time, the
distilled oil is then brought here for ag-
itation," said the clerk. cit is first
treated with acids, which are poured
in and mixed with the oil by powerful
air pressure from beneath. The batch
OF oil contained in the agitator now has
been treated-seventy or eighty thous-
and gallons in all. Naturally when the
mass is allowed to quiet, the acids sep
arated from the oil and sink to the bot
tom, where they are drained off. This
removes considerable quantity of tar,
but still the oil is not in n perfect con-
dition, and is next washed in salt wa
ter"


A workman appeared on the platform
at this moment, and turned gushing
hose into the agitator. After a large
quantity of water had been put in, the