Petroleum as Old
DOC
ANOTHER GIRL
as the - Hills "faf
BY
HASTINGS
MJLLWARD
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS
dHhsHHSMi
ETROLEUM is as old
a8 the nllls. Whon tho
earth was formed nu
ture provided this oil,
and In tho crude state
prlmltivo man adapted
It to many usoful pur
poses, such as anoint
lug:, burning as fuel,
and Illumination, and
also as an oblation In
religious corcnionles;
but the systematic re
fining of tho product
from Its very inception Is strictly an
American Industry,
Tho name petroleum, meaning "oil
from tho rock," was familiar to tho
Greeks, Romans and Persians from
the dawn of their history. Horodotus
-wroto of tho Springs of Xante, from
"which this oil
-wan gathered by
dipping myrtle
branches on tho
nurfneo of tho
water In 600 I).
C., and It was
well known at
tfint tlmo that
asphnltum, petro
leum, naphtha,
and maltha were
nil various forms
of tho saiuo sub
stance, collectlvo
ly classified as
ultumon. Maltha,
more commonly
known aa pitch,
was tho Inde
struct I bio cement
of history, used
In Mie construc
tion of the Tem
ple of Nineveh
and the Tower of
Ilshel; and there
Us tittle doubt
that it was uni
versally employ
ed for similar
purpose since
the day when
nyui first con-
celyed the1 Idea 'of building. The maltha-lined cis
terns found In Kgypt und at Petreea, although of
unknown antiquity, nre still in a perfect state
of'preaervattoii and fit for practical use. It Is al
so a well-established fact that In the preparation
of material for embalming and encauHtlo painting
1h Kgypt and Mexico maltha formed the principal
Prt.
Many theories have been advanced as to how
bitumen Was been produced, but no general chem
ical formula can be given for tho occurrence of
the several curious forms of the product. There
Is ,no doubt, however, that bitumen represents
a substance that is obtained from potroleum,
found In its liquid state In the containing rockn,
himI by the process of nature's laboratory has
been gradually converted into lta more solid form.
This process may be described aa evaporation,
Aa' the oil seeps to the surface, genorally by Its
oWn gaseous pressure, the natural gases, spir
ituous and light oils are evaporated by tho sun,
ami the residues, asphaltum and maltha, formed.
Indications of the presence of petroleum are fre
quently found on the surface in the form of bitu
men, but there Is no fixed rule, and recent dls
coverlea seem to upset the theory that oil can
-erily be found under certain conditions. Wells
li&ve been sunk arid oil found along the coast of
'OAHomla, where - the operations have oven- ex,
twifled !for some distance into tho sea. In a
variety of climates and frem the sea level up
tbt-Migh the lofty ranges of the Andes has this
remarkable "light of the world" been secured.
. Petroleum, also known as mineral oil, crude
oil, and,(ouo oil, may be described as a liquid
'fern of bitumen, found seeping from the crevices
of rocks and floating about on the surface of the
water. Its color varies from a light straw,
tUtreuftli amber, red and brown, to a dark green
uumI black, It la a mixture of hydrocarbons, or
, tow pounds of hydrogen and carbon, varying con
siderably, according to the Locality in.whlch it i
fHtadt in both composition and consistency, and
of two distinct varieties, asphalt base and paraffin
,' with many constituents .
The more volatile awl- taMmtaaele portions of
the raw product are sertaNl 'by refining, each
constituent, being taken, off and cetleeted sep
arately, by gradually, raleingMhe vtemeerature ef
the oil and' pfwMag the- coneenUent vapors or
khma UirHft a mtH ot eondetteero, The prod
uei' hwmtWe paMtttn'hASM are uwlly taken- off
m "otyoKi!. OMHtitwee awl naphtha, kerosene on
etandard1 white, as It Is 'now k.RawHV other, llluml
"iiaUsK t.ly Uskt and 'heavy lubctlg -e4Ui. par
aMn, and grease of various' descriptions. The
percentage of eeh product recovered from the
crude varies aeeateiMg to the character ot the
crude. A fair average of Pennsylvania crude oil
raaaa fellows: Gasoline, ii per cent,' naphthas,
li per cent; kerosene, 65 per cent; lubricating
oils, 17Vi per cent; .paraffin, 2 per cent; and residue
ot pitch, etc., 10 per cent. Many varietlea ot
petroleum require special treatment In order to
eliminate sulphur and other objectionable ele
ments, From the asphalt-baso petroleum Is de
yrived of a, residuum employed in tho manufac
ture of insulating, water-proofing and roofing mat
terialu, A residuum known as Vcoke" Is also
wed as fuel and in the manufacture of carbons
for arc lights and olcctrlo batteries. .
Along the banks ot a stroiitn J'n Pennsylvania,
iftow known under tho prosaic; title of Oil Creek,
the Sonoca Indian
once dipped his
blnnkot in moat ro
mantic fashion as
ho tried In vain to
transfer the bril
liant and variegated
colors he discovered
on tho surfaco of
the littlo pools of
potroloum. Disap
pointed because ho
could not ut once
cotlvort his 'attrac
tive find into a sat
isfactory dyo mate
rial, the red man
found other pur
poses for which the
oil could be em
ployed. The blanket was carefully squeezed and
the oily substance recovered. Rudo pits were
dug, lined with rough-hewn tlmborB, and tho oil
was stored away for future use. Thus began tho
first known practical conservation of petroleum
In America. Many of these old Indlau pits are
still found In an1 oxcellont condition, the timbers
being practically as sound aa tho day when cut
from tho forest.
It was not long, however, beforo tho white man
bognn to realize tho ynluo ot this remarkable
discovery, and ontorprlslng pioneers began to dig
pita similar to those ot tho Indian and to Rather
tho oil, which for many years was bottled und,
under the namoB of "8enoca Oil,' "Indian Oil,"
nnd "Snako Oil," sold' extensively aa a sure cure
for all tho actios and pains to which man In heir.
It was universally accepted as a roodlcament, but
with little curiosity as to bow groat aiunutlty
of the wonderful curative could be aocured or
whence It came.
Ab early as 1700, the manufacture of Bait be
came an Important industry In tho United StnteB,
and for tho purpose numberless brine wells were
sunk throughout the country, especially along tho
western slopo of tho Allegheny Mountains, where
tho brine was found In groat abundance, collected,
and evaporated Into salt. Many ot these wells
had to be abandoned on account of their produc
ing uncontrollable quantities of petroleum, then
considered a most undoslrable element. A nota
ble Incident of this kind occurred at Little Ronox
Creek, near Durkesvlllo, Kentucky, In 1829. when
an attempt made to sink n well and socuro what
was supposed to be nn unlimited supply or brine
resulted In the striking of a mammoth oil gusher.
Consternation and disappointment spread among
the owners of tho well as they witnessed the
groat quantities of oil flowing rapidly beyond the
creek and Into the Cumberland River, whoro It
finally caught fire and burnod for a distance ot
over fifty miles. When the lire was extinguished
tho oil flowed on as rapidly as boforo, and, with
ine exception ot d small quantity which was lator
recovered, bottled, and sold under tho' name of
"American Medicinal OH," tho product waB
wasted.
In' 1848 Dr. Abraham Qeaner discovered a
method of extracting an oxcellont grade ot illum
inating1 oil from coal, and In 1854 ho patented &
fuccewful Ulumlnaat, "kerosene," commonly
known as "ceat-oll." The Improvement was so
great .over the animal arid vegetable oils then In
use, the objectionable" odor and smoke bolng elim
inated, that hey were gradually set aside, and In
order to meet an enormous and over-Increasing
demand for the product, It became necessary to
establish factories throughout the country for the
extraction of this popular Illuminating oil from
ol. Altogether there were over 60 pf theae
establishments In operation at one time, and the
price of kerosene advanced rapidly until 1857,
when It sold as high as $3 a gallon. Tho Industry
was short lived, hpwever, for upon the discovery
ot petroleum in tmfflctont quantities to offoct a
competition ns a basis from which Illuminating
oils could be manufactured, thoso kerosene fac
tories were convortod Into roflnerlus of crudo oil
In order to prevent tholr total loss.
Tho great demand for keroseno and Its conse
quent Wen price were tho cnuso at attracting tho
world-wide attention of chemists nnd scientific
authorities, and ropeated attempts were made to
discover tho moans of producing at
a lower cost soma other satisfactory
Ulumlnant from coal or petroleum.
Researches In this line were1 contin
uous and untiring until early in
1855, whon a complete, and invalu
ably analysis of petroleum, takon
fronl an "oil Bprlng" on Oil Creek,
noar Tltusvlllo, Pennsylvania, was
mado by tho distinguished chemist,
Prof. Denjamln Sllllman, Jr.
Tlio manner of driving or sinking
an oil well Is Blmpler than Is gener
ally imagined. A atcol drill, weigh
ing anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000
pounds, and measuring about 30
feet In length, Is selected for the
purpose. This Is fastened to an ad
justable lino and connoctod with a heavy arm or
beam, driven by an englno which continually
rniBes and roloascs tho arras and permltB tho drill
to fall with great force into the holo. With each
drop, and by Ub own weight, tho drill literally
crushoB and pulverizes tho rock into sand, which
1b removed with a "sand pump" from tlmo to time
as It accumulates in the, boring. As tho work pro
gresses and tho holo deepens tho adjustable lino is
tntiirMmno.1 nmi thn drill lowered as required.
After drilling to depthB varying from 100 to 2,000
foot, and whon a crevlco is struck In tho rock, the
oil Is frequently brought to tho surfaco by tho
force of Its) pwn pressure; but, It often becomes,
nocessary,;lii case the flow ot oil is not considered
sufficient, to insert a charge of explosive at tho
bottom of tho boring, "shoot"' or blast the woll,
and thus Increase tho supply. After tho drilling
and blasting nro completed, tho woll is then cased
with Iron piping, known no a "lining," and a pump
inserted.
In tho old dnyB each well was pumped separ
ately, but tho industry Ib now conducted upon such
an economic and scientific basis that tho wells are
pumped In groups by a veritable network" ot con
necting rods, extending over the Holds and driven
by an englno In a centrallzod station.
In somo districts tho oil fields have been prac
tically honoycombod with wells and the production
of potroleum greatly reduced or scattered by con
tinual pumping.
As the enterprise grow many complex problems
arose om tlmo to time, but they have nil beon
gradually but effectually solved and tho industry
placed upon n conservative nnd economic basis.
Tho total flow of oil in tho United States for
tho year 1869, tho first ot which any official record
has been kept, amountod to only 2.000 barrels.
For tho year 1909 tho production ob estimated by
David T Day or the United States Ooologlcul Sur
vey amounted to about 178,000,000 barrels, which.
If placed in a single body,, would be sufficient to
float a gigantic fleet of 1)35 Dreadnought battle
ships of tho now 26,000-ton Arknusas typo of the
United States, Navy.
Gradually the oil derrick, wendod Its way from
a northeasterly to southwesterly direction, and tho
potroloum industry waB extende'd over a vnst terri
tory. During the year 1908 there wore 1G.909 wells
Bunk In the United States, of which but 3,214 were
dry, ,
Extensive experiments havo been conducted to
determlno the valuo of petroleum as fuel for power
plants as well a8 for tho navy and merchant ma
rlno, especially in England and the Unltod States.
Numerous merchant vossoIb have beon fully
equipped for burning oil as fuol, and, by .practical
tett, it has been determined that oil will evaporate
30 per cent more wator per pound than coal, Is
easier to handle and stow, offora no difficulty In
burning, and, In Its use, time formerly wasted In
coaling nnd in useless labor la saved, smoke elimi
nated, tuet space economized, steaming and speed
capacities Increased, strain on hollars greatly do
creased, and a clean ship assured at all times.
The crude oil ot paraffin base Is particularly de
sirable tor fuel, and the only obstacles to Its uni
versal use arst (1) Difficulty In obtaining; (2) In
creased cost over cool, With tho production ot
sufficient petroleum at a reasonable cost, there Is
little doubt that every ship afloat will be event
ually equipped, with oil burners and the coal grates
pass from use,.
The United States navy hns equipped- tho bat
tleships Delaware, North Dakota, Utah, Florida,
Arkansas and Wyoming with auxiliary provision
for from 400 to, 600 tons ot fuel oil each.
Thn nntv Vint tlnnhlnn now under construction at
the Fore River Ship Building Company, Philadel
phia, for tho Argentine government, wiu aiso no
equipped tor auxiliary oil capacities ot 600 tons
each.
The usefulness ot petroleum Is almost unlimited.
Besides tho many grades of gasollnoB, naphthas,
illuminating oils, lubricating oils, paraffin, and
orrnnoAu iihtrtlnAf! from thn rnifln nil nnrnffln hncA
0.Vu-- wwv,.. ---- ----- ' - Y,
filtered paraffin residues or concentrated JellloB,
are also obtained.' Thoso Jellies aro uutvorsally
employed as therapeutic agents In diseases ot the
skin, aa a basis in tho manufacture ot medicated
ointments for general household uso, and also In
me compounuing ot bhoo anu moiai pousnes.
(Coprkbt. till, bf Aiioclited Lllemrr Picti.)
When the S. S. Marlon had pullod
out of sight ot the crowd on tho pier,
Jimmy Murphy turned a wholly dis
interested glance upon his fellow pas
sengers. For the time being, his po
sition aq a newly engaged man, hung
heavily on his shoulders. Helen Dan
vors, his fiancee, had been on tho pier
and as the boat pulled away leaving
only the murky water between hor and
the man of hor choice, Helen's piquant
face had found a tearful nest in tho
bit ot lacy cambric which served as a
handkerchlof.
Still, as tho day wore on Jimmy
cheered up. It seemed to him that he
had novor before crossed tho briny
deep on so wonderfully laden a ship.
In companlonwayB, in tho library, In
the bow of tho boat and In tho atom
he soomod destined to meet trngmonts
from tho feminine world and each bit
looked prettlor than tho last For a
moment Jim Murphy felt aggrieved;
his allcglanco to Helen Danvors shut
htm off from any shipboard romance-
n here-to-foro much enjoyod prlvllego
ot tho ocoan voyago.
It -was at dinner that the blow camo.
He waa In tho act of giving his order
to tho steward when that Individual
rushod to tho asslBtanco of tho girl
who had beon assigned to tho scat
next to his own. Aftor one glanco nt
her. Murphy roalized that, bad ho beon
a steward, hla actions would havo
been the same.
"I nm afraid I Interrupted your or
der." Tho girl looked into Murphy's
eyes. Tho hoart of the engaged man
quaked. The girl was beautiful.
"After you." Murphy's tone waa
resorved to tho point of unfriendli
ness. The girl cast a quick glance at him
then turned to contomplato the menu.
Murphy folt that ho had been thrown
from her regard much as she would
discard an unplenslng bit of fabric. It
was too much for JImmio'a knowledge
of the Joy of living. Ho turned to her
with a emtio that shone from his
hoart
"PleaBo forgive my seeming rudo
ness," he said with a full moasure ot
friendliness In his eyes. "I am a trifle
peevishthere aro the jolllest lot of
pretty girls on this boat that I have
over crossed with and I feel afraid of
all ot thorn."
Molly Sherwell lauehod and danced
questloningly at Murphy.
"I would not have selected you as
onq fearful of feminine wiles."
"Dut I am engaged." 1
"oni"
It soomed for a Bocond that tho very
engines stopped their vibrations; then
tho girl spoke again.
'That does make considerable dif
ference" Sho paused while a queor
little shadow fllttod across her face.
"I bellovo that I, too, would bo afraid
to cross the ocean with somo Jolly
men on board If I owed allegiance to
ono in particular. Ocoan liners seem
to bo tho ombodlmont of the old time
sorceress I foel suro that sho at least
wields her wand over them all."
"Tho wand of Infatuation only?"
Jimmy Murphy but half expected an
answer.
"Infatuation is exactly tho word,"
laughed Molly. "I have crossed the
ocean nine timos and on every trip I
fell madly In love."
"And tho men?" Murphy put tho
question quickly, eagerly desirous of
knowing tho outcomo.
"Threo of them wanted me to marry
them; the others woro merely the ef
fect ot moonlight, the lapping ot tho
waves and lolsure hours Bpout in
closely sot steamer chairs."
"And you?" Again tho eager ques
tion. "I? Well ao soon as my feet touch
tho wharf I am as heart-freo nB if I
had novor seen a boat."
"Ohl"
Jimmy Murphy waB silent for so
long a time that his companion broke
into a soft laugh. "Surely you are not
going to have many more such serious
and profound moments during this
trip?"
"I will tell you exactly what I was
thinking It you care to-know." Mur
phy turned bo that he met her startled
glance. "Do you?"
"No," she put in quickly.
"I shall tell you, anyway. When
you Interrupted my thoughts I had
JUst conquered a desire to make you
care for me your attitude mado me
deelre a stage In which you would bo
the victim but my better nature won
out and" Murphy laughed lightly.
"Then I have missed a rather amus
ing game haven't I?"
Jim Murphy's Hps shut tight. Molly
Sherwell cast a glance at him and felt
satisfied; Flippant remarks would
havo to bridge, many a chasm with
this man and she hoped that her In
consequent moods would never be tar
from her command.
"Since you are heartless and I am
engaged we are certainly well guarded
against the wiles of the ocean will
you walk on deck with me now? I
insist on being friends friendship Is
great between a man and a woman,
isn't it?"
Molly left the question unanswered.
It was tho tenth day, and on the
morrow Quoenstown and all that tho
word moant would bo with tho pas
songors ot tho Marlon. In tho evonlng,
the last night on board, Molly Sher
well and Jim Murphy paced a moonlit
dock.
"This has been the most pleasant
of my trips." It was tho girl who
spoke. "For once, the voyago has
been calm and chummy rather than
omotlonal isn't It eft"
"Perhaps it has been to you"
Molly laughed quickly. - "I do be
llevo you would be serious in another
day or two. It Is a' good thing that
we will be having, that sad sweet part- ,
Ing bo .soon "
"Stop! You know as well as I that,
you. are only trying to cover the real
by tho flippant.' All tho time I am in
London you aro going to bo thore.
You have promised to glvo me one
month of your splendid friendship and
wo aro going to all tho thentors, op-'
eras nnd dinners that wo can crowd
Into thirty days."
"No, no that was Bomo of our In
consequent chatter at tho beginning ot
tho trip." Molly tried to draw her
arm away,
When they arrived nt the stern ot
tho boat whero no sound camo sayo
tho ruBh of foamy water, ho stopped
hor and spoko in n voice' mado rich
by now depths.
"You are. not going backr on your
promlso. I lovo you, dear it has been
so since you camo and Bat besldo mo
at tho tablo. It Is not tho first time
that a man has found tho ono woman
when It wns too late and I am not
complaining I nm only glad to havo
known, oven for a short tlmo, .such
love as I fool for you." Ho drow her
so near him that she started back
with n faint cry. Ho released hor and
before he roalized hor Intention she
was away and out ot his sight
He stood for somo moments whero
sho had left him. Ho waa dazed by
the vastness of his lovo for hor; too
much so to reason that llfo with any
other woman was Impossible.
Ho did not sco Molly Snerwell again
that night nor the next morning. Tho
tender was alongside tho Marlon and
most of tho passengers for Queons
town were on the smallor boat Mur
phy scanned evory part of tho ship,
but the girl was pot to bo soon. He
concluded that alio was In hor state
room packing as sho waa to go on to
Liverpool.
Nevertheless he pacod tho deck
norvously oxpectant Some-Inner con
sciousness told him that events were
shaping themselves Into strange chan
nels. When the tondor with its load oi
Queonstown passengers was roady
to detach itself from tho great ship
Murphy gave a tromondous start
Molly Sherwell was on tho tender. She
w.as, getting ,o'ff at Ireland and ho, the
man who loved her, had no address
no possible clue to whero sho would
bo. Sho had takon this means ot es
cape! Murphy looked down at tho thin
stream of wator which was slowly
widening between the two boats. With
out stopping to think ot what he woi
doing ho rushed bolow. In tho con
pnnionway ho waB stopped. A cabl
for William Jainoa Murphy. Ho Bcarco
ly comprohonded tho contents as ha
continued his mad dash for tho low
est possible deck ot tho Marlon.
When ho reaced tho closest spot tc
tho tender and his eye caught sight
of a trailing rope from her stern ha
mado a firm clear dlvo Into the almost
calm water.
Thero was a fearful stirring on bott
boats' and llfo preserves wore hurled
from nil points. Murphy prayod, while
ho strugglod with tho sea, that ht
might reach that rope boforo a UU
saver reached him. Ho waa a power
tul swimmer. After a brief but mlghtj
struggjo his hands found and clung to
tho rope of tho tender. For ono sec
ond his oye looked up and he saw
the face ot Molly Sherwell. Her oyer
were praying for his safety and hoi
arms woro outstretched.
"He is mine!" he hoard her say u
those who would have cared for him
when he went for a moment into the
unconscious world.
Later,. Molly bont over him. "Yot
might have died dear " Her v.olca
broke.
"I would haye died anyway without
you. Everything went with you whal
was the game worth without loye?"
The cable, soaked and quickly dls
appearing to nothingness, fell between
thorn.
"My first fiancee was very fickle
She married the other follow flvo dayi
after I loft. Molly do you know
whether or not we havo to live In Lon
don more than a woek before we can
got n license to"
"Even a weok would seem long
wouldn't, it dear?"
Woman Had Him Guessing.
Dan McCarthy, auditor for Cohan &
Harris, was fondling ton now $100 bills
in his office a day or two ago wlien a
well known Now York play broker a
woman dropped In.
"What have you got there?" she ask
ed ot the auditor.
"It's some of our new Btage money,""
replied McCarthy. Hero he handed her
a $100 bill. "Pretty good Imitation,
eh?" ' '
The woman examined the bill close
ly, "Is that an imitation?" she ask
ed, in astonishment
"It IB."
"Woll, I doclarel" said tho caller.
Then she dropped the bill In her hand
bag and Btarted away. "I want to show
It to my husband," sho Bald.
McCarthy, threo other heads of de
partments and tho offlco boy overtook
hor out on tho Bldewalk in front of
tho building. Now York Morulng Telegraph.