436 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



equal, as in stearine, spermaceti, and some others, the burning is best. 

 The question before us ought to first go through the chemical inquiry before 

 the expenditure of time and money. It would be sound policy to give our 

 best chemists five thousand dollars for advice before we begin our works. 



Mr. Veeder. — Heat the mass of coal to 300° slowly ; then, by the ad- 

 mission of oxygen, the heat would rise, if necessary, to 600° in a few 

 minutes, 



Mr. Seeley. — How low price per gallon ? said to be $1.50. 



Mr. Everitt. — Never less than 75 cents. 



Mr. Stetson. — A Pittsburgh manufacturer will sell it crude at one shil- 

 ling a gallon. It might be refined here. 



Mr. Reid. — There is much difiiculty in refining it. We may use several 

 vats for condensation at the several temperatures, viz., vat 1 at the high- 

 est ; at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 in succession as the combined product passes through 

 the worms in the order given. 



Mr. Everitt approved that plan, 



Mr. Veeder. — It coincides with the principle I have found relative to the 

 diS"erent temperatures. 



Prof. Mason rose to ask questions. The subject before us is of great 

 importance. Those who know will please to answer. Question. — How 

 near to sperm oil for lubrication has coal oil been brought ? 



Mr. Everitt, — Not one-half. 



Prof. Mason. — Our railroads want all our best oils. What is the objec- 

 tion to the coal oil ? 



Mr, Everitt. — The acids in it. 



Prof. Mason, — Your city gas costs $2.50 per $1,000 feet ; ours of Pough- 

 keepsie costs $4.00, What will an equal illuminating power from coal 

 cost? 



Mr. Everitt. — Six dollars a gallon. 



Mr, Seeley. — In its best state it has more illuminating power than our 

 common gas. 



Prof. Mason, — Has coal oil been well tested on railroads ? 



Mr. Veeder. — Some of the western roads use it, and it is used on some 

 rough machinery. The oil particles are quite difi'erent from the fish oils. 

 Whale oil is 600°, and coal 300°. The paraffine in coal oil chills too easily 

 for lubrication. Even in printing offices, in vaults where it is quite warm, 

 the machinery oiled with the coal oil with the paraffine in it, makes bad 

 work sometimes by chilling up, and so breaking down the press work sud- 

 denly. The more dense coal oil, with paraffine out, does much better, I 

 believe that a very valuable lubricator will yet be made of it, I have ex- 

 perimented with the Trinidad asphaltum of the lake, and it does not yield 

 very good light. It is not safe to recommend as yet anything before sperm 

 oil for lubrication. Its oil particles are minute, but little carbonaceous 

 matter combined witn it, and in use it leaves the metallic lustre on the 

 journals, &c. Whale oil, and most others, tarnish them, and leave a film 

 of fibrinous matter on them like a varnish. 



