18Q 



PKTOFI-PETROLKTJM. 



: another that of {petition to the legislativ 

 body the boldest conceivable infraction of its require 

 inenta would be where the ri^lit <>f petition was detiin 

 for the purpose of gliding publie diacoMura. Therigh 



of petition as stated from it- hi-tnrir and i Mitutionu 



sources implies that appeal to the rca.-.ii ,.)' umn can 

 never be detrimental to the true interests of govern 

 mi-lit or KH-irty, although appeal) to popular passion 

 that are less apt to attract attention and receive re 

 straint, may entail the greatest evils upon governments 

 and communities. 



8e Orceler'i Amrriran Conflict; J. Q. Adama'i Speeches 

 in Qmgrttrimal Globe (1837-42), and SLAVERY in thii 

 work. 



(A. J. w.) 



PETOFI, SANDOK or ALEXANDER Q 822-1 849), a 

 Hungarian poet, was born at Kis-koros, Dec, 31, 1822. 

 He was sent to various schools, but his restless dispo- 

 -uion led him to become a soldier and then a strolling 

 player. In 1843 his poems in the newspapers attractec 

 notice, and soon a collection of them appeared. They 

 depleted the light and shade of peasant life, and he 

 has been well called the Robert Burns of Hungary. 

 Auiong his noted productions are The Hammtr of t 

 Village (1844) ; the epic Hero Janot (1845); the 

 drauia, Tiger and Hyena (1846), and several novels. 

 In 1848 lie led the young men of Pesth in the move- 

 ment for Hungarian independence, to which his na- 

 tional songs powerfully contributed. He was after- 

 wards adjutant to Gen. Bern, and in the battle of 

 Segesvar, July 31, 1849, he was seen for the last time. 

 In 1882 a statue of him by Huszar was erected in 

 Budapest His poems were translated into English by 

 Sir J. Bowring (1866), and there have been many Ger- 

 man translations. 



PETROLEUM. This industry, during the years 

 O_Y i TVIII ^^ * 1888, has undergone numerous 

 j 712 (P 726 ant * i m P. ortAnt changes. It was during 

 Am Rep ) t ' lls P er 'd that the vast accumulations 

 reached their highest, the stocks in the 

 tanks and pipe-lines during the year 1884 reaching a 

 total of 40,000,000 barrels. The total production of 

 crude petroleum during the same year was about 

 25,000,000 barrels, nearly 2,000,000 barrels of which 

 were added to the already burdensome supply above 

 ground. Drilling operations continued unchecked and 

 it became a serious question what disposition could be 

 made of the oil. During the summer of 1887 the 

 producers organized_ under the name of the Producers' 

 Protective Association, for the purpose of restrict ing 

 the production of oil and to restrict the drilling of 

 new wells. As the average cost of oil to the producer 

 is $1.17 per barrel, such a course was considered abso- 

 lutely necessary to prevent a continuance of serious 

 losses. The plan adopted contemplated the reduction 

 of production fujly 17,000 barrels per day, and it was 

 believed that this course would in a short time bring 

 about such a change in the statistical situation that 

 the market price of crude oil would advance and in 

 future insure a profit to the producer. The term of 

 this agreement was one year from November 1, 1887. 

 Under this agreement the production was restricted 

 and drilling operations were suspended. Stocks were 

 reduced an average of fully 600.000 barrels per month, 

 but the price of the product did not show the improve- 

 ment that was hoped for, owing to speculative opera- 

 tions on the several exchanges. There was, neverthe- 

 less, an improvement in the price, and the full effects 

 of the movement were beginning to be manifest as 

 the term of what became popularly known as "the 

 shut-down agreement" ncared its close. 



The most prolific oil-field yet developed is what is 

 known as the Bradford field, which jics in the upper 

 part < Pa., and occupies a small por- 



tion of Ciittaraueus co., N. Y. This field has pro- 

 duced a total of 160,000,000 barrels of crude petro- 

 leum during the past twenty years. The greatest pro- 

 duction waa in the year 1881, when the enormous total 



of 23,000,000 barrels was reached. Durin.- in.- month 

 ust of that year the average daily production 

 exceeded 80,000 barrel*, but in I>eeeml>cr the produc- 

 tion had declined to an average of TO.IHKI barrels per 

 day. The number of wells drilled in this field during 

 the year 1882 reached 3,803, and die total rambar 

 since oil was first discovered in that prolific territory is 

 fully 16,000. about 10 per cent, of which were unpro- 

 ductive. The rise ana decline in the production of 

 this field is a fair illustration of the whole producing 

 area of the States of Pennsylvania and New York, 

 although some of the fields show a more steady pro- 

 duction. The production of the Bradford field in 

 1 887 had declined to 7,700,000 barrels. The maximum 

 daily production of the Allegheny field was 24,000 

 barrels in July, 1882; that of the Washington field 

 was 18,000 barrels in September, 1886; of Cherry 

 Grove, 40,000 barrels in August, 1882; of Thorn 

 Creek, 15,600 barrels in November, 1884. These 

 fields have played an important part in the history of 

 petroleum, although others of smaller production ex- 

 erted an influence on the speculative market altogether 

 out of proportion to their importance. Venango 

 county, where oil was first pumped by Col. E. L. Drake 

 in 1859, has produced about 60,000,000 barrels. But- 

 ler and Clarion counties have together produced about 

 70.000,000 barrels. These comprise the principal 

 fields from which comes the oil that produces the 

 burning oil, or kerosene, of commerce. 



The oil district known as the Franklin field produces 

 an oil distinct in character and one which Is not taken 

 into account in the statistics of production of the 

 Pennsylvania fields. It is a heavy oil of low cold test 

 which Ls used for the manufacture of superior grades 

 of lubricating oil. Its average price is about $4 per 

 barrel at the wells. The weDs in this field produce 

 less than 10,000 barrels per month, the average per 

 well not exceeding one-half barrel per day. The wells 

 in West Virginia also produce an oil of a heavy gravity 

 used exclusively in the manufacture of superior grades 

 of lubricating oils. The product of these fields is not 

 counted in the tables giving the statistics of produc- 

 tion, consumption, stocks, etc. Important discoveries 

 of petroleum have also been made in Wyoming Terri- 

 tory and in several of the Southern States, and it is 

 believed that petroleum may be found in nearly every 

 State. The wells in California produce oil of a quality 

 similar to the Bradford oil and in quantity sufficient to 

 supply the requirements of the entire Pacific coast of 

 the United States. 



The oil-fields of Ohio have been developed since 

 1885 and pipe-lines have been laid and immense storage 

 tanks erected. The oil is inferior to that from the 

 wells in Pennsylvania, but the wells are more prolific 

 and the producers continue to drill wells though the 

 )rice realized for the product is only 15 cents per bar- 

 el. The principal fields in this State are in the vicin- 

 ty of the city of Lima, and in North Baltimore^ Wood 

 county. The Ohio oil, owing to ita low cost, is used 

 as fuel to generate steam in the burning of brick and 

 n some metallurgical operations. It has been found 

 more economical than coal and its use as fuel is extend- 

 ng. A pipe-line has been constructed from the Lima 

 ield to the city of Chicago, which has a capacity for 

 mpplying that city with 9000 barrels daily of the 

 iquid fuel. The transport of petroleum was formerly 

 onfined to railway vessels, but the fear from explosion 

 las been found to be groundless and steamships are 

 jow regularly engaged in carrying both crude and re- 

 ined petroleum. Steamships and sailing vessels have 

 >een constructed _to carry petroleum in bulk. In their 

 mils are fitted iron tanks which occupy the entire 

 pace between decks, into which the oil is pumped 

 lircct from the reservoirs at the refineries. Arriving 

 at its destination, the ship is unloaded by powerful 

 team-pumps in one-fifth of the time required to un- 

 oad a vessel of similar size loaded with the oil in bar- 

 rels. 



