84 TEAR-BOOK OF FACTS. 



with ordinary coal gas, this artificial gas is found to contain nearly 

 one half less oxide of carbon, and twice as much bicarburetted 

 hydrogen ; its intrinsic value is, therefore, twice as great. Besides, 

 its composition proves that it is a very permanent mixture or com- 

 bination, which remains intact for any distance it maybe conducted. 

 The entire absence of sulphuretted hydrogen in this gas is not the 

 least of its recommendations. — Photographic News. 



SMOKE FROM GAS LIGHTS. 



It is pretty generally imagined that the smoking of ceilings is 

 occasioned by impurity in the gas, whereas, in this case, there is no 

 connexion between the deposition of soot and the quality of the gas. 

 The evil arises either from the flame being raised so high that some 

 of its forked points give out smoke, or more frequently from a care- 

 less mode of lighting. If, when lighting the lamps, the stop-cock be 

 opened suddenly, and a burst of gas be permitted to escape before 

 the match be applied to light it, then a strong puff follows the light- 

 ing of each burner, and a cloud of black smoke rises to the ceiling. 

 This, in many houses and shops, is repeated daily, and the inevitable 

 consequence is a blackened ceiling. In some well-regulated houses, 

 the glasses are taken off and wiped every day, and before they are 

 put on again the match is applied to the lip of the burner, and the 

 stop-cock cautiously opened, so that no more gas escapes than is 

 sufficient to make a ring of blue flame : the glasses being then put 

 on quite straight, the stop-cocks are gently turned, until the flames 

 stand at three inches high. When this is done, few chimney-glasses 

 will be broken, and the ceilings will not be blackened for years. — Sir 

 John Bobison. 



DISCOVERY OF OIL IN WESTERN NEW TORK. 



A new product is in course of development in the State of New 

 York, at a place called Union Mills, where has been discovered a 

 tract of land, which, at depths varying from a few feet to 500 feet 

 from the surface, abounds in liquid matter, of which one-third is oil, 

 capable of being used as one of the best illuminating agents ; and 

 also, when mixed with fish-oil, of being applied as a lubricant in 

 various manufacturing processes. Already the product is found to 

 extend over 100 square miles ; and the oil is despatched to New 

 York at the rate of 1500 barrels per day. The distance of Union 

 Mills from New York is about 400 miles, but the country is trav 

 by the Atlantic and Great Western, and the Erie railways. 



An exceedingly plentiful and profitable spring of petroleum, or 

 "rock oil," as it has been called, has been got by artesian boring, as 

 a venture, in Oil Creek, Philadelphia. Under a lease in May 

 last, a Mr. Drake commenced linking an artesian well for salt, oil, 

 or anything which might turn up. Boring through forty-seven feet 

 of gravel and twenty-two feet of shale rocl;s, with occasional small 

 apertures in it, he struck, in August, a large opening, not yet 

 explored as to depth or area, but filled with coal oil, somewhat 

 mixed with both water and gas. A small pump on hand brought 



