354 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



liable to be cari-ied along- by the descending' ciirrents, is not likely to wander 

 so far before it issues. But the "show of oil*' increases in value, as a sign, 

 with the depth at which it is found. Especially is the finding of large 

 quantities of imprisoned gas, though no oil may be present, regarded as a 

 good indication that there is oil near. 



First Use of Petroleum. 



Mr. L. B. Page thought the subject of petroleum of so much importance 

 it might be well to preserve the history of its first introduction into New- 

 York. Up to 1861 the largest manufactories of coal oil were in the 

 neighborhood of this city. During that year several thousand barrels of 

 crude petroleum or rock oil arrived on the opposite side of the North river, 

 consigned to Messrs. Schieti'elin Brothers & Co. It was not then known 

 what could be done with this article, but a member of that firm was very 

 persevering in his endeavors to induce some of the manufacturers of coal 

 oil to use petroleum in combination with coal in the distillation of oil. He 

 succeeded in having a trial made with twenty-five per cent, of petroleum 

 and seventy-five of coal. The result was so satisfactory that the manufac- 

 turers ventured to try a half and half mixture; then to use 15 percent, of 

 rock oil to 25 of coal, and finally to discard coal altogether, and distil only 

 crude petroleum, from which an oil was obtained that answered all the 

 purposes of coal oil. The products which came from petroleum differed in 

 proportion from those of coal oil, and the first serious difficulty encountered 

 was in obtaining an oil in the use of which there was no danger of explo- 

 sion, by improper mixture of the more volatile portions. This oil, or any 

 other giving oif vapors, or the ordinary illuminating gas, will cause an 

 explosion, when the vapors of the oil or when common burning gas is mixed 

 with from eight to ten times its bulk of atmospheric air. x\s this vapor 

 would pass off" unseen into the air, many deplorable accidents followed the 

 exposure of the oil to heat. But this evil was remedied by the dealers in 

 oil requiring of the manufacturers a heavier oil, and now none is used for 

 burning except it has been tested by the Baume scale, and found to be below 

 a certain specific gravity. The low price of this oil at first induced many 

 to try it, and now its use is very general, in places not supplied with illu- 

 minating gas. 



The Germans should have the credit of being the first in Europe to recog- 

 nize the economy of using this oil. The largest amount now exported goes 

 to their country, although its use is being rapidly extended to all parts of 

 the world. During the present year we have thus far exported twenty mil- 

 lions of gallons, worth about sixty-three cents per gallon. It will be seen 

 that at the present rate of exchange this oil can be afforded so low in Eu- 

 rope as to drive every other oil, or source of light, except coal, out of their 

 markets. 



When it was first found to answer for burning, and that it gave a more 

 brilliant light than any other fluid, there was great anxiety felt as to the 

 prospect of a permanent supply; but it was soon demonstrated that this oil, 

 which in its crude state had long been used as a medicine (that from Bur" 

 mall under the name of British oil, that from the West as Seneca oil), could 

 be obtained in any desired quantities, the only condition being to bore for it 



