PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. 483 



erected hero. Such arc briefl}^ the points iu the history of the oil trade of 

 this city. Three years ago, this trade in petroleum had no existence here. 

 Its numerical value is now counted by millions. Three years ago, with an 

 exceptional keg or barrel, gathered from whim or curiosity, from some of 

 the Allegan}'- oil springs, not a barrel of petroleum had been landed upon 

 the wharves of Pittsburg. Within the last three years, it is estimated 

 that not less than two millions of barrels have been delivered at the wharves 

 of this city and its suburbs. At the average of the market rates that 

 have prvailed during the three years, the value of the two million barrels 

 of oil in its crude state would be about 8,000,000 dollars. Refined, its value 

 would be, at the average of prices for refined oil for three years past, over 

 1*1,000,000 of dollars 



Some indication of the extent of this trade will be obtained from the 

 fact, that the shipments b}' railroad alone from the city, from October 1st 

 1862, to December 1st, or three months' time, were 60,514 barrels of crude 

 oil, 88,921 barrels of refined, and 6,492 barrels of benzine, representing a 

 value of 1,493,430 dollars for that quarter's oil exports alone. 



Heavy as are these figures, they would have been yet larger, but from 

 the difficulty of obtaining transportation, owing to the crowded condition of 

 the railroads. This is better shown by the fact that, from the 2d of Feb- 

 ruary up to the 14th, when additional rolling stock was placed upon the 

 Pennsylvania Central railroad, there was shipped in those two weeks on 

 that line over 46,000 barrels of crude and refined oil. 



Three years ago, there was not a refinery of petroleum in Pittsburg; 

 there are now sixty in the city and suburbs in active operation. The 

 capital represented in the cost of their construction alone is over 1,000,000 

 of dollars. These 60 refineries gave emploj^ment to over 600 hands imme- 

 diately employed in the works, whose wages will annually amount to 

 upwards of 300,000 dollars. In addition, there is a large number of hands 

 indirectly employed. The yearly amount of coal consumed by these 60 

 refineries will average 1,500,000 bushels. The indirect value of the oil 

 trade, and its increase of employment and distribution of wages, is some- 

 what shown by this new consumption of fuel. To supply this fresh demand 

 for coal, an additional working force in the collieries will be required, 

 whose wages for the increased amount of coal to be dug, would, at cus- 

 tomary rates, average about 30,000 dollars, and at present rates 40,000 

 dollars. 



In three years the petroleum trade has caused the establishment here of 

 one hundred new firms, a large proportion of whose parties were previously 

 residents of other sections of the Union, and even of other countries. 

 From France, from England, from Germany, from the New England States, 

 from New York, have come men of means, men of talent, vigorous, saga- 

 cious business men, and made themselves homes amongst us. The value of 

 the addition of so much fresh energy to our previously energetic and 

 industrious population is not to be estimated. That it will show in future 

 progress of our city, is not to be doubted. 



The center of the oil producing districts, Pittsburg is naturally the chief 

 refining city of the world, and must so continue. The same facilities that 

 attracted the oil here, at the inception of the trade, will retain it. Petro- 



