484 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



leum naturally sought our city as its center and its metropolis. It has 

 already swollen our business by millions, increased our population, made 

 our city distinctive and prominent in the commerce of the world beyond 

 our former importance, and created in the city of Pittsburg a business 

 that in three years has from nothing become second only to our iron trade 

 in extent. 



I see Prof. Everett present, who has just returned from the oil region, 

 and the club will no doubt be happy to hear from him on that subject. 



Pi'of. Everett. — Having been unexpectedly called upon, I will endeavor 

 to give the results of my observations while on a visit to tlie oil wells in 

 the vicinity of Pittsburg. There have been about one thousand wells 

 opened altogether. Manj^ of these are now closed, as they have ceased 

 flowing, and in many cases pumping them would not pay. They furnish 

 from 600 to 1,200 barrels of the oil a day. There is evidently a great 

 pressure of gas in the wells; in some instances the oil has been thrown 

 from thirty to forty feet into the air, and this is, no doubt, the cause of the 

 oil rushing up to the surface. There is always gas mixed with the oil as 

 it comes from the well. There are wells that commence flowing at certain 

 times of the day. I have seen one that flowed every day at twelve o'clock. 

 This well had been flowing for several weeks before I saw it. The wells 

 have been found mostly in sandstone formations. If it was not for the 

 cost of transportation, the cost of the oil in this city would be much less. 

 To transport the oil to market costs several times more than the oil itself. 

 I have known it to cost three dollars to haul a barrel of it nine miles. 

 Some wells give out and a new one, a few feet off, will give good oil. 

 There can be no danger in refined oil when it is sent to market. The 

 varieties of refined oil are greater than in tlie crude. Oil that will not burn 

 from putting two or three lighted matches in it, can be said to be safe. 

 This experiment should be tried in a saucer. I have not yet seen any 

 lamps burn this oil without giving off the odor. The oil is now refined at 

 the wells. Large quantities of the oil are brought to Pittsburg in square 

 floating tanks. Great loss, however, has been occasioned at times, through 

 coming in collision with each other, their bows being square, making it 

 very difiicult to steer them. The oil is refined in tanks, generally holding 

 from twenty-five to fifty barrels, although at Pittsburg they have some 

 tanks or stills that hold 300 barrels. The oil is refined by heat, mostly by 

 steam; it has been found best for this purpose. Fifty pounds pressure of 

 steam will take all the volatile matter from the crude oil. 



Mr. Bull. — A friend of mine, a lawyer of this city, informs me that he has 

 invented a lamp that will burn this oil without a chimney. He has invited 

 me to examine it at his library, in University Place, where it is in use 

 every evening. Not feeling myself competent to judge of this matter 

 properly, I have not examined it. 



Prof. Everett. — If there is perfect combustion there will be no smell. 



Mr. Dibben. — I have examined all the lamps to burn oil without chim- 

 neys, that have been presented to the club for premiums, and I have not 

 found one that produced perfect combustion. They were all failures in 

 this respect. I will say that to make a lamp burn this oil without a 

 chimney is impossible. 



