50 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



year by the Pilgrim Paper Co., who have erected a plant at Capac, 

 Mich. It is reported that very satisfactory results have been ob- 

 tained during the short period of activity. A subsidiary company 

 has been incorporated for the purpose of establishing the industry 

 in New York State and has acquired for that purpose a tract of peat 

 land near Oswego. The special machinery requisite in using peat 

 fiber is made after the Esser patents which are owned in Vienna, 

 Austria. A small proportion of wood pulp in the form of screen- 

 ings or of newspaper is incorporated with the fiber. The finished 

 product has a strong, smooth texture and is quite resistant to damp- 

 ness or moisture in contrast with paper made from ordinary mate- 

 rials. The peat found in the vicinity of Oswego is well adapted 

 for this use, owing to its perfectly fibrous condition and freedom 

 from foreign matter. A carload of peat was also shipped from 

 Glens Falls to Michigan for experimental purposes. 



PETROLEUM 



The petroleum industry of New York State shows few changes 

 from year to year. There have been no important additions to the 

 areas of the oil fields for some time, yet the output has been fairly 

 well maintained as is evidenced by comparison of the annual totals 

 which are included herewith. The stability of the industry may 

 be ascribed largely to the fact that the oil pools when once tapped 

 continue productive for a relatively long period. The increment 

 from the new borings that are put down each year about counter- 

 balances the decline in output from the old wells. At present the 

 average daily yield of each well is less than one barrel. Pumping 

 is generally resorted to and for this purpose gas engines, which are 

 supplied from the natural gas that accompanies the petroleum, are 

 used. From the storage tanks of the individual producers the oil 

 is run into pipe lines for transport to the refineries. There are six 

 pipe line companies operating in the State who handle practically 

 all of the product. 



The oil-bearing territory includes portions of Cattaraugus, Alle- 

 gany and Steuben counties. It is the northernmost portion of the 

 Appalachian field, which reaches its main development in the states 

 of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The oil in the New York 

 fields is associated with dark colored sandstones belonging to the 

 Chemung formation of the Upper Devonic. 



During the year 1906 a promising discovery of oil was made in 

 the Short Tract district of northern Allegany county, where several 



