OlfTON. 



OHIO RIVEK TO CHICAGO. 295 



use at rates ranging from 5 to 25 cents per thousand cubic feet. It 

 renders its most valuable service in the last named capacity, intro- 

 ducing into the house the same convenience in heating and cooking 

 that artificial gas docs in lighting. The fire is always "laid," is 

 kindled by a match, is regulated to any required point below its maxi- 

 mum by a cock, brings no soot or dust, and in short is the perfection of 

 fuel. It is obviously the standard to which the fuel of the future will 

 be obliged to conform. To this must be added that in the. great major- 

 ity of the favored towns, which it supplies, it is sold at a lower price 

 than the coal which it displaces. 



It brings equal advantage to the various lines of manufactures to 

 which it is applied. In glass making, particularly, it introduces such 

 economy and such improvement of product, that, other things being 

 equal, competition with manufacturers that command it is very diffi- 

 cult on the part of those who depend on bituminous coal for fuel. It 

 is a reproach to the intelligence of the communities that have obtained 

 access to large supplies of gas to be obliged to add that, for several 

 years after its discovery, it was generally furnished free to manufac- 

 turers and without measurement of any sort. This policy was entered 

 upon in order to induce manufacturers to locate their plants in these 

 towns. A single town has brought in establishments of this sort, 

 mainly glass houses, enough to lead to the consumption of 30,000,000 

 cubic feet per diem (800,000 cu. m.) for the last three years. 



But no gas held is able to bear such a strain as this amount of use 

 brings; consequently there has been a rapid decline in the produc- 

 tion of the wells, and it is now evident to all that the end of the large 

 production is not far off. Five to eight years prove the limit for all 

 sections that have found gas in large quantity and that have used it 

 in the wanton way above described. The decline is most clearly 

 revealed by the fall of pressure in the wells. The original pressure, 

 due to the salt water contained in the same porous rock that holds 

 the gas and oil. and falling under the laws of artesian wells, ranged 

 from 100 to 500 pounds to the square inch (27 to 30 atmospheres). 



Petroleum is also produced in large amounts from territory adjacent 

 to the gas tields. The daily yield of the entire territory is between 

 40,000 and 50,000 barrels (of 42 gallons, or 158 liters each). The finest 

 Of illuminating and lubricating oils are made from the crude oil, and 

 it also yields an unusually large percentage of paraffin. Both gas and 

 oil contain a considerable percentage of sulphuretted hydrogen and 

 probably other compounds of sulphur, and are consequently offensive 

 in their natural state; but complete success has been attained in the 

 deodorizing of the oil by several processes. Single wells, 5| inches 

 (13 cm.) in diameter, have produced oil at as high a rate as 8,000 barrels 



