The Volcano lubricator., August 19, 1873, Image 2

About The Volcano lubricator. (Volcano, W. Va.) 1871-1879

Image provided by: West Virginia University

                
VOLCA'N O L U U R I CA'I'O R . |
J* '
TrUESDiAV AUGUST tc;, -873 j
GEOSGS ?. SARGENT,
? J'ol<r(itio West ? Id.
Tlie Oil Situation.
. The present season of depression >
and minotts'y low prices which prevail j
;in the business of producing or mill- j
jng crude petroleum, admittedly re
sults from excessive over- production
ot" the article. There seem to. he hut
two sources of relict' from the -Uate ol
affairs now existing among us, viz: a
reduction of the production to about
the limit warranted by the demand for
tcen?umption, or an increase of the
consumption to such an extent as to
cause a demand" for all the oil now pro- 1
cluccd.
Relief from either source would just
now he very acceptable to the bulk t i l
fhose who are toiling in 'lie production
of tnis art'c!i\ whit h has bccomc one
of the staples of commerce wherever
it has been introduced, and its cheap
ness and merits practically made
Jenown. Relief, however, through the
sccor.d source named, that is, as a con
sequence of an increase of consump
tion, would be more welcome. a< prom
ising to be more permanent and offer
ing a larger tield for the operations o!
the .proverbially enterpri>iug,go ahead
people of the oil regions.
I venture to presume that a few re
marks touching this latter source 01
escape from our difficulties, coming
from one whose business it has been
since the commencement of the trade,
to watch attentively the growth of the
demand for our staple, may not be un
interesting to your readers.
. First, let us consider the present
supply of the crude article, and arrive
jf possible at about the number of bar
rels daily produced in excess of the
average daily consumption. By the
Report of the Pen if a Reporter , the
production of Pennsylvania in June
averaged 36,450 barrels (.53 gall, per
bbl.) per day; reduce this to 40 gallon
barrels and we have an average daily
production of 2S.400 barrels. Later
data as to the production of Pennsyl
vania are r.ot accessible, but the writer
has information of an increase of the
production, daily, by at least 5,000 bar
fels. Add for probable errois in mak
jng up returns, and for production out
side of Pennsylvania, i/>oo barrel
^nd the production at this moment is
certainly 35.000 barrels per day.
These figures, considered by them
selves, are alarming compared with
any that heretofore occupied the pro
duction bide in the problem of supply
and demand of petroleum; but if we
take a careful survey of the whole
^ield, we *vill find that oiher factors en
ter into the problem and lead to more
favorable results than we would at first
anticipate.
The question of consumption occu
pies a broad field, including, as it docs,
all quarters of the globe, and regard
for your space forbids the detailed ex
amination, which would he interesting
and profitable. Generally, however,
the subject may be brielly treated uu
two heads, 'Home" and "Foreign."
. The consumption of refined petro
leutn in the United States, especially
since the abolition of the revenue tax,
in 1S6S, is, for ?h2 want of data, diffi
cult to arrive at with certainty. Cal
culations, I owever, based upon the
most reliable information, placed it,
for the year 1S72, at 60,000, oco gallons,
and this may be relied upon as within
the mark.
The foreign consumption can best
be estimated from the amount ex fori
nl to for?;^n countries. Very full and
accurate tables show? .g the exports of
petroleum are published in the A*. I'.
Cow mere iiil and Skipping List , from
which \re find that the exports from
Jan. 1 to Aug. 1, were as follows:
!S;-J. 1S7 1.
r. \u.s. galls.
To Europe iio.ooo.oao 65 I'S.t oo
To Amu and Acstr.ili.i, 5 oo-i ivo 3. 7s- (mi ?
T> S. Auicr., Mvxko^C i t oono .t .. t k 0
To Cuba : o.uoio i i>So,t?x>
?* 1 19. '?so coo 73.500,000
An increase of 46000.000 gallons.
, As the lorai exports iur the year!
were about 145,000,000 g.tho: ?>,
jihe same rate of increase, kept up to
the end of the prese v-.ar, '.viil make
the exports for round numbers,
ijfj.tjuo.ooo gallons.
( The increase to Europe alone is, in 1
round numbers, 45.000, ooo gallons, or
jo per cent. .Sliouid this rate of in
crease continue, the exports for 1673 j
will stand:
?/ ' 1 Ls. j
To Europe jiS.uoonoo |
To ot'u-r foreign countries iJv/OO mo j
Adu huinc coM.>ump:.ou 60,00 ? 000 I
To t:il apparent a-utial de*nand, ..
Ut the amount exported about 5 per
cent, is crude, say i?.ooo,oco gallons.
Acid to remainder of exports arid home
consumption (say 484,000, <joo gallons) t
one third, to . bring the refined to a j
crude equivalent, aud we have:
? . * HALLS.
Crude cxnorted u.ouo,ooo
Refined cxjA-rV-d and consumed.
equal to crude 35S ow.oco
Total cru.ie required annually to
? gicet present apparent demand, 570 ikjO 000
Fquai to JU.40M barrels ot" gallons per {lay.
\Ve have now seen that production j
is a? present 35,000 barrel |-?. J
.in. I ? lie :: 'j'.ti . ut demand f.>r crude
eq-aal to ,|<iO barrels I f ;i v s t - ? - ;n e\
ccss of supply over demand ol 6, Coo >
barrel* per daw
To relieve the marl. el of this Mir- j
plus we must have an increase oT t lie de- ^
mand ov*-r that now apparent, ol one
third, or equal to 22o,u<.v,ooo gallons ol j
crude per annum. Leaving the prob- J
ability o. anv increase ol consumption
at home, or in the densely populated
Ea>t Indies, out ot the question; let us
consider the prospect* ofan I'iii ui?t'an
. '
de:n m.l for this surplus sailing in.
That the probable linr'i of consump
tion is tio! ttcor/y reached may 1 e ap
preciated by considering the I. tot that
the consumption of rei*n?-l oil per an
num in tiie I uited Stat s is at the rate
of one and one hat: gallons per annum
to each inhabitant. equal to two ual
Ijns of crude per annual. In the In
land o! Cuba, with i inha':
tants, the cc'ix-imiptiun o( n lined i-*
over 2. ooo.ooo gallons per annum, or
rather more per inhabitant than in the
L'nited States.
1> there good reason to cUnwt tha"
t'>e consumption of Mil rope will -oon
reach, or at least approximate, the
same amount; Ufaiing in snitui thai
the days oi competition v. iLli rape or
shale oils are gone, and that pctrolcur.i
is tlse cheapest and best illuminator at
; tainable. ttic conclusion s.'ems war
ranted tiiat the consumption of Europe
must ere long keep pace with that ol
our own country. We have seen that
the present demand for export to the
Europe is equal to about 2 :S, ooo.ooo
gallons, or brought to a crude equiva
lent. 2S~,ooo.ooo gallons of crude per
annum. Shoi'M the rr.ieof consump
tion in tie United Slates prevail in
Europe, with i:? 300,000.000 inhabitants,
the annual export to supply the con
sumption there would have to be equal
to Ouo.ooo.ooo gallons of crude!
An. increase of 42 per cent, in the
rate of exports to Europe is all that is
needed to entirely relieve- our markets
ol" the surplus of present production
and clear the skies of our business
horizon of the clouds which now low
er over it.
Europe coukl take this large increase
in her supply and still her consump
tion per inhabitant would be only two
thirds that of the inhabitants of the
United S'ates or Cuba.
One hundred and eighty vessels,
which will require nearly 700,000 bar
rels of oil So fill, were loading in New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, on
Aug. 1st. This is equal to nearly
1,000,000 barrels of crude, and is full,)
it the rate of, if not greater than, the
present production; for the great balk
of this oil must be loaded within 3c
duvs. .
I11 view of these facts I see 110 cause
?or depression as to the future. The
/ rcscnl is dark, but most of our West
Virginia operators are in good condi
tion, and i doubt not the Pennsylvania
operators also. None need do.-pond
>ave those who cannot contend for a
few mouths against low price*. All
who can sustain themselves for a short
lime will again see the game reversed,
and the demand greater than the sup
ply.
Now, as more than or.ee before in
the history of the trade, low prices
will extend the consumption of petro
leum in its legitimate way ? as an illu
minating oil ? and u years' experi
ence has determined, that once induced
to throw away their (allow caudles and
use petroleum, the inhabitants will not
return to their previous condition of
?'darkness made visible," on account of
any reasonable adv. nee in its cost.
("Revolutions never ,> back ward,"
neither does the consumption of pe
troleum, once established, cease tog?tin
favor.
For myself, I am content to leave
out of lite problem elements which
s'jiae bring into it. such :ts decrease oi'i
production on account of low prices ;
increase of consumption for new pur >
no>e-; the manufacture u gas. and the
substitution for coal. It i> not sale t>> !
count upon an increased production,
for though numbers of small we i-.
w ill prohahh --hut iio?tn,dcvc2'..a>ine/ti |
wi' I not cense, even at lift \ cents per
barrel, so long as Butler county, Pa.,
and our ov.*n l-Iliot Run territory oiler
.1 prospect of 50c ;<< touo barrel wells; |
neither is 11 safe to expect in- in ere: se '
of consumption for new uses, fur the j
quality of the ga* from petroleum ? it '
not being a ii\ed or permanent gas ?
tnav not be inerclu'.nU'.Me, and for fue!
it has been tried for many years with
out meeting with extended lavor.
But the world is a large place and
w ill undoubtedly consume, in its legit;
imatc sh.ipc ? as an illuminating oil- ?
all the petroleum we are now raising
to the .inflate. Even at comparative
ly high prices this result is certain.
Low prices will induce it the sooner,
and may yet prove to us "a blessing
in disguise." Oleum.
? Reading matter wi il be tound tn
the fourth page of this issue.
Zirlnit'n Long Pull.
We have ahaadt menlit ned the ;ir- ^
: it :i! of < .'baric- ^it hut, m Alk'^h".' / ,
;M Cincinnaii. a'ter a six *l.-y\ trip, on i
;i wa <;ro! w:;h A:i !rcw ! . i ??;>?? ? t. i
-> i . ii,
an A lichen v butcher. 1>. <" ^
on reaching hi-> d c 1 1 . ? : 1 1 L > ; s Sunday
morning, Ik* was ? ; ? ? i i o enthusiastically i
j riccivi'd. The lollov. in.; from lite v' in
j cimiali ; apt :rs of t e>!erd:it , will furnish
j sou it" idea of his experience en route:
i '?'! lie lirst day's rowing c...'."! with his
arrival at Sicubeitt i j !c at i> p. m., h?v ?
ing started at a p.m., Here he took
some rest a:id ;ieep. ami then -tartcd
again arriving at Wheeling at So'clock
Tuesday morning; and a tier a three
I hours rest lie again started landing at
i Marietta on Wei'iiodav iiKic.ii^ :?t i>
o'clock, a : ! .. I'ar .c"-!?;rg - 'on a.h i
J it. j Parker burg at h; lf-past : p.
i in., and :? rit ii<g at ? ! i:i rav -v iile, at the
I head of lUiliington island, he laid !>;?
lor the ni'^ht. S artcd again at six
(>n Thursday morning, arri' ed a'
? i'omerov :i* i <? n: . left ;;t and ar
j rived at Gnllipolis at p. m. Lclt G?1
| oli- at ha'; past ,i o'clock on lritiay
j iiioi iii' and arrived at Portsmouth
| it 2 o'clock oil Sa'urdav morning,
j Here he took fo.ir hours' sl.ep and was
again in his boat a >? o'clock pulling I
vigorously for the end of his journey ]
arriving at Maysviiic at half past ? p.
m. Alter taking i:i the si^ltlo at Mats
\ ille for an hour and a half, he again !
Marted at live minutes past - o'clock
on Saturda> evening and mad, thvnin
j 'o t!ii< eit v w i' :.r>iit stopping, a ilis'anee
cf sixty live utile:-, ariitn.; wi.hin tliej
; uppei^ oi poration boundary of Ciii
Icinnati at >j o'clock vt 'er iay mornini*
having won the wager, v. >ih one hour
l and a half to spare.
.
The i tin fmm Portsmouth t:? 1 1 > ? > ,
citv ? one hundred and ?cveulcen miles
? was mad*? inside of nineteen hours,
probably the longest run and bc-t time
ever made in a similar craft in the,
same time. On the way from Wheel
ing to Marietta, Xirhut pulled steadily
and kept even with the '"learner Cour
ier for a distance of eighteen miles.
There w??re crowds of people at all
the principle towns along il:e route,
curious to see t lie plucky little German
who had started out on such a hazard
ous undertaking, and he was kindly
?rcate l by ill with whom he came in
contact. At Gallipolis he met with
an accident in the dark, running his
boat into a coal -boat and upsetting,
compelling him to swim with his boat
| to shore. On Sunday Zirhut appeared
j to be in fair condition, although still'en
! ed somewhat Irom the severe work.
lie says he has lost fourteen pounds
, of Hesh in the si*: days.
Mr. Michael lianuan, who started1
wi'n Mr. /iilmt at Pittsburg, kepi
within two or three hours of l;im all
the time until lie arrive, I within a lit
tle over one hundred miles of this ci' v ?
when his boat was disabled bv the
breaking of one of the mi; i is ,ci -. com
| polling him to take a p:i-< i n < stean.ci
for this city. Mr. Mannansavs the re
! port that he was compelled to abandon
I his shell from exhaustion, with feat
i fully swollen ii; ! is all bosh.
| During the last k a our- < ' the r\!?
Zirhut experienced mti. 't difficulty i.i
keeping awake, being com; el led to
dash water in his face, and keep up a
' constant conversation with himself,
i lie would occasionally inform "Clias,"
I to hurry up and keep at his work < r
I the live huiulre 1 dollar? would i>e los..
j I hen with revived energies he woillil
j dash along for a lew minutes until an
| other drowsv spell came over him." ?
! J'lHUurg Disjafi//, y n'y iS.
Prepaid Printed LlaiLer.
'?We have yet tot'cul one postmaster !
| w ho is not it', favor of the ;Vv uyiitrtu 1
| of printed matter. We are t' i i ly in re- 1
; ceipt of letters from all pa 1- of the j
I county favoring J>rr/>uyiuc'tt ol all j
printed matter at the mailt. <g oll.ee,
a. id w< < ..rm^tly hope that the next
session of Congress will act on this
matter and give u- a law requii injj/rr
h itvw< v.7 at the 111a i 1 i :i 1; oi'iee. .We,
think that all printed t ? t'er - aid he !
recpiireJ to he /?rcj'ditf at the mailing !
ollice, and are o! the opinion that the !
postage eo-dd he reduced one hail and 1
yet the Department recci?e a revenue:
exceeding what is new collected from |
that class of m. lil matter. We trust
lie day is not far distant wl./n we can |
hail the enactment ot :? l.ivv giving i;.?
cheapcr newspaper po.'.'a^c :iud re- J
qui ring )'/?<??/ thereot at the mail- ;
itig ollice. "
We cut the above from the LT. S. ]? . |
(). /in, j uhlishcrs at Wheeling. ,
I The italics are ours. We agree with
him this far, that ail prepaid 1 natter,
prepaid at the mailing ollice, would he;
prepayment on prepaid matter. Mat- I
ter thus prepaid would he prepaid, and 1
thus the government would gel prepay -
j me ill 011 all prepaid matter.
? Numerous rial. 'more liquor deal
ers were raided yesterday hi the State
j constabulary, a large quantity of li
i quors and ale seized.
? ?- ?
? Anna Dickinson <ive;u's she never j
1 propo.eed to go the stage us an actress.
J
M. IJKNKDICT,
Manufacturer of
SiH'J.ii' l!o<ln it it it Hoi'hiff Pairs
! I::iw on tin mis at ?; ! 1 times :? assort -
;!i L'lit oi ihe very i?; i 1? c iiuiKlI.
J. M. 1?i..\i;i>kt,
Volcano, Wood count v W'i-j Va. juncS-71
JOHN SCiiXFER'
B A K li R Y , CON F E C T J 0 N A R Y ,
Ami First-class Groceries.
ICE CREAM.
Ravmond s ' ,x 0 t opposite post oilicc.
Volcano, West Y.i. tf
go to
SHAFER & STEEN
For Your
I DRY GOODS
! (iKOCEKlttS or ALL INSCRIPTIONS
| HA /? J) IV A 11 E, T1XWA HE* |
< y ' i; 1; n'swa !?:. notions, la di
llaN Itihhni Gent* furnishing jgonds.ncpd}
\Saile Cloihir.^, Hoots Shoes, W" :t 1 1 I'iijjcr,
Carpets, 1 1. its. Ca|? Mining Powder, etc.
11 von want :i i*oot? tit. f??r a suit of clothes.
??*(?;? :t pair ?'f 'mots. ??r tor a ion ?tide s?li ?rl.
nt '.?v.* in tin; neck, hi. ?.cc? 'tnmodated by
| leaving your measure at the store of
april jo lv. SII AFKK &? STEEN.
I Great Reduction 111
PRICES
THOMAS , SCH ILL IXG ,C CO
Are now offering for cash, their large
stock of dress goods at cost, compris
ing of
PLAIDS.
CHAM Ml AYS,
J A PANES 15 Sll.KS
MOZAMHEty'liS,
JAPANESE POPLINS
STH'PED ALPACCAS,
I ciiint;: alpaccas,
L A W N S,
Wr have ;iKo ;i fine lot of shawls winch we
will sell out :tt < < r\ low prtcc?, :intl see.
T I i OM AS; SCH ILL I NG & CO.
r.iav l.vlf
Ilunhnii'c.
C.~& I!. WOMAN,
Gi?NKK.\L Machine, Ki.acksmitii
And Ri i'mii Siioi*,
roi.cixo. jr. rj.
All kinds of machine ?./k 'lone on
short noticc ;n a workmanlike manner
at moderate prices.
(i EX Elf A L 111. A ChSMll L . X(,
We manufacture Complete sets ot
Prd! and Fishing tools and warran
them to be of tin; same material as
represented. We also do any job
that can be done in any I'lucksmiih
shop in tl;o country in a jjood work
manlike and substantial 1. wanner.
OIL WELL TUDIXG.
At our store we keep oil well tubing
casing and -r\ m s pipe all kinds of brass
or iron filings for oil. water, steam, or
yas, packing of all kinds Gum and
Leather belting and tiie well known
\!2\V KEDKORI) l)i!il.L.\NU S.wn
1't mi* Ri>'>" ilso draw ropes and
WIRE ROPE
Of all sizes used in the Oil Regions
II A R D W A R E.
We have a full and complete assort
ment i.f Hardware, including Steel
Iron, Nails, IJlack -miLh and Carpenter
Tools Sash and Door Glass, Paint etc.
dealer in stoves
of every description, and manufac
turers of
TJX it- S II LET I It OX- WARE.
We also manufacture Smoke Stacks |
of all sizes to order.
A! our Establishment on Ann Street
in 1'itrkersbur i* l'u.,~ve beef a f nil
line, oj the above gooJs.
Address (
C. & II. WITMAN, Volcano W. Va. J
or l'urlicrsburtj If . fa.
M.J. OURIEN.
W. S. OBRIEN.
M. J. O'Brien & Bro.^
MANUFACTl UKRS AND DEALUKS IV
PORTABLE AND STATIONARY
ENGINES,
Oil Well Tools, Fi. if tires. 1 forking Barrels, Valves, Sucker
Jiods, Gum end Leather Jieltinf /, New Bedford
Drilling Cable.*, and General Assortment
Ji'.qie, Packing Yarns, dc., etc.
i
Also, the largest and most complete Stork of Fittings in this section ol
the country.
Our facilities for Machine. Work, style of finish, price, etc., are such that we
defy competition in this line.
, We have recently added lo our Blacksmith Shop a STEA3I HAM
SlJCJ l, which enables us (on short notice) to fill all orders with promptness.
We'solicit an examination of our stock before purchasing elsewhere.
M. J. O'BRIEN & URO.,
Lock Jiox 10, JrOLCAXO, West Va.
M.J. O'BRIEN & BRO.
AGENTS FOR WEST VA. FOR
TITUSVILLE MANUFACTURING CO
MANUFACTURERS OF
STEAM ENGINES, BOILERS, STEEL JARS,
OIL WELL TOOLS, RIG IRONS, &.C.
TITUfiVI I. I.E. 1'JiXSSYL VA VIA.
W. C. ALLISON & SONS.
I unction Car Works and Flue Mill;
32 & WALNUT STS., PHILADELPHIA, PA.
TUBING AND CASING.
%
We call especial attention fo Oil operatorc to our Patent Socket Tub
hig which is now being used l*y operators throughout the country with great
satisfaction.
Best Manufacture of Well Fittings, etc., etc!,
M! J. O'QRIEN & BRO.;
Sole Agents for Ohio and West Fa,
JAMES M'CONAHY,
an.
QJ
u
4-J
rt
^ ?
Clocks and Musical Instruments.
COURT ST. PARKERSBURG, W. VA<
R. J. A. Boremam^
BOOKS,
STATIONERY,
CHROMOS,
IMUSIC,
And Fancy Articles.
COUS nil VOUltT SQ CAKE Si MA It KliT ST.
PARKERSBURG, WEST VA\