How Petroleum Is Formed

Pittbii; Cliroiiicle, spec.uftiting na thc . tóritiiifion ot' pc!t;-:!i:u:v,. saj ' Pctrpluiiiii ia ktio-vn o bu a hydro ■ ;:i, componed of twó gases. ïhoee 'h-fes íire priinary eliíineuts, indcsiruutiLío and oxhínistless u quautity. One of inein, hydrogen, is h constituent in all .eetublti forma aüd iu mimy oí our rocks. One hundred gounáa of limaftrue, whcu burned, wiFl weigh but aixty pouods. The part driven oíF by buril%-i ii csrbonio acid Uuderlying the ' Oil Rock" ia a Btrutuí) of limcstoiio, of nnknown thickneFsos, know to be up wrd of one tbousand ieet in depth. The water falling OB one suriace, m , oolsting tbrough the porous Band tone that oveilies tho oil rock, becouiea obarged with sa!t, potish, saltpeter and otiier clieuiical iugredieuts, and (iually ruaches the liiuestone rock atid decompoecs it - the carbon in the rock and the hjdrogen of the water uniting forras tbe oil, whüe the oxygen is aet free to aaiend to tho atmosphere, or miiti with minarais and form ojdes. The reverse of thii proces is geen in buruias; te oil iu a lamp- the oxygen in the atmoaphore uuiting with the carbon in the oil, forming carbonie ooid, and with the hydrogen lorming water - thas oompleting the circle." ;C!UpU Jp&l