New Petroleum Pipeline to Williamsport
ANOTHER great engineering enterprise, making a new chapter in the wonderful history of the petroleum trade, has been completed in Pennsylvania. An overpowering monopoly had secured such control of the trade that outside producers had no way of sending their oil to market except over the roads that were able to levy oppressive rates. To escape from this, they have laid 104 miles of six-inch pipe between the oil district and Williamsport on the Reading railroad, which the monopoly does not control, so that they can now send their oil to tide-water free from oppressive exactions. It takes 28,000 barrels of oil to fill this pipe, and it will deliver the oil at Williamsport at the rate of 6,000 barrels a day. The first consignment of oil by this pipe line reached Philadelphia last week. How sublime is the intrepidity with which business brushes aside almost insuperable obstacles to its progress!