Show hear of oil dawn The story of the development development development develop develop- ment of the worlds world's worlds world first oil well in P Pennsylvania years ago and the ultimate significance of this new found source of r re e energy was told to members of the Bountiful Junior Chamber of Commerce Commerce Commerce Com Com- merce in a a special program marking the observance this year of the petroleum industry's industry's industry's indus indus- try's Centennial 1 Kay Fleishman supervisor of the Products Pipe Lines of the Salt Lake Pipe Line Co speaking at the dinner meeting meeting meet meet- ing held at Wong's Cafe described described described de de- de- de scribed Edwin L L. Drakes Drake's historic historic historic his his- discovery as one of the greatest t success stories of all times in terms of the proving proving proving ing of an un idea even though Drake himself never profited materially from the achieve achieve- ment in inthe inthe inthe Men saw immediately the Drake Droke discovery the birth of a new industry but only an industry of lamp oil patent patent pat pat- ent medicines and a axle x 1 e grease Mr 1 Fleishman said What U they could not see from the perspective of their time was that this was a discovery discovery discovery dis dis- dis- dis covery that would one day open the door to many new and amazing developments the automobile the airplane I endless miles of asphalt and macadam paving and the greatest period of industrial growth in the history of man man- kind It Tt also meant the bright new future world of plastics synthetic fabrics other petrochemicals petrochemicals petrochemicals petro petro- chemicals and greatest of all the release of a vast new source of or low cost energy energy- In tracing the contribution made by Drake and later pioneers of the industry I whose new idea on transportation transportation transportation tation exploration and re- re serch helped to bring petroleum petroleum petroleum petro petro- leum into its fullest use Mr 1 Fleishman said that to apprecIate appreciate elate the full significance of all this one must visualize the American of years ago ngo I Our country then was a nation of 33 states on the verge of or war The population was not a fifth as large as it itis itis itis is today Such machinery as did exist was driven by steam or water power Animal fats and vegetable oils were the chief lubricants Homes were heated with wood or coal and lighted by or whale oil lamps Railroads still in their infancy were the only mechanical means of transportation Highways as we know them today did dia not exist Mr 1 Fleishman said Drakes Drake's discovery was in that it proved two things 1 That oil was obtainable in abundant quantities from the earth and 2 That drilling drilling drill drill- ing was the most effective means yet ct devised for bringing bringing bring bring- ing this valuable mineral re resource resource resource re- re source into general use When Drake turned to the idea of drilling for oil the full weight of expert opinion was against him An amateur with no handbook to togo togo togo go by not even any real assurance that oil existed in quantity he undertook to learn the process by trial and error Gasoline has given millions millions millions mil mil- lions of Americans of every income level the freedom to go Energy from oil keeps us warm fuels our vast industrial industrial industrial indus indus- trial machines increase the productivity of our farms powers our national defense and makes possible a standard standard standard stand stand- ard of living unparalleled anywhere in the world Since its birth in 1859 the oil in industry industry industry in- in has grown to be one of the most important factors factors fac fac- fac tors in our economy |