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BOSTON LOCAL SECTION Executive Committee HENRY L. SMYTH, Chairman ALFRED C. LANE, Vice-Chairman AUGUSTUS H. EUSTIS, Secretary-Treasurer, 131 State St., Boston, Mass. ROBERT H. RICHARDS ALBERT SAUVEUR Meets on the first Monday evening of each winter month, Twenty-third Meeting The Twenty-third Meeting of the Boston Local Section was held at the Engineers' Club, 2 Commonwealth Ave., on Monday evening, Nov. 30,- 1914. Prof. R. A. Daly addressed the meeting on The Iron Ores of Küruna; Sweden. AUGUSTUS H. EUSTIS Secretary.

Jan 1, 1915

The airplane, while not a product of the war, owes its present very prominent place to the war; if it had not been for the war its development would have been retarded many years. War planes were made for various purposes, but their most important use was for photographing the enemies' lines. The same methods; with some modifications, are now

Jan 6, 1919

Jan 1, 1968

Jan 1, 1896

The key-note of good writing, as of good manners, is B natural. Sincerity is the first requisite for effective writing. When a man says what he knows or believes, he is likely to be interesting, because each human being possesses an individuality, a point of view, or a range of sympathy that makes him different from his fellows. To say or to write what you do not think, for the mere sake of talking or writing, is a verbal exercise that must be performed with extraordinary skill if it is to be attractive. Affectations are rarely attractive, rarely effective. To be natural is to be yourself, not a poseur; to give the reader the best of yourself, instead of re-warming the baked meats of yesterday. Quotations-which are second-hand thoughts-will serve occasionally when the thing you want to say has been said so well by another that it would be waste of energy to try to say it better; gut, as a rule, the utterance of the writer himself is more interesting than the quotation, because the writer brings something of himself to bear on the subject, and for the moment is more in touch with the reader than any dear departed author. Therefore, say things as best you can in your own way, neither in borrowed words nor in the phraseology that mimics another. Write as if you were speaking to a person whom you desire to persuade or convince. You will then write better than you speak, because, in the first place, you can be more deliberate, and, secondly, you can revise what you have written. Speaking and writing are similar mental acts, with a difference: the difference between eating food raw and eating it cooked. Some kinds of food gain nothing by being cooked; likewise some kinds of utterance are not bettered by being written down first; but most expressions of thought, especially

Jan 1, 1931

By E. Eichen, G. S. Ansell. L. R. Sefton

A Technique for the Preparation of Thin Films of Two-Phase Alloys Suitable for Use in Transmission Electron Microscopy In order to obtain foil sufficiently thin to permit transmission electron microscopy of two-phase alloys, particularly alloys in which the second phase is present as a very finely dispersed second phase, a technique has been developed to permit the thinning of these materials without either the large degree of pitting present in the electrochemical or chemical thinning process or the slicing of the second phase particles accompanying the mi-crotoming process. The metal or alloy to be thinned is first ground to initial sheet thickness of approximately 0.002 in. by hand grinding on 4/0 emery paper. This starting sheet of material is then reduced in cross section by an air-abrasion technique using an S. S. White dental abrasive unit. This unit consists of a supply of compressed CO, which provides a stream of high velocity gas impinging on the metal surface. Incorporated in the machine is a hopper-type of device in which fine abrasive particles of alumina are introduced into this high velocity gas stream. The abrasive particles are irregular in shape, approximately 30 across. If any particles are introduced into the sample during thinning, they should be readily observable. Impingement of this gas abrasive mixture on the metal surface causes rapid removal of the metal in a rather uniform manner. The rates of metal removal may be adjusted by both regulating the gas pressure and amount of abrasive material introduced into the gas stream. By moving the gas stream abrasive mixture slowly about the specimen or sheet surface, a large area of the sheet may be uniformly reduced to a thickness which is then suitable for use in transmission electron microscopy. Attendant with this metal removal is a result in cold working of the metal surface due to the impingement of the abrasive particles. The resultant foils, therefore, if made from materials which are desirable to view in the annealed condition, have to be subsequently heat treated. If the alloy from which these foils have been made has been initially heavily worked or deformed during manufacture, then no subsequent heat treatment is, necessary as in the case of the SAP-type alloys. Following this initial abrasive thinning technique, the material is then given a final electropolish which is just sufficient to remove any oxide which has formed on the metal surface during the abrasion technique. Care has to be exercised in this technique to make sure that none of the attendant problems associated with the chemical or electrochemical removal process are encountered. An electrolyte solution which has been found suitable for aluminum-aluminum oxide SAP materials is one containing 78 ml of perchloric acid, 120 ml of distilled water, 700 ml of ethanol, and 100 ml of butylcellosolve. The current density used is 1 amp per sq cm and a polishing time of 3 sec on each side of the foil is used. Extreme care must be used in choosing the current density and time to ensure that just the oxide film on the specimen is removed. Times or current density which are greater than this will lead to perforation of the film due to the removal of the A1,0, particles or a complete loss of the film due to complete solution of the matrix. Once the oxide film is removed the specimens must be kept in alcohol until placed in the microscope to prevent any further oxidation. Fig. 1 shows -an electron micrograph at X28,000 of a thin foil of an aluminum-aluminum oxide SAP-type alloy prepared using this technique. The alloy consists of a matrix of commercial purity aluminum containing a very finely dispersed second phase of aluminum oxide flakes. In the electron micrograph, the dark patches are the aluminum oxide particles. The lighter portions of the micrograph are the aluminum matrix. Within the aluminum matrix, the dislocation structure of the alloy is clearly visible. This structure consists of intersecting twin boundaries and single dislocations. No abrasive particles were observed in the samples. In addition, thin films of commercial purity aluminum were prepared using this method and observed in the electron microscope. Here also, there was no evidence of abrasive particles introduced in the samples. The technique presented provides a satisfactory method for the production of thin films of aluminum-aluminum oxide SAP-type alloys for use in transmission electron microscopy where none of the usual thinning techniques appears to be satisfactory.

Jan 1, 1962

By Walter Harvey Weed

The enrichment of mineral-veins as a result of the migration of material from an upper oxidized or disintegrated part of a vein to a lower level, where it is redeposited, is now, I believe, quite generally accepted as one explanation of the occurrence of bonanzas in gold- and silver-veins, as well as that of bodies of high-grade ores in cupriferous deposits.* Vogt has called attention† to the fact that there are numerous examples of such rich shoots which are " of exclusively primary character, and dependent upon the laws which governed the original ore-deposition." To this I would add that there are also other examples which are neither of primary origin nor due to descending waters, but. result from a reopening of the veins and their penetration by ascending heated waters whose metallic contents are deposited by reaction with the primary pyrite (and possibly other minerals), forming "secondary" enrichments. My studies of the copper-veins of Butte, Montana, show: That the veins there are of several ages and systems; that the older primary quartz-pyrite veins were reopened by later movements, correlated with a period of volcanic activity; and that they were penetrated by hot alkaline waters carrying copper and arsenic in solution, which was deposited presumably by reaction with the pyrite of the original vein. The enormous development of the Butte deposits, attendant upon the extraction of nearly 10,000 tons of ore a day, has revealed many facts concerning the nature and distribution of the ores. Enargite, the copper sulpharsenate, formerly a relatively rare mineral, is now found to be the chief ore of some veins,

Jan 1, 1903

[59H1-Water Law and Its Significance to the Mining Industry by Wells A Hutchins 59H2-Relation of Land Subsidence to Groundwater Withdrawals in the Upper Gulf Coast Region, Texas by Leonard A Wood and A G Winslow 59F3-Hydraulic Mining of Gilsonite and Its Application to Coal Mining by J H Baker 59H4-Recovery of Phosphates by In Situ Fluid Mining by Sylvain J Pirson 59F5-Coal Cleaning Plant Design for Minimum Operating Labor by Wm M Bertholf and John D Price 59F6-Coke Combustibility A Neglected Characteristic by J D Price 59B7-Union Carbide's Uranium Operation at Maybell, Colorado by K W Lentz and F T Temple 59H8-A Rapid Method for Estimating Alumina in Feldspathic Sands by Hugh H Bein 59H9-Water Laws as Related to Dredging in Idaho by Robert A Lothrop, Richard B Porter, and Robert P Porter 58B19-Separation and Washing of Alumina Process Residue by Morton Handelman 59B11-Feed Preparation and Froth Modification for Fatty Acid Flotation by Carl C Martin and Burt C Mariacher 59B12-Design Requirements for Tailing Disposal in the Southwest by E Vern Given 59B13-Semi-Dome Shaped Buildings for Bulk Storage by Edward E Ives and William L Payne]

Jan 1, 1961

By Alfred E. Hunt, Geo. H. Clapp

The great advantage to he gained by a careful inspection of all materials used in construction, in regard to safety and permanency, and to accuracy of workmanship, has been longer recognized in Great Britain and on the Continent than in America. This is probably owing to the way in which great enterprises have been " rushed" in the United States. Time and cheap first cost, in too many instances, have been considered of more importance than absolute safety and durability; the structures being afterwards strengthened if this was found necessary. This has been most noticeable in railroads built through " new " country, where the object in view has been to reach the terminal point and get to work. These " loose " methods are now being very largely done away with, and a large proportion of the structures lately built are not only carefully inspected during the process of

Jan 1, 1891

By C. F. Kelley

IT is no new experience for the distinguished subject of this presentation to be the recipient of honors conferred, to be eulogized for successful accomplish-ment, or to hear expressed with sincerity the admira-tion of his fellows. The objectives of his professional endeavor have taken him to many fields; the scenes of his labors have varied from the most remote corners of the globe to those which are close at hand; the universality of his experience is an epitome of modern life, impossible of occurrence in any other era. His career not only embodies to an unrivaled degree the opportunities of the contemporaneous epoch, but also exemplifies in the manner in which they have been transformed into successful accomplishments the pos-sibilities of our age. The many-sided career of our medallist is a composite. Tonight we deal chiefly with its phase for which this medal has been bestowed.

Jan 3, 1928

By E. A. Elevatorski

Wollastonite, named after William H. Wollaston, an English chemist, is a calcium metasilicate, CaSiO3. It has a short history as an industrial mineral. The earliest production of wollastonite is reported to be from a deposit near Code Siding, located north of Randsburg, Calif. At this locality small tonnages of wollastonite were quarried during 1933-34 and 1938-41, and processed into mineral wool. This operation was largely experimental and virtually no United States production was again reported until the 1950s when a large deposit near Willsboro, N.Y., was developed by the Cabot Corp. A processing plant was placed on-stream in 1953, with nearly continuous production to date, and it is currently operated by Interpace Corp. Since 1958, wollastonite deposits in the Little and Big Maria Mountains of Riverside County, and in the Panamint Range of Inyo County, both in California, have operated intermittently for production of both ornamental and commercial wollastonite. During 1973, the United States was the major producing country, furnishing about 75% of the world's output. Recent production also has come from Finland, Mexico, and Kenya. Small amounts have been shipped intermittently from India, USSR, New Zealand, Republic of the Sudan, Republic of South Africa, and South-West Africa. The principal use of wollastonite is in the manufacture of ceramics, especially wall and floor tiles. Other uses are for paints, fillers, adhesives, reinforcing agents, plastics, fluxes, and glazes. Mineralogy Pure wollastonite, CaSiO3, has the composi¬tion of 48.3 % CaO and 51.7 % SiO,. However, it is seldom found in the pure state due to the ease with which it takes into solution the metasilicates of manganese, magnesium, iron, and strontium. Predominantly, wollastonite occurs as a contact metamorphic deposit forming between limestones and igneous rocks. Commonly associated minerals are garnet, diopside, epidote, calcite, and quartz. It has a specific gravity of 2.8 to 3.0, and hardness of 4.5 to 5 on Mobs' scale. When pure, it has a brilliant white color, but with impurities it may be grayish or brownish. Luster is vitreous to pearly. Melting point of wollastonite is about 1540° C. Wollastonite occurs in coarse-bladed masses, rarely showing good crystal form. It is usually acicular or fibrous, even in the smallest of particles. The most unique property of crushed and ground wollastonite is its cleavage. Fragments of crushed wollastonite tend to be needle-shaped, imparting a high strength, and this property is the basis for many of its uses. The fiber lengths are commonly in the ratio of 7 or 8 to 1, length to diameter. Some crystals of wollastonite fluoresce under short-wave or longwave ultraviolet light, or both; colors ranging from yellow-orange to pink-orange. Specimens may also show phosphorescence. The brightness of wollastonite is a property of considerable importance to the paint industry. Material, 99% pure, with a size of -325 mesh, has a General Electric reflectance rating of 92 to 96%. Chemically, wollastonite is inert and this property makes it useful as a filler and reinforcing agent. There are two polymorphs of calcium silicates: wollastonite, a low temperature form, and pseudowollastonite, a high temperature form. Inversion of wollastonite to pseudowollastonite occurs at about 1120° C, resulting in an increase in the coefficient of expansion and a color change. Pure white wollastonite, on inversion, may change to a cream tint, or various shades of red or brown. The color change is thought to be due to the presence of iron and strontium.

Jan 1, 1975

John Langton, New York, N. Y. (communication to the Secretary*):—In Mr. Firmstone's discussion (Trans., xli., 912) the formula he gives for the periodical payment—his equation (2)—may be simplified in form. The expression given by Mr. Firmstone is : q=S(l+ r) 1-(1+r)-(1+r) r which is a simpler form to use in calculations. Where S= principal to bc extinguished. Q = periodical payment or charge for sinking-fund, r = rate of interest per period (i. e., interest on $1 per period). n = number of payments or periods. Kent's Mechanical Enyineer's Pocket Book, under the heading Annuities, equation No. 5, gives : " The annuity which $1 will purchase for any number of ytlars n is * Received Jiily 16, 1911.

Jan 1, 1912

By J. D. A. Morrow

This discussion relates to the distribution of coal under the di , of the U. S. Fuel Administration beginning Apr. 1, 1918. At t' L a definite method of controlling and directing distribution was put int effect. Prior thereto, although some of the machinery utilized was in operation, especially in the few weeks immediately preceding' Apr. 1, distribution had not been effectively and comprehensively organized. The writer was called to the Fuel Administration by Dr. Garfield about the first of February, 1918, to assume general direction of the distribution of coal for the Fuel Administration, to develop the general plans, and to obtain practical men to assist in this work and in carrying through the program finally devised. A study of the situation and conferences with the Fuel Administrator and leading men in the business made it plain that it would be necessary to begin at the bottom, measure the undertaking, develop plans to meet the need thus shown, and build an organization to effect the distribution required. This work had to be done under war pressure in the midst of a bad coal shortage. The successful performance of such a task is always primarily a matter of putting competent men in the right places and giving them the power and opportunity to function properly together. In the Distribution Division of the U. S. Fuel Administration, the men who were chiefly responsible for whipping plans into practical form and then for carrying out these plans were A. W. Calloway, of Baltimore, President of the Davis Coal & Coke Co., who served as the Director of Bituminous Coal Distribution; S. Lovell Yerkes, of Birmingham, Alabama, Secretary of the Grider Coal Sales Agency, who assumed general charge of distribution while the new plans and organization were being perfected and then became the Assistant Director of Bituminous Coal Distribution; Warren S. Blauvelt, of Detroit, who was Director of Coke Distri. bution; A. S. Learoyd of New York, Director of Anthracite Distribution, in connection with the Anthracite Committee, consisting of Joseph P. Dickson, President of Dickson & Eddy, Chairman; S. D. Warriner, President of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Co., and W. H. Richards,

Jan 1, 1920

By W. R. Shimer

In his valuable report on Finishing Temperatures and Properties of Rails,l Dr. G. X. Burgess, Chief of the Division of Metallurgy, U. S. Bureau of Standards, has begun a line of investigation which should be continued by those interested in the subject, and who have proper facilities for carrying out the work. For the past year or more the Bethlehem Steel Co. has been conducting experiments to learn the effect of rail finishing temperatures on their physical properties and microstructure and the results are here given for the consideration of those interested in the rail situation. Considerable differences of opinion have been expressed by various authorities, in the past, as to the effect of large or small grain size and high or low finishing temperatures of steel rails on their physical properties and wearing qualities. Low finishing temperatures and, therefore, low shrinkage, have been advocated on the theory that the wearing qualities would be improved. Others have recommended high finishing temperatures. The generally accepted cause for rail failures, due to the development of transverse fissures, is excessive wheel pressure on hard rails. One of the causes advanced for hard rails has been that they contain too high percentages of carbon and manganese; another that the rails were finished at too low a temperature, i.e., at or near the critical point. In the experiments herein described the rails were rolled from reheated blooms. All the rail blooms were charged hot in a reheating furnace and brought up to about the original ingot-rolling temperature before rolling into rails. These rails gave better results in deflection, withstood a greater number of drops before breaking, and showed greater ductility than rails of identically the same composition and section which were rolled direct from the ingot. Rails rolled from reheated blooms, finished at somewhat higher temperatures than when rolled direct from the ingot, have a different microstructure, which the writer does not believe is due so much to the difference in finishing temperatures, as to the difference in

Jan 1, 1915

By T. L. Fritzlen

Extrusion of aluminum alloys in this country is performed mainly by direct extrusion, therefore this paper is confined only to factors affecting the rate of extrusion by this method. Many factors affect the rate of extrusion of aluminum alloys. It is the purpose of this paper to present a discussion on the factors that are subject to technical control. Most of them are closely related, so that a clear-cut distinction between them is rather difficult. However, an attempt will be made to evaluate the effect of each factor separately, as far as possible. The most important factors only will be considered, and these will be discussed in detail under three general headings: (I) characteristics of the equipment, (2) size and structure of the ingot, and (3) temperature of ingot, cylinder, and other parts. It is a well established fact1 that the pressure and the speed of extrusion are related and are exponential functions of one another. Therefore, whenever a certain condition tends, for instance, to increase the pressure required for extrusion, it will reduce the extrusion speed if the pressure is maintained constant. For this reason, in this paper the effect of various conditions is expressed either in regard to their effect on the pressure required or the extrusion speed. Another established fact is the relation- ship between the temperature of the material being extruded and the pressure required to extrude. According to Schi-shokin,= this relationship is of the exponential type, and as the temperature is increased the pressure required is decreased. It would seem from the preceding that the greatest rates of extrusion can be obtained by the use of higher temperatures. However, as is well known, other factors intervene to limit the rate of extrusion of aluminum alloys when increasing the temperature. These factors will be discussed in detail later. Characteristics of the Equipment The capacity of the press determines * the maximum unitary pressure that can be applied for any given cylinder diameter. Pressures used for extrusion of aluminum alloys range from approximately 50,000 lb. per sq. in. to 150,000 lb. per sq. in., dependent upon the alloy and the size of the shape extruded. Higher pressures could be used to advantage, but existing steels limit pressures employed in the production of extrusions. Numerous mechanical characteristics of the extrusion press affect extrusion rate. The most important characteristics of the press itself are: (I) sensitivity of the main pressure valve and accuracy of pressure gauges, (2) accuracy of equipment to heat the cylinder uniformly and to control cylinder temperature, and (3) accuracy of means of measuring the speed of extrusion. The variables subject to control during the extrusion operation are pressure, temperature, and speed, and it is evident that the preceding characteristics

Jan 1, 1946

By H. H. Campbell

Many attempts have been made to write a formula by which to calculate the strength of steel from its chemical composition, but most of these endeavors have failed because there were too many disturbing conditions. It is idle to collect from the pages of trade-papers, books, or the proceedings of scientific societies, a multitude of observations. The combination of such results will simply show that steel of the same composition will vary in tensile strength through wide limits—a fact that has been known for generations. That cold-working, overheating, and many another form of heat-treatment alter fundamentally the strength of steel, is ancient history, although it is only recently that the microscope has pointed out the road to an explanation of the phenomena. It mag be urged that the microscopic structure must betaken into consideration in any formula giving the ultimate strength, but from the standpoint of the present investigation this is unnecessary. We are trying to determine primarily, not what changes in ultimate strength may be made by variations in the condition of carbon, but what effect is produced by changes in the amount of carbon, when its condition remains constant. For such an inquiry, in order that the condition of the carbon should remain as nearly uniform as possible, it is essential that all testrpieces be made under the same conditions; and it is believed that the tests described in this paper satisfy that requirement. The investigations were made at the works of the Pennsylvania Steel Company, Steelton, Pa.; the ingots from which the tests were made were 6 in. square in every case; they were heated in the same furnace and forged at the same ham-

Jan 1, 1905

Jan 1, 1948

By J. A. Holmes

Venezuela has continued during 1929 to demonstrate that it is destined for many years to come to be one of our most important sources of crude petroleum. The producing fields of the Bolivar Coastal district along the east side of Lake Maracaibo have continued their phenomenal production, and two new fields have reached the near producing stage, while the results of deep test wells have strengthened the predictions and expectations that oil will be found and produced from many other pools and from several different geological formations. The finding of these new oil pools is not going to be easy, because the surface evidences of geological structure are scanty, and the subsurface problems are difficult, but intelligent effort backed by ample resources may be counted upon to overcome these obstacles and lead to a continued increase in the number of producing fields in Venezuela. During 1929 the total production of Venezuela was approximately 135,953,000 bbl., an increase of nearly 30,000,000 bbl., or 28 per cent., as compared with the preceding year. During 1929 oil in steel storage in Venezuela decreased from 13,000,000 to about 11,000,000 barrels. Tables 1, 2 and 3 briefly summarize Venezuelan production by fields and by years, and show the trend of production since its establishment on a commercial basis. Table 1.---Production of Crude Oil in Venezuela by Years, 1917 to 1929 All Figures in Barrels of 42 Gallons Total PRodUction Total PRoduction Year VeneZUela, Bbl. Year Venezuela, Bbl. 1917....................... 227,000 1927.................... 63,181,000 1918....................... 368,000 1928.................... 106,000,000 1919....................... 258,000 1929.................... 135,953,000* 1920..................... 548,000 Grand Total Since Ineep- 1921...................... 1,544,000 tion................... 380,791,000 1922....................... 2,448,000 Increase, 1929 over 1928.. . 29,953,000 1923..................... 4,170,000 Per cent. Increase......... 28.2 1924....................... 9,234,000 Per cent. 1929 Production 1925....................... 20,219,000 of Total............... 35.7 1926....................... 36,641,000 * Includes estimate for closing period of 1929.

Jan 1, 1930

By R. S. Shoemaker, F. W. McQuiston

RECOVERY METHODS AS RELATED TO PROPERTIES OF SILVER ORES The earliest metallurgical process for treating silver ores was amalgamation with mercury which was in use in the early 1500's. Closely following was the development of the Patio process for treating ores at Pachuca, Mexico. Silver often occurs as the native metal and in deposits associated with other metals such as gold, copper, lead and zinc. Principal silver minerals include compounds of sulfur, antimony, arsenic, and copper. Silver chloride, and argentiferous galena are also prime sources. Native silver and the chloride characterize the oxide zone of most deposits. Native silver can be concentrated, amalgamated, or cyanided. Silver chloride rapidly dissolves in cyanide without oxygen. Oxidized silver ores containing the higher oxides of manganese are generally refractory to metallurgical treatment. A refractory compound of manganese and silver is formed, probably a manganite , which is insoluble in cyanide solutions. Argentite is the predominant silver mineral. Other important economic minerals are native silver, argentiferous galena, cerargyrite, pyrargyrite and tetrahedrite. Argentite dissolves slowly, the reaction being reversible requires an excess of cyanide. Argentite with disseminated fine grained gold occurring in quartz veins with minor amounts of chalcopyrite and galena may be cyanided directly after grinding, with high silver and gold recoveries. The flowsheet adapted to this type of ore is the Minas de San Luis, Tayoltita cyanide plant, which treats a high grade argentite silver ore containing gold. It is a standard cyanidation circuit but employs long periods of agitation contact for the high silver sulfide content ore. Lead-zinc base metal semi-oxidized- complex ores in pipes and chimneys are replacement deposits in limestone at El Mochito Mine, Honduras. Mineralization comprises galena, cerussite, anglesite, sphalerite, calamine, and smithsonite. The silver content of about 16 ounces occurs as native silver globs, wire and the mineral argentite. After flotation of lead and zinc concentrates, the tailings are cyanided for gold and silver recovery. The great Huelva pyritic copper deposits of Spain carry a little gold and silver. At Cerro Colorado, these metals were concentrated above the chalcocite zone into the so-labeled Mgossanu. This material with a content of 0.08-0.09 oz Au and 1.50 oz Ag per ton is amenable to cyanidation. See Cerro Colorado flowsheet. In southern Hidalgo, about 60 miles north of Mexico City, are the great silver--gold veins of one of the foremost silver mining districts of the world. Real del Monte, Pachuca. The mineralized area consists of flow rocks and intrusives. The oxidized ores carry pyrites with oxides of iron and manganese and other minerals, silver and gold. The first zone contains

Jan 1, 1975

By M. G. Gulley

The drilling for and production of crude oil in the Lima-Indiana and Michigan fields were directly and profoundly affected by the severe strain to which the petroleum industry was subjected during the year 1931. Serious and long-continued overproduction in the large flush areas of the western and southwestern fields, coupled with a nationwide decrease in the annual rate of consumption-increase, served to precipitate ‡ This curve is the Mid-Continent price for 38" gravity crude and hence. affords a basis for estlmating the influence of general factors upon the price structure m these fields. a mid-year economic depression which was functionally reflected in every producing area in the United States. A study of the curves of price changes in portions of the central west territory (Fig. 1) will demonstrate this relationship as well as the ensuing upward trend, which developed when pressure was artificially relieved, at least for the time being, in the producing areas in the southwestern states. All field activities in the Lima-Indiana and Michigan territory during 1931 follow the price curve closely: the mid-year depression was evident in drilling activities— both wildcat and within the proved limits of producing fields, in pipe line

Jan 1, 1932