[D8603ZBX], Letter from Puskas and Nottbeck, Theodore Puskas to Thomas Alva Edison, June 30th, 1886
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Title
[D8603ZBX], Letter from Puskas and Nottbeck, Theodore Puskas to Thomas Alva Edison, June 30th, 1886
Editor's Notes
I have been working for a year now at a Petroleum and Paraffin mining enterprise. ##At first, I joined the original owner of a large number of state concessions for petroleum mining, but lately I have bought him out and I am now, jointly with Charles Nottbeck, whom you know, the sole proprietor of these concessions, I having the controlling interest. ##Nottbeck has been working here with me at this affair for the whole past year, and last month his father came from Russia to visit our mines and has put in the concern a large sum of money. ##The concessions are 800 in number and completely cover an acre of about 100 square km. ##We have on our territory 9 layers of paraffine sandstone, which are from 2 to 5 meters in thickness and come in several places up to the surface. Further, we have hitherto made 4 borings out of which we have got very little oil, but which have shown us extensive deposits of raw pafaffine in other layers underground. The oil we have found contains from 16 to 20% pure paraffine. [Goes on to describe the borings they have made and describe the paraffine in more detail. Also describes success others have had at Boyston, in Galicia, the only place in Austria where large deposits of paraffine have been found, and gives the price for raw paraffine.] ##Our machine for refining raw paraffine, which has been made at Halle in Germany, is on its way to the mine and we are just now erecting the necessary buildings. In two months, we shall be in working order and able to turn out daily 2,000 kilos of refined paraffine, on which we expect to realize a daily profit of at least $240. ##There is so much material on our territory that there is no reason why we should not very shortly increase our machinery so as to refine 10 or 20 times as much as we intend to refine with the machinery which we are putting up now. ##The prospect in our region is as good as in the Boyston district. Everything tends to show that this undertaking will prove one of the biggest things here. ##The reason why I give you these particulars is that in case you could come over here this summer on a pleasure trip, you might perhaps, after looking personally into this affair, like to take an interest in it, which would much please me and Nottbeck. It would anyhow be a great pleasure for me to have you as my guest in Hungary. ##P.S. Bring Batchelor with you. Please remember me to him and to Insull.
Recipient
Mentioned
Date
1886-06-30
Type
Subject
Folder/Volume ID
D8603-F
Microfilm ID
79:142
Document ID
D8603ZBX
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University