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In tracing the industry and its impact on our lives, Maddow begins at the beginning, in 1859, with the discovery of “rock oil” and, a few years later, John D. Rockefeller’s founding of Standard Oil.

Drake had been hoping to find "rock oil", a brownish unrefined "crude" oil that sometimes bubbled near the surface of western Pennsylvania.

His report was so favorable that a company was formed, which leased all the land along Oil Creek upon which were traces of the new rock oil.

Then came the great discovery of rock oil, which rapidly superseded the whale oil of commerce in general use.

No. On all bearings the same oil, but on mainspring a rock oil.