Question

but a man in massachusetts thought it would be a good idea to dissolve the grease with some such solvent as
source: the scrap book, volume 1, no. 3 may 1906
asbestos
magma
naphtha
graphite

Explanation:

Naphtha is a common solvent used for dissolving grease. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral, magma is molten rock, and graphite is a form of carbon, none of which are solvents for grease.

Answer:

C. naphtha