Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-09-08

Written for the Daily Leader
The Trumbull Comfy Oil--Its Discovery,
D0Yslopment and Extent.


bA tbNlNuI Jh'
No. I.
Mecca is historic name It is noted in
historyas the birthplace Of Mahomet; asst
place of the rise and progress of Religion
which sways more Of the inhabitants Of this
world than any other; and as the sacred
spot which attracts many foot sore and
weary pilgrim to sacrifice to Allah. Our
modern Mecca is likely to be as widely known
and as famous as its ancient prototype. No
Arabian Desert surrounds it, thus bringing
out and illustrating its fertility and beauty /;
but it is in the midst Of fertile and beauti-
ful plain, and itself forms part of the eastern
slope of one of the incest and most beautiful
valleys of the county, Active, industrious,
and well to do farmers live upon its soil /;
and thrift and comfort are seen at every
hand. Rip Van Winkle himself, after being
aroused from his long slumber, could not be
more surprised or look surprise to greater
perfection, than do the residents of Mecca, at
the hidden and unexpected development OF
the subterranean wealth of the township
They are scarce prepared to realize it. Many
of them cannot appreciate it; and it is fast
unsettling all their old ideas OF values they
know not what to ask for their land, nor can
they feel satisfied that they are not all mill
ionaires.
Hundreds are new visiting the Modern
Mecca, but from motives widely differing
from those which urge forward the pilgrims
to the Mecca of the East. Those were &C
tuated by the holest motives which supersti-
ton could suggest; there to sacrifice to
| MGmmon.
THE DISCOVERY OF THE OIL.
More than thirty years ago Seneca or Pc
troleum oil was found in Mecca. 1t was
found upon the waters of spring on the
farm now occupied by Mr.. Drag from which
small quantities were gathered for medicinal
purposes A Mr.. Gale owning the land on
the corner south of the residence Of Mr.. Ja-
cob Powers, and now owned by Mr.. Powers,
| gathered the oil from q well near the corner,
and took it to the State of New York, and
sold it there for shilling an ounce for
medicinal purposes. Many of the wells in
Mecca, on the west side of MusketO Greek,
have oil in them and it was known for
| years. Farmers, however, formerly supposed
that the presence OF oil was detriment rather
than an advantage as it would spoil the
water and as good water is disideratum in
the sale Of a farm, they were very sure to
suppress, if possible, the fact of there being
oil in the wells. The bad taste would be at
tributed to everything imaginable but the
true cause; and but little was known of the
extent of the oil district until the fever broke
out. Now almost every well is reputed to
show oil in abundance.
The reason of the oil being so readily dis
covered at this point is, that the oil-bearing
rock is very near the surface At some
points near Powers Corners the rock is reach
ed at about four feet and for a large distance
around the Corners it is not over ten feet
/ from the surface of the soil. The oil-rock
seems to have been thrown up here above ev-
cry other formation, and at points where it
has been broken, so that there are vertical
creyices, the oil seems to be pressed up
through it, and is found in liberal quantities
in the coarse gravel everything the rock.
Years ago, Mr.. Jesse Reeves, then resi-
dent of Rowland township, on the west side
of the MusketO Greek, but now living in
Sharon, Pa, IN digging well, found some
oily substances on the water which had gath
cred in his well over night, and found the
smell so disagreeable that he had to abandon
it. When the oil excitement broke out in
TitusVille, or Oil Creek Valley, Pa, this cir
cumstance was brought out from memories
garret, as was also the fact of the Seneca oil
;-;,o.;,.- -. sf;! MP the valley, Whereupon
I bringing out TINS hidden wealth; ana ne hIsU
interested two of his neighbors- Curtis
and J. S. King. a resident of Mecca, Mr..
Henry Wagner, also heard of the Pennsyl-
vaRia Oil excitement, and supposing that the
/ Mecca oil was the same thing, started for
help to develope the region. He found Mr..
Andrew Andrews and Jacob Mersersmith, OF
Vienna, Trumbull county, whom he could
isinspire with faith enough to make an effort
to discover oil. Mr.. Andrews went to Pow
ers Corners, and commenced leasing lands
with view to prospect for oil. This was on
the 28th of February last In day or two
/ after, Messrs. Reeves, Curtis and King arrived
at Mecca, all ou the same errand, and after a
little parleying, the two sets of spectators
came to an understanding, and formed the
Pennsylvania and Ohio Oil Company, com
posed of Andrew Andrews, Jacob Merser-
smith and Henry Wagner, of Ohio, and
jesse Reeves, Joel B. Curtis and John S.
King, of Pennsylvania. The Company i'm
mediately undertook to build up great mo-
noPoly by securing leases of all the lands
around where they had reason to believe there
was oil; and they soon secured large guam
titles OF lands. About this time young man
from West GreenVille, Pa, heard Mrs. Reeves
tell the story of the well on their Ohio farm
but she refused to give the locality. An ac-
quaintance undertook to find the place and
BY strategem succeeded. A company from
Greenville started Immediately for Rowland.
and leased the old Reeves farm. While here
they heard Of the /" surface show" at Mecca,
and went there Immediately, and found that
Andrews and his associates had been four
days ahead of them. They, however. pro-
cured site on the corner opposite to Mr.. ia
cob Powers upon which they commenced op-
erations. This Company was Burwell, Jor-
dan Co, and were the first to commence
drilling. When they commenced they were
derided, abused, laughed at, called crazy, and
every imaginable annoyance and discourage
ment was thrown IN their way. They, how
ever, persevered, and were able to put the first
pump into successful operation.
The Pennsylvania and Ohio Oil COMPANY
also commenced drilling soon after their
leasing ground and as soon as the thing be-
came known, hundreds focked to Powers
Corners for the purpose of leasing quantities
of land, or to get spot upon which to sink
g well.
The "oil territory as defined by the oil
men, is on the west side of the creek, and |
not tar removed from the corners. Those |
interested in lands about there have kept up
the idea that oil could only be found at the !
corners, or near there. The speculation, |
however, ran so high-the Company held |
leases at so high rate, ESQ bonus and q of |
the oil,) that others who wished to speculate |
were compelled to extend their experiments |
or give up any hope of making anything |
like handsome by way of profits. The per-
phiry Of the circle soon began to widen and
extend, and leases were sought for for miles |
around. Most of the land from four to five