Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-03-27
Letter from the OIL Region.

Letter from the OIL Region
Interesting Description of the Process of
Boring the oil Wells-A Nocel Style of
Boating on oil Greek, &C., &c.
Corresponds ice of the Dansv!c Herald
PLUMMLR, Venang Co., Pa, March 2.
Nh. Editor III having come to my for
tune to visit that wonderful country known as
the 'oii region" l volunteer to give you a
brief account of my observations. The re-
gion from which oil is now obtained is of but
small dimensions, embracing in the main only
a section of a narrow valley, threaded by a
tributary of the Allegheny river, known as
Oil Creek. Hemmed in by steep, rough hills
and surrounded by wild and unproductive
country, it seems almost incredible that peo-
pie should gain access and subsist here. Yet
thousands OF almost every grade of intellect,
and OF every profession, are gathered together
From the mouth Of the creek, up about twen-
ty miles, there is a complete succession of
villages. AT every point where the hills re-
cede enough to present little uniformity of
surface, forest of derricks, engine houses,
crowds of tanks, and shanties, appear
The oil is obtained by means of wells sunk
to The region of the oil, from whence it flows
or Is pumped. These wells are about 600 feet
in depth and four or five inches in diameter.
made by drill worked by steam, water, or
horse power. The location being fixed upon,
four strong poles about forty feet high are set
so that, enclosing rectangular base of about
II feet square, they shall nearly approach
each other at the top. Effectualy braced
they form structure sufficiently strong to
raise and support almost any weight This
structure is termed derrick. At the top is
puller; at the base on one side is 4 bull.
wheel, around the axle of which some six or
seven hundred feet of IL inch cable is
wound, one end or which passes over the pull
ley at the top OF the derrick and attaches to
the drill tools which have been suspended di.
rectly over the point fixed upon for the
we'll Six-inch iron tubing is then driven some
thirty or forty feet through the earth to the
rock, when the drill commences its work.
Ihs d III dL tafsd Ike * t tbs
iron connected by two long links, called
Glars" and weighs about seven hundred
pounds. Attached to the cable, and the cable
by pair of movable clumps, to walking
beam, worked by the engine, this ponderous
tool is raised and dropped rapidly on the rock
below As the well deepens the clamps are
looSened, and the cable unwinding from the
axle of the bull-wheel follows the wheel till
the requisite depth is obtained. In order ito
clean out the pumice as it is formed the drill is
drawn and a sand pump worked by small
rope put down. The sinking of wells is ted
ious enough. Often not more than eighteen
inches in day can be reached. Again, how
ever, if the rock is soft good manager will
drop down ten or twelve feet.
After the well is sunk comes the task of tub
ing. Gas pipe from one and half to three
inches in diameter is put down to within
short distance of the bottom. On this tubing,
at point in the well below all the water veins
and above the source of the oil, is put what is
called 'seed bag" which is simply boot
leg, larger than and encrcling the tubing, tied
about at each end and filed with dry faxseed
which becomes wet, swells, and elfectually
fills the space between the tubing and the
chambers of the well, shutting off the water
from above, and stopping the oil and gas from
rising from without, so that tits forced to enter
the &ubing below and seek egress. In some
wells the oil ascends with great force, spout
ing into the air hundreds of feet, with con-
tinuous blowing sound like the noise
of steam from an escaped pipe; but in
others it rises only at intervals, blowing only
once in two, five, or ten minutes, or half an
hour, or two or three times day, or perhaps
weeks.
The trades furnished by, and the uses
made of this oil, are as marvellous in their
extent and Importance as are its existence
and discovery. Though three years have
scarcely passed since seeking for it in the
bowels of the earth commenced. there is now
scarcely port entered by American vessels
which does not reckon largely of this arti-
Gle in its bill of imports. From this little
valley, weekly, car loads and boat loads leave
by hundreds. That shipped by water goes
out the creek, down the Allegheny river to
PittSburg. That by cars to sections not ac-
cessible by that route. Most of the oil going
to Pittsburg is shipped in bulk. The boats
being built tight, the oil is run by hose or
other conductor right into them. The naviga-
ton of Oil Creek is little novel. Nearly
all the oil is taken out on what are called
''pond freshets." The natural rise in the
creek is seldom sufficient to afford more than
ten or twelve inches OF water, so the boatmen
load their barges, and engage the simultane-
Gus opening Of some twenty mill dams on the
stream above, the combined waters of which
| produce tide sufficient to float boat of a
| thousand barrels capacity. When the tide
| comes down, the boats are cut from their
| moorings, and riding upon the full crest, are
! borne safely out into the river. The cost of
| these "freshets" is considerable, in proportion
always to the number of dams bought hence
| boatmen will purchase no more of the dams
than they think will serve. The result often
| is water enough is not obtained, the boats
run aground and crowd together, break and
| crush EACH OlncI Will d iClilolC
For the reception and storage OF oil as it
flows from the wells, tanks about twenty feet
in diameter, with from six to twenty foot
slaves are erected. Acres of ground are COW
cred with them, some below, others above
ground Better facilities for keeping oil are
continually being obtained. Last summer,
when oil was so abundant and out of demand,
the veriest apology of place where to put it,
was made use of. A simple bed of blue clay
for bottom, and rough plank supported by
circular mound of earth for sides, was the de-
pository for many thousand barrels. With
the bottom well packed, the joints battined,
and the checks and other accidental apertures
well calked, they served quite passaby One
OF these ponds Gas they really are) which still
proves to be servlceabe, saw the other day
being filled. Its dimensions were one hun
dred and twenty-one feet diameter, and ten
feet stave. 1t is needless to say that with
such provisions for storage, large quantities
of oil are lost, even with the best of tanks.
slaves well jointed, and heavily hooped, ii
is almost impossible to keep it. The waste
of oil is indeed immense, enough runs
away in this valley to supply the state
of Pennsylvania. On these flats it stands
in pools, and forms slough holes all