Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-10-17
County Ticket.
Petroleum in West Virginia.
oOrrespondenee Of the New YOrk HeraId.

hITCHIE COUNTY, w. Na.I Oct. D. 1854.
The oil Distriet,-GeoIogicaE Features
Wsalth Of Hughes' RiUsr-HsaVy Invest.
ments-PrOspscts, &c.
A brief sketch of the remarkable oil re-
gion of West Virginia may not be unRccep-
table at this time, when petroleum is
"kiDg"-not cotton. The history of the
world scarcely affords an example Of the
rapid rise of any article into general and
commercial Importance as has been that
of petroleum. From a comparatively lin
tied home trade it has sprung into a vast
foreign trade, amounting perhaps to $780,
600, 900 per annum. From twenty-five
cents per barrel, as It was few years
since, when there was little home con-
sumption and no export trade, il has ad-
vanced to twenty dollars per barrel, with
foreign demand which cannot be suppli-
ed. The rapid change has had the effect
to run up oil stocks to almost fabulous
prices, and oil land in corresponding
proportion. Added to all this, the enor-
nous dividends declared by some Phila-
delphia companies, have served to stimu-
late the oil stock and land market until
sober minded people declare the world is
running mad about petroleum. The writer
of this has not the oleagenous "fever;" but
he has has been "doRn thar" "takin notes
and faith he'll prent them" He is still in
the oil region, and sends you greeting from
this greasy locale, redolent of bitumen,
and luminous with carburetted hydrogen,
hurried sketch Of what has been seen and
heard. This is, indeed, remarkable re-
| gion. OF rough exterior, it presents inex-
haustible fountains of wealth which has
so long rotted beneath these rugged hills
and sharply defined valleys. Nature has,
sE.,I Al ,I1..
/ region. She has scattered her. treasure
with lavish and prodigal hand. These
wild lands, which few years ago were
considered comparatively worthless, so
much 30 indeed, that the more acres a
man possessed, the poorer he considered
himself, are now at fabulous prices. Wildly
distorted strata and impenetrable forests
now command.prices Of gold bearing quartz
and forests of rosewood. And legitimate.
/ ly have these changes been wrought, for
more valuable than gold mines or fragrant
wood are the rich and inexhaustible stores
of fragrant oil which lies hidden beneath
these rocks and brambles. "a
The spirit sf speculation runs high
throughout the oil district, but is particu-
tarly manifest in the vicinity of Horse Neck,
tributary Of Bull creek. There, Two or
or three highly productive wells have been
bored, which have had the effect Of put.
ting prices up to alarming figures. Enter
prise has been particularly directed to
Bull creek and its tributaries, in conse-
| quence of the supposed danger from guer-
rillss Of operating in the region more i'm
mediately north and south OF Hughes
4 riVer-the original seat of oil discovery in
Western Virginia. Burning Spring on the
KanaWhs, where most productive wells
were produced about the commencement
of the war, lies fifteen miles south of
Hughes river, and gave promise of being
the very heart of the oil region, for wells
yielding from 800 TO 1000 barrels daily
have been procured. In consequence of
war disturbance this rich locality has been
measursbly abandoned until within few
months, Enterprising men have gone to
work in that quarter, and very heavy in
| vestments have been made. Rathbone j.
Co., western Virginians,) have recently
sold their property at Burning Springs for
the enormous sum, as have been inform
ed, of S420, 900.
The intermediate country between the
| Northwestern Virginia railroad aud Hughes
river, thence to Burning Springs, has gene.
rally been purchased. refer now to the
country lying along and adjacent to it, the
great geological upheval winch distinguish.
| es the oil district. This line Of geological
disturbance is we'll marked, and somewhat
/ remarkable in its character. 1t extends in
4 general southern direction from the Ohio
river, near the mouth of Bull creek, to the
Burning Springs-over forty miles. The
strata have been violently disrupted, and
incline at angles from i've degrees to htty.
In some places they are almost vertical
This dislocatlon can be readily traced over
the summit of the highest hills and in the
depth of the lowest valleys. The antielinal
entire distance. The uniform inclination
is east and west The variable width Of
this upheaval is from one to three miles, 10
particular localities there appears to have
been series of upheaval, or successive
distprbAnce.i
The popular belief Is that within. th,