Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-10-04

Ist. presume. fully one hundred new en-.
gines will be at work in the oil district Of
, West srn Virginia, Lands have been held
con .arstively cheap, but prices have gone
mp within the last month or two to compar-
tAtiyalFhigh priQee !. STILL they ARE cheap to
what they will ba In q few weSkb! When
few good wells have been sunk, prices
will go up with startling effect upon the
staid farmer who gRped with Eondrous in-
loredulity, when n few months Since he was
offered Eve prices for his little homestead.
In the neighborhood of Horse Neck, prices
have already partaken of the elevated ten
dency on JthAA AlTeghehJ! I! Further South,
and in localities equally as desirable, pri-
ces are comparatively loW,-J The region of
Hughes river presents some Of the most
desirable territory in the whole oil district.
The geological features are those Of other
portions Of the district, and the external or
surface Indications for oil, superior to
those of any other locality. It.wAs here
the Rrst "0l Spriugp was discovered and
petroleum collected. Crock, or "BAnk
dil,'' as il was called, was drst collected
here as an aTtiole Of commerce. For thirty
years it was a commodity OF traffic. OIL is.
sues from.the earth, the crevice ofrooks, and
floats upon the waters. Carboretted Hy-
drOgeu gas exhibits itself in various local
luebs hluluB NfANA y Elouu lEOu OeihAu4SAVt
few evenings since, We passed one OF
these natural gas pits. BE dismounted and
applied match, when q full bright flame
instantly arose, and continued to burn uu.
til extingaished. The great quantity Of
this gas emitted at Burning Springs gave
origin TO the name OF that locality.
The "CsliforniA House, named, pre-
sumo, from its proximity to the pits, or
''diggiDgs," where the early settlers de.
rived their supply of oil, is now the centre
of considerable oil interest In the region
of Hughes River. Two miles above the
North and South forks OF Hughes river
come together. Indications are highly
favorable throughout the extensive region
starting out towards the Burning Springs.
in Writ county. A wealthy PennsylVsnis
firm (McCIintock, Tarr, Russell & Co.. also
Baltimore Company, are operating IN
have recently been made by parties for
Baltimore, Washington, New York, &c.
MeCHntOck & Go. are driving down we'll
with much energy. They have had indi-
cations of oil throughout the whole dis
tanee bored. They are experienced oil
operators, and consider the fact settled
that they will find a fue supply. This
company has made heavy investments in
lands, and, understand, can now sell at
Eve times the prices purchased at. Sue
cess attend their energetic efforts. Mr..
Russell, the managing partner here, is
perfect steam engine, driving the. work by
dint of personal application and industry.
noticed q few days since, in the circuit
of an extensive ride through the wilder
ness, the celebrated vertical coal seam, as
il is called 1t is on Cave ruU branch OF
Mcfarland, an important tributAry of the
Tkta fa
OF the most remarkable deposits of btu
men on the continent. It Is literally
'vertical," with q width Of about four feet,
and OF Hnkuown depth. II is nearly pure
bitumen and very rich, yielding from 80 to
go per cent. of oil. 1t is not strati6ed,
but is delicate capitalization. With re-
gard to it's true character and composition,
safe theory is, perhaps, that it WAS origi-
nAlly petroleum, which by some powerful
repelling or repulsive force has been in
jected into the rent rock, and by exposure
became oxydized into solid asphalt or btu
men. l cannot more fully describe this in
teresting geological phenomenon at pres
eut, hut may do so in another communi'
cation.
visited few days since the new well
on Horse Neck. Ia was represented to be
yielding about 200 barrels per day. 1t fur
nishes nearly pure oil, with a specific grayi-
~ Of about 40. The we'll is about 162 feet
deep, and the oil is supplied from dark
shsle. 1t will shortly be bored deeper. As
/ stood by the tank, witnessing the oil
flowing from two inch pipe, could plain
ly see the csrburetted hydrogen issuing
with the oil. "A plsoard on the huge tank
warned all in this wise-"No smoking al
lowed in this valley"
| l may hereafter more particularly de-
scribe the oil wells Of Western Virginia.
| GEoLoGIsT.