The New York herald., 1864-11-08

verey.
Lieut.. johu.E. Sullivan. Tth Illinois, killed.
Lieut.. W. G. Gibson, 7th Illinois, wounded slightly
WEST VIRGINIA OIL DISTRICT.
Our Hughes River Correspondence.
HUGHES RIVER, RIcuIn COUNTY. W. Va,
Oct 81, 1864. J
Auunal Scene IN Virgifa Woods-Anciert Springs-
ValuabIe OIL 7eritory-Cds Sprin0s-Speculatson--
Vrgnia District COMPARED ,oi that Of Pennyludnidp
Hughes River Re0ion-GeoIooicaI Rrplorat.on-Aap Of
OIL Dtnrict, dc.
Ihave had ride rarely be forgotten through these
grand old woods varously and gorgeousy tinted, and
beneath this glorious October sum- which, In the forests
OF Virginia, has . brightness and beauty indeed.
During entire day, from early until the shades
OF evening closed around have been In the saddle,
threading the oft pathess wilderness, study ing the
logical features Of the country and admrng thebeaucs
and gloriss tho sutumna foliage, which, this year,
seems surpass in sorgeousness that Of any previous
season There has been but little frost here this foil,
and summer fingers IN the lap Of autumn, reluctant to
quit scenes beauty and flowers and changing
dure.
10 one who traversed the forests or West
Virginia It would be difficult TO describe the and
varied beauties Of tho wild woods which, at this
would even puzzle Bsrzeus himself paint and describe
tho matchless tnts everywhere behsd.
But my purpose is not 70 describe tho woods Ia their
changing lines. Your readers desire something
practical will, therefore, smoody few notes Of OBJ
servation. rode 10 look al tho county oil terri
tory for verify oil king, and rules the hearts Of
(out this way with an iron scepter. rode mp to
the PITS "diggnss" whore, during many years, the
hardy, industrious citizens deved IN the river bank
and extracted thousands Of barrels Of pure petroleum
The process was simple and ingsnioua The pits wore
e1cAvased 70 the depth q Ten twenty feet the oil
Aaaan mad fpOrn and vi
cloths, 10. These exOavssoos, "sprhes" shey
oaifed about and half miles below the forks OF
have been prolific springs yielding a. the ordinary es
mate Of the people who worked shsm many thousand
Two Or three nas % ns Of Ausu,.
hundred Ito three hundred barrels. A gen-
sleman has informed me that h. teams bad had
the "lower springs upwards Of three hundred barrels
this oo
use Of petroleum, which has become, m . few short
years not only for bruises and oil the ordinary
ills which "fssh In heir 70, but the great lumnatsr
and lubrcarur Of the world. The mon now living
and talk with them every day; who lot loose this Iowa
than from his peut caves and have sent him onward
TO his mission ofsght and glory for Il mast indeed bo
glorious 30 become ihe beDefactor of mankind.
The OF gathering petroleum from the springs
Hughes was continued until the augur. moro
properly the chse, opcned the rocky portals which, for
countless ages, had concealed the precious liquid Those
abandoned works begin TO assume the appearance OF
those ancient excavations on the Allegheny Pennsyi
vana, whose history lives not even 10 tradition
These early pits cover several acres Immediately on
the north bank OF Hughes river They have recently
been sold by Mr. Blair member OF Congress from this dis
trict TO Pennsyivahia company Numerous tubos
going within or two miles from these pits
Not less than four heavy companies operating within
the mentioned, and several strong handed ndvid
uas Lands gone up comparatively high ngures,
but fall greatly below the prices at which territory
sold In the Pennsylvania oil region, in the vicin
Valuable deveiopmenis will undoubtedly be made by
some OF the parties now operating by steam In this
vicinity, and their lands viii advance with alarming
L yerl0
in West Virginia, so u must become tho finest oil
yielding territory the great petroleum district The
country south Hughes river peculiarly rich In oil and
minerals Stretching out towards the Burning Springs all
indications point that territory aboundng wealth
Wherever wells have been bored oil Of superior quality
has obtained Az Burning Springs some heavy sales
have been made. and the Astor Petroleum Company
preparing to operate unoer capital Of 900. Some
nne wells have boon procured in that district, flowing
from hundred TO thousand barrels OF Oil daily
Similar wells will be procured between Hughes river asd
Kanawha for the geological indications precisely the
same those In the most productive oil territory. OIL
openings in the earth, and the beds Of streams. the
geological strata have been violently broken and Gle.
boring the operator reoIoes when Nat proper deph his
drops into dssure. He whdraws the bit, intro
efforts Better tnan this often the vast body Of carbu
reed hydrogen which for ages had been confined In Its
fearful nose pressing everything upward before IT, and
delugiug the space around with oil, oil, oil. These
% manage Almost svsry v. Of propsr
depth yields gas The presence Of gas is not always
BY sas through S hS' ya
oil district have furnished large supplies Of gas AZ
s 70 BE- as.d 1 s suc
l Springs capable Of firing and supporting flame
pom gres .pao ' sv sr.s ana ro nave ,.
bnaton with comoustois substances OF hydrogen
crbureted ydrogen rapidly produced from Dlrmnous
substances by artificial dry distaton so It evolved
In nature NJ low temperature from submerged poss
siby emerged vegetable matter But truce 10 gas
everywhere out here at the wells on the river In tho
hotels the jostlng boat crowded car, wherever
elseimcn most do congregate.
wonderful development being made In this part OF
the young and vigorous commonwealth which has
Gently up for herself Wealth flowing into beau
tfu Valleys and hundreds OF native born citizens have
already taken or are preparing 70 tke their departure
for other scenes The entire landed property lying within
Of perhaps six miles 10 breadth. and stretching
through the counties OF Peasants, Wood, Richie and
wrt has with few exceptions, changed hands
LIST OF June. OF this property has changed half
dozen times time advanced prices The spirit OF
change Is stll rife and many bargains will be sold and
fortunes made this Communication reaches the readers
OF the HERALD New York 10 this rush for
the favors OF fortune. Thousands Of her active and
proiihc lands Thousands OF I'll, doubtless chase
the hcKle dame through these wild woods and rocky
deles Success TO tho bold, We c,n only say large
fortunes have been made In single operations In these
rich and exhaustess lands. Men have venured few
thousands and speedily realized immense sums. The
tales Of Aladdin mooDshine compared 70 these splendid
rcaks OF fortune II these have been achieved IN The In
cipsnt progress Of events What viz be done when hun
flowing with oiH May this occurf you enquire Prac
teal and sssacous oil meu prudent ana cautious scsn
Virginia datrct equal not superior TO those OF
Western Pennsylvania II Pennsylva elded last year.
asserted BY GoverHor Curtin $50 600 worth Of OIL
why may not vest Virginia do the same, when the
territory comes 70 be properly devcioped' Il b CON-
practice among croakers 70 declare that money
the oil business than made. Does auy one sun
pose that sven one mion has been sunk the western
Psnnsyivania oil region during the last ysarp verbvm
cap.
The OIL district OF West Virginia has double the extent
Western Pennsyivania The territory hitherto deyeI
opsd lies near The Ohio, Bull and Cow creeks and their
bovine tributaries, and adjacent to the Northwest Viz
gnla Rsroad near Petroleum. station. The only point
soutn of this where good development had made
nm tha Eana ha Ea.r