The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-03-16
First Flow of the Oil Fountains.


A gentleman whose observations arr
, recorded in the Ueavland Herald, ha
, been out among the oil wells of Pennsy
lyania, and his report of the operations il
that extraordinary and suddenly transmu
ted section, are deeply interesting. VIZ
copy part of one of his letters on the
"fowing wells"
The first flowing we'll ever struck, wa,
on the McElhenny, or Funk Farm and
was known as the Funk Well. Funk
was poor man when the we'll was sunk
1t was struck June, 1861, and com
menced flowing, to the astonishment of
all the oil-borers in the neighborhood, at
the rate of ESQ barrels day. Such a
prodigal supply of grease, upset all cal
culations, but it was confdentially pre-
dicted that the supply would soon stop.
1t was an coil Creek humbug," and
those who had no direct interest in the
prosperity of the well, looked day after
day to see the e'stream stop. But like the
old woman who sat down by the river
side to let the water run itself out that,
she might cross dryshod, they waited in
vain. The oil continued flowing with lit
tie variation for fifteen months, and then
stopped, but not before Funk became
rich man.
But long before the Funk we'll had
given out, the wonder in regard to it was
overshadowed by new sensation. Down
on the Tarr farm, the Philips Well burst
forth witha stream of two thousand barrels
daily. Not to be out done by the terri
tory down the Creek, the McElhenny
tract ''saw" the Tarr farm, "and went it
thousand better" The Empire Well,
close to the Funk, suddenly burst forth
with its three thousand barrels daily,
figure subsequently flowing wells vainly
endeavored to equal.
The owners were bewildered 1t
was truly 'too much of good thing
The true value of petroleum had not yet
been discovered, and the market for it
was limited. Foreigners would have
nothing to do with the nasty, greasy, COM
bustible thing. Our own people were
divided in opinion Some thought it
dangerous thing to be handled at arms
length while other set it down as hum
bug in some way or other, Of which the
community should keep as shy as posi-
bic. The supply was already in advance
of the demand, and the addition of three
thousand barrels day, was monstrous
aud not do be endured. The price fell
to twenty cents barrel, then to fifteen,
and then to ten. Coopers would sell bar
rels for cash only, and refused to take
their pay in oil, or in drafts on oil ship
ments.
Finally, it was impossible to obtain bar
rels on any terms, for all the coopers In
the surrounding country could not make
barrels as fast as the Empire could I'LL
them. The owners were in despair, and
tried to choke off their confounded well,
but it would not be choked off, They
then built a dam around it, and covered
the soil with grease, but the oil refused
to be damned, and rushed into the
stream, making Oil Creek literally wor-
thy its name. For nearly year it flow
ed, and then dropped to pumping well,
yielding about hundred barrels. Late
ly it stopped, but on the application of an
air-pump, it revived, and now runs about
fifty barrels daily.
The Sherman Well, which was the
next "great flowing WE'LL" was put down
in the year 1862. 1t was sunk under
great difficulties. J. w. Sherman, who
was the original owner, commenced sink
ing it on the Foster farm, next above the
McElheany, with very limited means.
His wife furnished the money, and the
well was sunk under great difficulties.
After while, it became necessary to
procure an engine, and there was no mon
ey to make the purchase, and two men
who were in possession of the desired
article, were admitted to share for the
engine. Soon after, when but few more
feet were necessary to reach the supposed
deposit of oil, the funds were exhausted.
A sixteenth interest was offered for 500,
and refused. Ultimately, it was sold for
$50 and an old shot gun. A horse became
necessary during the work, and share
was bartered for the animal. At last
W hen all means that could be raised by
borrowing or selling were about exhaus
ted, oil was struck, and flowed at the rate
of 1900 barrels a day. The flow con-
tinued at this rate for several months,
when it declined to 700 barrels For
twenty-three months, the well continued
flowing, and then it stopped. For the
first year, the proprietors made but little,
if anything, owing to the low price of oil,
and the difficulty of getting it to market
but during the second year, the market
improved and an immense fortune was
made. The well now pumps from thirty
to forty barrels daily.