The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-03-08
Petroleum


"a
/ Perhaps 10 Development connected viii
the recent material progress OF orr country
[ IS OF more Importance than that concerning
the petroleum discoveries ID PENNSYLVANIA.
4 West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky. aud as
The matter has LOW assumed = nAt.Ona. in
terest aud become OF vast consequence IN
/ the commerce OF the world. Il few words on
the subject may ROlbe inappropriate. This
wonderful discovery Las gone through ali
the phases which characterized the god
1 discoveries IN California, except that be.rg
a well organized and well governed com
mon-weaith, subject 10 laws and established
courts, the Chaotic and tumultuOus scene
outrage, robbery and crime OF every des-
eription which blackered the early history
Of the California gold fever. has been a.
sent here But the Wild spirit Of specula-
ton, the insane excitement, the needless
rush 10 the scene Oi action, tie immense
fortunes realized tie creation OF mushroom
towns and cities. the arrangement OF old
laws OF trade the worldwide distribution
OF the precious product, The strange devel-
opment OF OF in regions widely apart one
alter another II rapid succession. Tie sud
den collapse Of the excitement from a glut
Of the markets, the renewed rage Of the
ever al betray the same symtoms as the
gold mania.
Il was predicted that the gold fever would
subslde and leave nothing but ruin behind.
But II has not done so. On the contrary Il
has extended until it has created flourish
ing cities and communities in California.
Nevada, Oregon. Washington, Colorado.
Arizona. Idaho Montana. British Colum-
Oia, and Australia, and every fresh discov-
cry OF gold furnishes a new illustration of
the marvellous power of those mineral
agents IS elements OF colonization. So il
IS with petroleum. l. has made Venango
county such q scene Of prodigous prosper
lty that he who talks now Of the humbug
must be rather short sighted There are
towns bnilt up wholly by these discoveries.
There are railroads solely built 70 convey
petroleum TO market, and 50 blocked up
with It that they cannot furnish rolling
stock enough 10 accommodate the trade.
There are The barrels, millions OF them, all
over the region oozing with petroleum.
There are the wells. Yielding the Oleagin0us
fuld IN endless quantities. There are
banks, newspapers. hotels, Insurance COM
panles, etc, all resting on the products Of
tnose wells. Those who desire can See aud
Judge for themselves.
Through all the season Of navigation the
Allegheny river has been running crowded
WITH vessels Of every description laden
with petroleum. Pittsburg, which used 10
be the Iron City, thinks now Of little else
than petroleum. Barrels Off swarm eve
rywhere. Refiners multiply. She has de-
pots for the trade. The operators clung 10
Oil Creek as long as foot Of ground was
TO be had on either side OF H. or near il.
and there they sunk wells and erected en-
gines with zeal that can only he compared
with that Of the quartz gold mines. From
Oil Creek they spread themselves along the
Allegheny River banks and islands; then
along Sugar Greek, and so on 10 every
stream IN NenangO county. On all Of
these, oil wells have been sunk and oil OBJ
tained, until the whole country is bored
everywhere, and the number Of wells is con
stantly multiplying.
These explorations carried the operations
into Crawford county by means Of he com
panieS boring along French Greek and Oil
Greek; into Erie county. by the French
Greek enterprises: Into Warren and CLARION
e.""ti1s, L.. fOliO"ng Tie course or the
Allegheny river; through ClarOn Elk
Orrest and Jefferson counties, by following
the Clarion river; and indeed we can
scarcely now name a county IN that region
OF Pennsylvania where petroleum has not
been bored for. Most Of the operations
are yet merely beginning except in Venan-
go and the points Immediately adjacent
There petroleum IS the sole topic. Nothing
else Is known, seen or heard Of Ii is eve
rywhere anu the whole prosperity Of the
district is based on It.
Passing south of Pittsburg, we find an
other petroleum region along Dunkard
Creek, in the counties OF Fayette and
Greene, where many companies flourish.
Here, too the boring has spread 70 al the
adjoining region, away oil into Western
Virginia. For the product OF this district
the MOnODgahela river is the channel Of
transportation. But the great West Vir-
ginia oil country IS far south OF this, along
the Little kanawba and Hughes rivers. and
all the tributary creeks. There the oil has
been gathered as il OOZes from the earth
for half a century or more. Now it Is
bored for in scientific style, and every foot
of ground IS occupied by wells or specUla-
tors The mania has spread in West Nir-
ginia to such an extent that think the
area covered there Is more extended than
in Pennsylvania, although the product Is
as yet nothing at all in comparison. Then
there are the oil districts in Ohio and Ken
tucky and Canada OF which Is yet little IS
known.
The astonishing feature In this develop
ment is the vast area Of country in which
petroleum has undoubtedly been obtained
by boring. II IS true that in the leading
points oil has for long period been well
known - ooze from the ground and flow
of into springs Of water, creeks and
swamps. But the great discovery was not
owing TO this, the oil having been struck a.
a considerable depth while boring Tor salt.
over an immense area Of country ii has
been subsequently obtained by boring, aud
in all Of these cases the same geological for
nation has been found. Tie query often
asked where was all this oil deposited be-
fore tie discoveries, that We now find SO
many thousands OF wells able 10 20 on
pumping It without exhaustion? is COM
pletely answered by reference 70 the depth
at which the petroleum Is found
A Io1r S+ratch.