Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-01-12
@radfurl 2epurter.
PETROLEUM.

For many years Cotton has been called
King. But there are abundant indications
at the present that his majesty has been de-
throncd, and that another power has usurped
his place
1t is but few years since that Petroleum
became known to the American public, OF
to the world and it is astonishing how
great an interest is already concurred in its
production. Four years ago, you might
after much search, procure few ounces OF
druggist to rub upon rheumatic joint,
but whether it ever relieved a single rheu-
matte twinge or stitch is still problemati-
cal. Now, it is found that hundreds OF
thousands Of barrels year will not supply
the demand. Every American ship as sac
touches "a foreign port is. searched for the
precious product and the foreign trader di-
vides his interest in the price of Petroleum
in the New York market, with the price OF
cold 1t is rapidly taking the place of
every article known to men as a light-glv-
ING, lubricating agent; in fact we know not,
vet. to how many uses it may be applied.
As great as may have been our ignor
ance of Petroleum, it was known to the
ancients and some wiseacres maintained
that the slime which hardened and rendered
compact the tower of Babel and the walls
Of Babylon, was composed Of coal oil, and
further, that when the Judgment of the
Almighty descended upon the cities of the
plain, the rocks opened and the burning
springs of petroleum wrapped them i'll
flames
There is section of tie United States,
the eastern boundary of which may be sup
posed to be the Allegheny ridge, extending
south to the Georgia line and west across
the Mississippi and Ohio, including large
portions of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio, and on its northern verge a dozen
courtics of northwestern Pennsylvania,
which is underlaid with the Bituminous
CoaI fields This section is also the field
which at different depths below the surface
yields Petroleum, rock oil, coal oil, or by
whatever other name it may be known.
1t is in northwestern Pennsylvania upon
the Al!cghany river and its tributaries that
Petroleum is found in the greatest abun-
dance, although many wells have been sunk
in Western Virginia, and large capital is
at this early day embarked in its search,
even there, Notwithstanding the war. Oil
city, III the county of Nenango Pa has be-
come a thriving village, and five years ago
it was but a Wilderness Franklin, another
center Of the oil business is fast growing
into Importance, and all along, up and down
the river oil, oil, is the universal cry
thousands of wells are sunk, thousands and
tens Of thousands Of barrels are filed hun
drcds Of companies are forming, farms and
oil lots are bringing fabulous prices, rail
roads are building to afford egress to the
odorous treasure, and hurry scurry, hustle
hustle, are the order of the day.
The oil is found at various depths-some
wells are less than u hundred feet deep,
but those which penetrate from three to six
hundred feet or even eight hundred feet
yield the most, and yield the longest. Tne
supply is frequently abundant and over
flowing at first, taxing every effort to Sc
cure it, and rising iii a Jet sixty feet into
the ar. The flow often ceases altogether,
but is restored by sinking the wells deeper,
or by trimming them as it Is termed, which
consists i'll charging the bore an inch or
So equally. all around It's circumference.
In one instance this was done in a well of
four hundred feet depth, which as yet, had
given no sign of oil When this process
had been completed to within fifty feet of
the bottom, oil suddenly rose to the top in
large stream, and the supply has been
steadily continued. The simple enlarge
ment Of the well an inch or an inch and a
half on each side, fortunately opened a
large vein. which the drill had passed,
proving that the oil flows in veins, in
stead of being contained in reservoirs
Two or more wells may be near each other
yielding oil, and another in the vicinity
yield none.
The well has the true Artcsian character.
u spot is selected upon which to commence
,perations-the tall pyramidal derrick in
closing it rises in the air--a large reser-
Foir is constructed Of plank, perhaps, to re-
S"ive the oil, the steam engine to furnish
The power is conveniently placed, and the
hrst blow is struck then through days,
weeks and perhaps months of unremitting
labor, the work goes on ; inch by inch, foot
ny foot, fathom by fathom, the drill enters
the bowels of mother earth to be followed
at last, or to meet the clear, shining, liquid
treasure, that looks upon the sun for the
HfSt time after being in total darkness for
million of years.