The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-02-18
Petroleum. i'm Ohio County.

, ing about oil; and Wnen tney alo hoS Jig
.,tcassing the oil question, they are talking
. about the draft There are only these
two themes. The people think oil and
talk oil during the day, and dream olea-
ginous dreams at night, and see visions
3 ofspouting wells and derricks and tanks
and barrels; or they talk about quotas
and bounties and recruits, and dream of
sabres, muskets and great guns.
" few months ago the Little Kanawha
region was looked upon as the only ISL
mon.purer oil territory within the bor-
ders of West Virginia, but explorers in
other localities, have found indications
quite AS rich as those on the Kanawha,
/. and have been we'll rewarded for their
discoveries. Fishing creek and its trib-
.utares arc. now almost as famous as the
region of the burning springs" and ex-
vibrations OH Middle Island creek, Fish
creek. and other streams still farther
north, have revealed the fact that the
deposits of petroleum are not confined to
the spots where they were first discov-
cred. Within the past two or three
weeks considerable attention has been
maid 10 examinations for oil in the valley
of Wheeling creek and its tributaries,
and we learn that they have met with so
gratifying success that a number OF
leases have been taken by different par
ties, and that active preparations are
being made with a view to sinking
numerous wells as soon as thespring of
the wear begins Some of the indications
and circumstances which have attracted
attention to this region may be briefly
recited; the first of these is,
..' TIE GENERAL LOCATION.
II there be any truth in the theories
which claim that the petroleum is de-
posted ia Il vast basin below the surface,
or that il exists in belts or veins running
northeast aud southwest, Wheeling must
be nearly above the centre of the deposit,
North of this place lie the Venango oil
REGIONS of Pennsylvania; in the east we
have the Dumkard creek region; in the
south. the kanawha region; in the west,
the Duck creek region of Ohio, so that
Wheeling occupies very nearly acentral
position in the quadrangle formed by the
fonr principal localities in which oil has
been discovered In addition to this,
Wheeling lies very nearly in the straight
line connecting the Titusville region of
Pennsylvania with the region of the
burning springs in West Virginia. AT
number of places lying along this line, or
nearii. oil has already been discovered. 1t
has h,su found in Butler county Penn
syl>amia; also. i'll large quantities, i'll the
Newcastle and Slippery Rock region i'll
Lawrence county; then at Smiths Ferry
i'm Beaver county-all lying very near
the straight line. of which we have spok-
en- The discoveries on Fishing creek
and Middle Island creek in West Virgin
ia, also lie along the same line This cir
cum.tancc, in itself, seems sufficient to
crc,tc a presumption that Wheelingis i'll
The ollrroion, hut there are also other
aud more satisfactory
INDICATIONS.
Al various points In the valley of
Wheeling creek there are indications of
theprestncc of oil. An oil spring was
lone known to exist near Triadelphia,
back of I.NwSUN's Hotel, but it was COW
cred up by :. slip which occurred III the
hill few years ago Numerous places
are pointed ont where, in the summer,
AN oily scum accumulates upon the sur
face OF the water. About four years ago
Mr.. CARTER commenced to bore an oil
well near his distillery, four miles east
OF the city, and penetrated about one
hundred feet, when his tools became bro
ken and theoil excitement abated some
what and the work was never recon-
mcnccd he alleges that he had unmis-
TAX able evidence of the near presence of
retroltuu, when his work was interrupt
ell. An old salt well, upon the land now
owned hv Judge THOMPSON and just
beyond the limits of the city, was form
crly known a. ''the greasy well' and was
abandoned some years ago principally OH
occonnt of the oil. A gas spring had
lone been known upon the land belong
iur to Mrs CEUGER, seven miles east of
thr city and the tract was leased four
years AGO 10y McSsrs. DILLON, LIST Il Co.
They bored about two hundred feet and
struck reservoir Of inhamnable. gas. The
excitement about oil being abated they
discontinued hnrmg and inserted gas
ripr in the Well, merely to prevent its
being Flied up A steady flow OF
gaS still continues through the pipe. 1t
is easily ignitcd and burns with such
brillianIGy as to illuminate the whole
peirhhorbood 1t continues to burn with
the same strength until blown ont by
i+br IviAd In addition TO these things,
there are, salt licks, at various places
aIonh the creek, which are generally
found in oil regions These surface in
Il