Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-01-25
WHAT PETROLEUM IS DOING.

In the worm [tNtSjt tCttJL tFtt S'tt'Ct'
States Gazette, we find a comprehensive re-
view of this newly developed source of wealth
from which we extract; 1t has made We
mango county such a scene OF prodlglous
prosperity that he who talks now OF the
matter being a humbug must be rather
short-sighted. There are towns built up
wholly by these discoveries. There are the
railroads solely built to convey petroleum to
market, and so blocked up with it that they
cannot furnish rolling stock enough to ac-
commodate the trade There are the bar
rels, millions of them, all over the region
oozing with petroleum. There are the
wells, yielding the oleaginous fluid IN endless
quantities There are banks, newspapers,
hotels, insurance companies, ETC., all resting
| on the products of those wells Those who
desire can see and 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 to be
the Iron City, thinks now of little else than
petroleum Barrels of itswarm everywhere
Refneries multiply. She has become one OF
the great distributing depots for the trade
The operators clung to Oil Greek as long as
foot of ground was to be had on either
side of it, or near it, and there they sunk
wells and erected engines with zeal that
can only be compared with that of the
quartz gold miners From Oil Creek they
spread themselves along the Allegheny river
banks and islands; then along Sugar Creek,
and so to every stream In enangO county.
On all of these oil wells have been sunk and
oil obtained, until the whole country is bor-
ed, everywhere, and the number of wells con-
stantly multiplying.
These explorations carried the operations
;yt 70 n ord " of the
panies boring along French creek and Oil
creek; into Erie county by the French
creek enterprise; into Warren and Clarion
counties. by following the course Of the Ale
gheny river; through Clarion, Elk, Forrest
and Jefferson counties, by following the
Clarion river; and indeed we can scarcely
now name a county IN that region OF Penn
svlyania where petroleum has not been bored
for. Most of the operations are yet merely
beginning, except inv enango and the points
Immediately adjacent. There petroleum is
the sole topic Nothing else Is known, seen
or heared of 1t is everywhere, and the
whole prosperity Of the district is based on It,
Passing south Of Pittsburg, we find another
petroleum region along Dunkard creek, IN
the counties of Fayette and Greene, where
many companies flourish. Here, too, the
boring has spread to all the adjoining region,
away off in Western Virginia. For the
product of this district the MonOngahela
river is the channel of transportation. But
the great West Virginia oil country Is tar
south of this along the Little kanawha and
Hughes rivers, and all the tributary creeks.
There the oil has been gathered as it oozed
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 Of
speculators The mania has spread IN West
Virginia to such an extent that we really
think the area covered there is more extend
ed than in Pennsylvania, although the pro-
duct is nothing at all In comparison. Then
there are oil districts in Ohio and Kentucky
and Canada of which as yet little is known.
The astonishing feature in this develop
ment is the vast area of country in which pc
troleum has undoubtedly been obtained by
boring. 1t is true that in the leading points
oil has fora long period been well known to
ooze from the ground and flow off into
springs of water, creeks and swamps But
the great discovery was not owing to tins,
the oil having been struck at considerable
depth while boring for salt. Over an I'M
mense area of country it has been subse-
ouently obtained by boring, and IN all OF
these cases the same geological formation
has. been found. The query often asked,
where was this oil deposited before the dis
coveries, that we now find so many thousands
of wells able to go on pumping 1t without
exhaustion? is completely answered by ref
erence to the depth at which the petroleum
is found.
The news of the success of Generals SHER-
MAN and THOMAS has reached England.
The Confederate loan, is consequence, de-
ol;nad c;v nor cent while there was a