Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-01
The Oil Territory in Canada West.

n Oil Territory in Canada West.
From the Detroit Commercial Advertiser.
There are few of our readers who are
not acquainted with the fact that a very
extensive region of country in Canada
West, comprising a portion of the coun-
ties of Lambton and Middlesex, contains
rich deposits of petroleum, the township of
Enniskillen, in Lambton county, being
apparently the centre of the territory
where the precious fluid is found. The
existence of rock oil in this region has
been known to the Indians of Canada
from time immemorial, and was highly
priced on account of its medicinal virtues.
Two very extensive beds of Bituminous
resin (gum beds they are commonly called
by the Canadians) attracted the attention
Of white settlers as early as 1856, and
some successful attempts were made to
convert the substance into Illuminating
oil by distillation. The which
first entered upon this work had occa-
sion, in the fall of 1858, to sink a well for
the purpose of procuring water to cool
their %retOrts, when, after digging about
fourteen feet, they encountered petroleum
in large quantities, which flowed to the
surface, enabling them to secure from
twenty to thirty barrels per day for six
months. This led TO various excavations.
all attended with similar results. In a
few months there were some thirty flowing
wells in that vicinity, yielding thousands
of barrels daily. But the value of rock
oil was not then fully understood by the
world. 1t had just been brought into use
as an illumination. There was no steady
market and it commanded a very small
price, and was hardly worth the trouble of
storing. Its use however, soon came to be
appreciated, and it has for the last three
years formed an important element in
the commerce of the country, and the
workings of the wells at Oil Springs has
become a prominent aRa highly profitable
business. sax W.
The Oil wells of Oil Springs are classified
under three heads, to wit: Surface, Flow
ing and Pumping wells. The surface wells
are such as derive their supplies of oil
from the upper strata of the rock. There
are several of these, yielding a very ex-
cellent article and in great abundance.
The flowing wells aresnot so numerous, !
and cease flowing after a few months.
But the most reliable source of oil is
through the pumping wells, which if sup
piled with powerful machinery and prop
erly managed, yield in large paying guam
titles. The rock from which the oil is OBJ
tanned is drilled from two to eight hundred
feet, through various strata of limestone, |
shales and soap stone. There are now in
operation at Oil Springs and in the i'm
mediate vicinity, about one hundred
pumping wells, averaging from three to
thirty barrels per diem,-a few yielding
fifty or sixty. The price of crude oil de-
livered at the wells is five dollars per bar
rel in gold, snd a ready market is found
for all that can be produced. 1t is for
warded east on the Great Western, and
also to Sarnia, by plank road, giving en-
ployment to nearly two hundred teams.
The early attempt to work these wells
proved unsuccessful for two reasons first,
from the want of skin and experience in
the business, and the absence of powerful
engines and pumps ,-and second, fromthe
low price of the oil in the early stages of
its introduction to the world it was found
to be improbable. The facility with
which. oils obtained in this section in
duced many individuals to enter into the
business, without adequate means to work
the wells to advantage Most of them
long since were compelled to abandon
their wells, which are rapidly passing into
new hands. The formation of several
companies, with heavy. capital, has given
a new impetus to the business, which is
now assuming large proportions. The
vigor with which these companies have
prosecuted their work, and the success
which has attended their efforts, augur ia
vorably for the deveiopement ofthe oil
~ CanaAa Tbara go on,o,,1 |
extensive refneries at the Springs, and we
have seen specimens ofas beautiful refined
oil there, as can be produced any where in
the world. 1t gives a brilliant light, is as
as water itself, and what Is of no
little consequence to consumers, it is COM
de-odorized. For a while, Canada
oil suffered by comparison with other
understandable oils, but is now beginning
to take rank with the very best that is
offered in the market.
The prospect that is now presented, of a
steady and remunerative market, and the
very great abundance which is found in
this territory, of course creates much ex-
element. "A large number of adventure
ers- are in that locality, with the view of
purchasing, and property is exchanging
hands veryrapidly, mostly in small par
cells, the purchasers designing to sink wells
and embark permanently in the business.
There is one popularity in respect to this
territory which arrests the attention of
practical men, who are well posted in oil
business, to wit: No well has yet been
sunk where oil has not been found, with
the proper appliances,-in paying quanti-
ties. The value of some of the best wells
is estimated at almost fabulous prices, but
lots of one acre ormore, and which
may prove quite as prolific can. be pur-
for a thousand or twelve hundred
dollars-more or less. 1t is worthy Of no.
tiee that the oil interest of Canada is chief
ly ia the hands of Americans. Heavy
capitalists of New York and Connecticut
have invested largely in the enterprise,
and handsome investments have also been
made by citizens of Michigan, Illinois and
and WISCONSIN. The oil territory in Can
ada is found to be much more extensive
was at first supposed, embracing an
area of more than one hundred square
miles, L