The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-06-05
THE BURNING SPRINGS OIL RE-
GION.

THE BURNING SPRINGS OIL RE-
Some facts CONCERNING the Wells In
that Vicinity
Editors Inteltigencer:
Having just returned from a trip to
the famous Burning Spring" Oil ter
ritory, perhaps brief account of what
1 saw ;here may be of interest to those
OF your readers who have been watch
ing the development of this wonderful
source of national wealth. 1t is not
necessary to describe the geographical
position of Burning Spring run, nor
the route by which it is reached. The
most of your readers are sufficiently
informed on these points, nor is it ne
cessary to speak of its Typographical
features in detail. The whole of that
country is very rough and billy and
the land very poor. The main run is
not, should think, more than two and
half or three miles long, and this
With the numerous short ravines
branching from il, constitutes the oil
territory. It is true that oil has been
found on the Little KanawEa above
short distance, but not in very large
quantities. You will, therefore, see
that the soil Basin" Is a very limited
one in extent, but in capacity it appears
TO be almost unlimited. The sight of
the short run from one of the surround
ing hills is singular one. Hundreds
of derricks are Standing in every direc-
ton, and board shanties of every pos
sible build and fronting in every possi-
BILE direction, utterly regardless of sys-
tenn or uniformity, dot the valley. Com
paratively few of the wells are yield
ing oil or partly bored are now in oper-
alton. When the war broke out many
Il
wells, ran off and Joined the rebel army.
Nearly all the rest left in fear owing to
the disturbed condition of that part of
the State; besides these causes the price
of oil declined to almost nothing. The
leases under which all these parties
were operating were to become null and
void if work WAS at any time suspend
ed over thirty days. They consequent
ly forfeited their leases aud the proper
ty reverted to the owners. The wells
in this region were seldom over 200 or
$50 feet deep, and the ''Surface Oil" had
been exhausted in many of the wells.
and Burning Springs as oil territory
had been eclipsed by discoveries of oil
in large quantities elsewhere. This
was the condition of things there until
lately when two or three parties who
had stuck by their leases all through
the war determined to try the virtue of
deep boring. One party struck oil
about n quarter of mile up the run
from the river at a depth of 500 feet. 1
was told that for several days it Glow
ed" 100 barrels per day, but when was
there it had ''caved" and was yielding
nothing. The proprietors, however,
were preparing to clean it out and ube
it, when it will no doubt yield as be-
fore. This is known as the Zones
WE'LL" Half mile further up the
run, oil was struck by another party
at a depth of 9O2 feet. 1t was flowing
when was there tthey told ne) 75 bar
rels per day. 1 have no means of judS
ing as to the correctness OF this quHnti-
ty, but confident it was not less than
so barrels. This is the Jones' well
No. 1. Three-fifths of this we'll were
sold the other day for 10000. About
three or four hundred yards above this
last well another party struck oil, on
the 1st inst, at a depth OF about 500
feet. No preparations had been made
in advance, and the oil consequently
flowed in every direction. It's yield
was estimated at 1900 barrels per day,
by many on the ground. I don't think
any one could do more than make a
rough guess. 1t was supply deluge
of oil. This well is the Jefferson
we'll" About 400 yards above this is
the "Jones' well No. q" Oil was
struck there nearly three weeks ago.
The gas was thrown up in large guam
titles, anu cauS0L ure IrOn some Cause
burning derrick, engine house, and
everything of combustible nature in
its vicinity. After the ire had been
extinguished, 1.-THE drill being still in
the well, y it was partially tubed and is
now flowing (they told me) 800 barrels.
am inclined to believe it will amount
to this.
STRIKES" are all very recent affairs
and from the fact that all who haye
bored down TO the depth of 900 feet
have got flowing wells, the excitement
among oil men in that region is getting
very high. Many who were pumping
pretty good wells have taken out their
pumps and substituted the drill, de-
termined 10 tap this oil ocean under
meath. need hardly make any com
ments on the above facts. 1 have sim-
ply told what saw and leave, you 10
make yonr own deductions. w.
WaEELINo, June 4th, 1866.
WILLIAM NORTH was once asked by
the editor of paper with which he was
connected to write leading article OPP
posing the temperance movement,
which was then making great stir in
New York. .'write me good one, and
1 will give you twenty dollars for II,
said. the editor. GLOW long do you
wish it?n inquired North. GAS short
as YOU can make it, was the reply.