, 1866-03-30
THE GREAT OIL BASIN OF CANADA
WEST.


WEST.
Reccraofthe Early OIL Developments
The Celebrated Gum Beda-The Old
Surface aud Flowing Weiis-Immeuse
waste Of otl-The Advantage Of Cap
ftaf-Enrerpr1ae and SkilI in tho OIL
BusineNs-Tbe Old Wells Stin Pro-
doeing Abundantly-MauvN New We1la
being sunk-The Great Well near OIL
sprinE-Chfcago Enterprise.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Tritune.1
On SPRINGS, c. w., March 26 1866
The readers Of your paper hna the public
in general, bare heard much Of late concern,
Ing the oil regions of Western Canatia. As
there has been much e1aggeration aud many
vague statements concerning the productive.
ness ofthe wells, 1t may possibly be interesting
to yonr readers to obtain some reliable facts
which have been gathered from the most an,
thentic source nttalnablo, and rom the per
spnal examination of your correspondent,
upon recent visits to that Interesting region.
RECORD OF THE EARLY OIL DEVELOPMENTS
--TuB CELEBRATED GUA BEDS.
The brief record Of the Canada oil develop.
ments, may not be out of place in this con-
nection. As early as in 1855, company was
Organized for the purpose OF developing the
mineral resources OF Canada West, includ.
ing the working up of q species ol
gum found In great abundance on two large
beds, Of about Eve acres eaeh-the gum con.
sisttng sort OF hltumiuous resin, d rcsiduum
OF petroleum, completely deodorlzed, the
cyaporating qualities Of which having long
since departed. The gam Is supposed to have
been gradually brought to tie surface in a
liquid form BY some subterranean agencies,
probably theSpressure Of gas, many centuries
ago. In 1857, some successful experiments
were made In converting this substance into
an Illuminating fluid, by distillation. In sink
Ing well for water for the use of the rctorts
used in the compauy's works. after reaching
Of petroleum, Instead Of water, presented t.
sell, very much to the surprise OF the parties
engaged. They soon discovered the value OF
the unexpected fluid, and forthwith COM
menced turning it.Aa profitable account.
Other parties Immediately commenced sink
Ing wells in that vicinity, with similar re-
suits. A good deal Of surface oil was thus,
o6tAiped, the yalue Of which. how
ever, was scarcely comptehended. The
su1fuce wells were first depended upon for the
supply Of oil, the Idea Of boring into the rock,
not having hecn suggested untl carly In 1866,
when the first flowing we'll Was struck, yield,
ing about 5000 barrels per day. This event.
oEAteO SIEAk GAE4LEASleA4i, Auu EAlEublfG pkE-
paratlons were Immediately made for further
operations. Some thirty or forty wells were
almost simultaneously sunk, varying In depth:
from 104 TO 81 feet. So vigorously were opcr-
ations prosecuted in these enterprises, and SO
Inadequate were the preparations for securing
the oil, that millions Of barrels were
suffered TO escape, flowing of into
carefully prepared by Professor Winchell.
Of the Michigan State University, In which
be estimates the waste Of oil for single sea-
son from This source, at over ,00o, 600 barrels.
It's varied uses at that time, were scarcely;
compzellended by the world, and it had but
little COMMERCIAL value It could be bought
freely from 10 TO so cents per barrel, and was
regarded as drug IN the market. People
looked at II, and suelt Of 1t, and grayely
shook their heads and let 1t pass. It NAV
well be questioned whether there is a record
nr such enormous quantities Of waste pekro-
leum In single season to be found in the oil
annals OF the country.
TIE OIL WELLS STILL PRODUCING AnuE-
DANTLT.
In 166l-6, the great flowing wells Of Penn
sylynnfa and Western Virginia began to at
tIact the attention OF the public, and great
excitement eusucd. The oil fields Of Canada
were quite forgotten, except BY d few inte1u-
content in the resources Of. the territory. de;
termtned upon further Development. But for
the want or capital. adequate machinery, and
practical skill. they made but littso
progress. Within the '-past year, how
ever, & new era has dawned
upon the Canadian oil enterprise. Fresh
ha9e th he o
Of Enniski1'en, sp fur as ascertalncd, has but
Idea that af1er the flowing wells cease, the
great reservoirs are necessarily exhausted, Is
not sustained by facts, for many OF the old
flowing wells Of 1863 have been almost
ssasIapt ssanE hsr sna as p1oprtsa st ~G5sed sssa
some returns. 70 maintain that aftcr wen
has cxnxed to flow the supply Is necessarily
exhausted, ia as absurd as 10 suppose that
upon the uncorkinR Of bottle Of champaign
and the spontaneous flowing which follows
subsidies, therefore no remains OF the spark:
ling fluid are lctt In the CLASSY fountain. Some
thirty of these old wells have proved produc:
tive Us pumping wells, whilst about Is 1uany
more are now being cleared out and re.dtil1ed,
the new ptoprietors being confident that they
will be found as profitable as any wells TINT
have YET been developed.
THE s1SKISG OF NEW WELLS.
For some years II was supposed that the
centre If the oil territory was confined chiefly
10 the "rum beds'' at OIL Springs. But ex.
periments have proved TINT the area Is much
more extensive. For two miles In every d.
rectioD, where wells have been sunk. there
has scarcely been a failure to reach oil in payr
ing quantities. Even Ms far north as PetIolia.
seven miles from OIL Springs, there are several
very promising wells, aud also at bothweli.
about eighteen miles southeast. But my
present purpose is to speak more pHr.
t,cularly of this immediate locality. About
thirty. ne11 wells hare been opened
from five to tifty barrels per day, their pro:
ducliveness depending principally upon the
Efficiency Of machinery, and the good mar:
aEc1nent Of those who have the charge of
them, A number of your citizens arc inter:
ested in these wells, as well as iu Others that
are io various stages Of progress, not ret
new wells nearly ready for pumping, within an
ARIA Of two miles from this place, nearly all OF
which arc being sunk bY men Of capital, skill
and perseverance, Many Of these will donbt::
less prove TO be productive, As have
the old wells aud the new ones
that have recently been opened. It is
with list OF these, as It Is quite probable
that the TRIBUNE has given some account OF
them from time to time, as they have been
opened. Wish to say, however, that many
OF the newspaper accounts have been grosS
exnggcrations, aud calculated to deceive
many. With two or three exceptions, since
the flowing wells have subsided, do not be-
licre that single one in Western Canada has
yielded over from fifty 10 two hundred barrels
per day. There are no flowing wells IN this
region now and those who send oH state!
mcnts to the effect that such wells arepro!
duciug from 500 to 6, ,OU9 barrels per day, do
much mischief, and create d reaction which
Is highly detrimental to the oil interests Of
the whole country. !.
TIE GREAT WELL AT OIL SPRINGS.
Will only speak of one remarkable well
that has been recently opened, and that Is
known as Hendricks, in the township OF.
Dawn, In locality known in Canadian par
lance rs Concession s, lot u, On subdivisions
II, about one mile and q half south from this
place. This we'll WAS opcucd on the Goth
sS S9 fS'taa thas a oa the Ind 5 asausa as5 of T
development 1t produced at The rate
OF over fifteen hundred barrels day. am'
credibly informed It's yield declined to less
Than hundred for several days. This cir
cumstaucc must not however be taken as IN
evidence Of the full capacity Of the well. since
barrels sufficient 10 contain the daily product
If the engine were worked to one quarter Of
It's power. It ie situated nearly two miles
from the village, and great difficulty is found
in transporting the oil over the extremely
rough and mfry road. Though this well has
been opened some SIX weeks, am informed
by unQueattonable authority, that the COM
pany have already sold over two Thousand
barrels, IN average Of about sixty barrels
per day. Notwithstanding numerous DELAYS,
caused by the want Of tanks and barrels,
the breaking Of machinery, etc. The we'll Is
now in excellent order, and is producing more
aburdantly than ever. A committee Of the
OH Springs Board Of Trade, and q number Of
prominent strangers here, visited the we'll
yesterday, and bear witness to the Interesting
inct that this we'll pumped one hundred and
twenty barrels IN one hour. This Is what Is
called here IN Intermittent well, and the pro-
duct drawn by the pump is rock oil In ita
crude state, almost wholly unac!
conpanied by water, which is. an
unusual circumstance, Us most all Of the wells
in this region emit more or less water with
the Oh. This well has thus far attracted
much attention, and hundreds Of curious