Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-28
aaioa and Smeritau.
ETOwPETROLEUM WAS DISCOVERED.
ThePennsyIvaniaO or Region nIs5z.

ThePennsyIvRnia0 of Region fnIs5z-
The Titusville, Pennsylvania, Herald gives
the following account ofthe discovery Of ne
troleum ell:
Colonel Z. l.. DRAKE has for the past few
days been visiting our city, the scene of his
former labors as the original pioneer of the
petroleum business. We havecollected from
him some "reminiscences Of that great dis
coyery, which may be Of some interest to our
readers. His frst visit 10 TitusviIle was in
the year 1857. This was before the build
ing Of the Atlantic and Great Western and
Philadelphia and Erie railroads At that
time there was a population Of about one
hundred and twenty-five in Ttusville no
churches and two hotels. Among the fami-
lies here at that time were those Of J. l.. and
+. II. CHASE, the TITUsEs, and BREWER d
WATsoN-the latter were engaged in the
numbering business. The stages ran twice
week from this point to Erie. At that time
the oil was collected from the springs on the
Flats by means Of blankets or cloths, and
bottled for medical use. twas also used for
lighting the mills.
While sitting in the store Col. BRAKES
attention was called TO the bottles of oil,
and he expressed incredulity when told it
Oozed from the ground, ami the next day
accompanied DIR. BREWER down the Flats
10 examine the phenomenon. he says, when
ne found their statements verified, the idea
flashed upon him that there was a basin or
spring Of oil in the earth or rocks below,
and that he then formed the resolution Of
sinking we'll On his return 10 the East
he told his friends Of the experiment he
wished 10 make, and expressed the belief
that oil would yet be found in immense
quantities in this region, and become used
extensively in commerce and the arts. The
popular idea in this section, and even the
scientific opinions of Professors SILLIMAN
and PARK, whom DR.. DRAKE consulted on
his return TO the East, we're that the oil was
the drippings Of coal imbedded in the con-
tiguous hills-that il was idle 10 bore for it,
and that the only method Of accumulating
it was by digging bitches leadidg to a vat.
There were no books 10 be found in the
country which treated on the subject, and
Mr.. DRAKE had never had any practical
experience in boring; but he was unable 10
divest himself Of the idea that this was the
true method, an idea which haunted him
day and night. He induced some men Of
capital 10 embark with him in the enter.
prise, and entered upon the experiments in
the spring Of 1858. His first step was TO
visit the salt wells on the Allegheny and
observe the mOdus operaRdi. Finally he Sc
lected a spot near ANEs Mills, below Wat
SONS Flats, and was delayed till the spring
Of 1859 before he had secured a competent
driller and the necessary tools. His suppo-
sition was that he would have 10 sink his
well to the depth Of one thousand feet The
same kind Of tools we're used then as now.
The driller charged Sl.50p per foot for boring.
The enterprise was one Of a good deal Of
ridicule in those parts, and many pe.sons
made themselves merry at the expense of
the pioneer.
Mr.. DRAKEs assistant propose 10 cribto
the rock, which was the invariable practice
in those days Mr.. DRAKE advoc~ ted the
driving Of iron tube 20 the rock-an idea
which the miner secuted, but having failed
TO crib, owing TO the water, the tubing was
tried and proved a success. This was an en-
tirely new feature then, but is now the uni
versal practice. Indeed, it is row applied
10 putting down fresh water wells. Had
Mr.. DRAKE procured patent, TO which he
was justly entitled, for the invention, he
would have realized fortune from it.
The pipe was driven thirty-two feet to the
rock, and then the well bored thirty-seven
feet and six in the first sand rock. Not hav-
ing any pipe, Mr.. DRALE commenced pump
ing before he lad tubod the vel, using a COM
mon iron water pump for the purpose fasten-
ing the handle Of the pipe TO the walking
beam. Satisfied by this process Of the pre-
sence Of oil in considerable quantities in this
we'll, he then went TO Erie and Cleveland for
tubing; could obtain none there nor at Buff
falo, and finally ordered il from Philadel-
phia. After tubing the well il turned out a
complete sucCess, pumping twenty-five bar
rels a day, and continuing, when in opera
ton, to yield about this quantity for the
period Of two years.
Mr.. DRAKE was then in the position of the
man who drew the elephant at the rattle, and
did not know what 10 do with it after he got
it-oil being comparatively good for nothing.
Then there was no home or foreign demand
for il, no refineries in existence, and Its
Illuminating, and lubricating properties
were not then discovered. The parties eh-
gagged in the manufacture Of coal oil were
slow TO acknowledge or discover that petro-
leum possessed equal illuminating qualities.
The fret refinen who commenced refining
petroleum were JAS. McKEowN and SAM'L
KIER, OF Pittsburg.
From this period it came rapidly into com
mercial use, stimunlted development, and
rose in value in a corresponding degree.