The Portland daily press., 1866-02-22
Letter from the Pennsylvania Oil Regions.
PrTHoLE, Pa, FEB. IA, 1866.

hoUter HoIu tne fonnsylVhnla I'll aoseohS.
PITHoLE, Pa, FEB. IA, 1866.
To the Editor Of the Press:
Aware that for some months past the
thoughts of the people of Maine. havs been
turned towards Canada till their minds have
grown so feverish over "great profits with lit
tie labor from oil that is sure to flow, that
they have almost buried their first choice
among the things that were, have conceived
that some information from the Pennsylvania
Oil Regions might be welcomed by you and
your readers. If it serve no other object, it
may give the assurance that PithOle still -four
ishes, a marvel of oleaginous glory, and con-
tinues to develope those wonderful results of
boring such as no other State or District ever
has, besides enjoying all the peculiarities of
Canada boring by which oil is obtained at all
degrees of depth from the surface down sew
eral hundred feet.
The excitement in these Oil Regions that
ran SO unnaturally high last summer, has,
within the past three months, from some dis
couragements, greatly abated; and oil lands
and oil interests have deprecated much in
value. The oil business became seriously de-
pressed, the oil product seemed to approach
exhaustion, and Pithole, that went up like
rocket, seemed likely to come down like a
stick. "'Tis true; and pity It's tits true" for
it shows upon what small efforts men will de-
SPAR. r4a4" 1'd4 sa 70
I One of the most weighty influences operat-
ing to undermine confidence in the continued
productiveness of Pithole territory was the
fact that the old pioneer well, the United
States, that stirred such fever in the minds
of men when Pithole grew in the space OF
three months from one lone dwelling COM
handing the sloping site of the city, to city
of ten thousand inhabitants, and its immedi-
ate co-marvels, the Homestead, Island and
Burchill wells, of sudden ceased to flow
But those who imagined this territory had
seen its halcyon days will find themselves
somewhat unsettled when they learn that
these wells are all producing again large
ly and, under proper management, approx
mating their old standard of excellence, while,
notwithstanding the seeming dullness through
out Oildom, the aggregate increase in the pro-
duction of oil last month over the month of
December, including the yield from resusci-
tated wells, is three thousand one. hundred and
ninety barrels per day. The U. S. well, pump
ing at first two hundred and fifty barrels, then
flowing one thousand per day, within the ten
months preceding the day its "pulse of life
stood still, produced one hundred thousand
barn els Of oil. 1t is now producing one hum
bred barrels per day, and constantly increas-
ing. The Burchil well has improved faster.
aud is now flowing four hundred barrels per
day. ,.s.~-~-
The fact of these old wells resuning their
places in the list Of paying wells has of itself
restored in the minds of oil men the conf
dence that failed with their failure; awakened
much Of the former activity, and a spirit to
test further abandoned wells, and still stand
by Pithole that has so well stood by Oil
seekers. go ..,,. ga ,.-,.l s..s.,.-8
9s For the purpose of more thoroughly OPEN
ing the crevices in the bottom of wells, new
tool has been invented, called an expanding
rimer, by which the hole in the fourth sand
rock, from which the oil comes, may be en-
larged double the usual size. The inventor is
experimenting with this tool. Other parties
believing in more general use of internal
machines, thinking to blast open the Oil crew
ices, if any exist near the well, and careless
OF disturbing the internal arrangements of
mother Earth, have resorted to sinking torpe-
does unveils, discharging them by the electric
spark. The first attempt proved abortive;
another will soon be made.
In the first excitement of oil speculation. the
rush of business, like the food of unctuous
liquid was with resistless force, carrying every
thing before it, and spreading in every direc-
ton for want of bounds to restrain it. Now
it is settled on safe and sure foundation.
Railroads are be ng built-one to be finish
ed by the 22d of this month and another in
few weeks-to connect with every oil market,
and pipes are now carrying oil at small cost to
every near shipping point. In addition, the
rapidity, unequalled before, with which new
wells have been struck, has been such as to
assure every one that, there are plenty more
large wells here to be had for the boring
There are in Pithole to-day, ten flowing wells,
averaging over five hundred barrels each per
day, and number of smaller capacity. There
has averaged a new and paying well every day
since January LIST, while not one third of the
best territory of this district has yet been
touched. ~ S'Aa &c . -
The last flowing well struck, called the Bur
It's" is the most wonderful of all, and proba-
bly, the largest ever known in the Oil Regions.
Its volume has not yet been determined
Crowds collect around the receiving tank and,
securing foothold on the scaffolding, stand
there for hours, fascinated by this inexplicable
manifestation of Natures stupendous forces,
and the sight and sound Of the oily current
as it comes surging and spouting from its sub
terranean recesses and plunging into the tank
with the din Of cataract.
While some of the large wells lately struck
are below the old wells famed in 0leagnous
story, the position of this well on the creek is
still further above them. 1t is also further up
on the side of the hill than any of the other
large wells. These facts have served to make
mea more confident at all points and greatly
increase the growing excitement and activity
among spectators. isiassoJ sen
o Ia But Thursday the Sth, Pithole saw another
sight that has excited more interest and been
the subject of more theories than any event
since men first became delirious over the nat
ural wealth of Oildom. On that morning
two hotels and livery stable were burned.
After some pumping of water from the wells
near at hand to throw on the fire, it was dis
covered that the water rather increased the
raging of the fire than extinguished it. A
rush was made for the nearest well, when the
pump was found producing oil and gas in lib
eral quantities. The pump was then handled
in lively manner, and the water becoming
exhausted, the oil continued to flow with
stream the full size Oft the spout, the fire los