The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-21
The Oil Question Again.

boutwell, VERSUS OIL SPRINGS AND PETRo-
TO the Editor Of the Prsss: Tn-' 5.ac a--I i2t ID
We ask your pardon as well as the pardon
ofyour readers for using so much space in re-
viewing "Spurwink" '&'5-Ie9 8 L Il. %
Saturday morning he says,-"There is a
small locality deemed perfectly sure; outside
ofasis all, as get, uncertain." " Let us chris
ten the charmed spot Eureha and pass to
practical suggestion, which is, that the writ
ers purpose il now evident. He means "oil,"
when he says "ignore" and after another weeks
'Hubricating" he will appear "oiIier" yet: as
'tArtemus Ward" once said TO reconstructed
rebel in Richmond-"I s'pose you're our BROTH
ers, but yer sometimes have cussed queer
way of showing it." sal .59as-a f..
A word about facts and statistics. haIGri
1. In "Sourwinks' letter published Friday
he quotes the price of oil at $3.50 to 500 per
barrel. He is evidently correct from his stand
point. AT Petrolia and Oil Springs oper ators
are obliged to cart their oil from IL to Is
miles. At Boutwell, oil can be trucked from
the most extreme point pumped, for Is cents
per barrel, to the station. Oil is being sold to-
day at Boutwell, for ffom $3.50 to $40 per bar
rel. Lubricating oil brings price in proper
ticn to its quality. 100 ~" -..'" - ''''
2. He further says lubricating oil is found
only on the "surface" in Canada. 1t would
give us pleasure to show the writer specimens
of iubricating oil pumped 500 feet below the
surface. i- ,-''-i ---'''-. 'ti
8. In comparing the Canada and Pennsyl-
vania oils, lie says "But the rock oil of Cana
da is not the iubricating oil, and is actually
worth less than that Of Pennsylvania, not be-
cause of inferior quality, but because of its
being less free from outer." 1t is but charlta-
BILE to suppose that the language of the writer
here misrepresents his meaning. From a
school-boy does he not know that "grease will
rise to the top OF the pot?" Water frequently
finds an affinity in brandy, and readily mix
es, but how oil and water can be mixed is vet
"Greek"to oil men. if s' .'-t ~ 9f ''
A. In his last Communication he very clearly
and truthfuliy sets forth the hazards in we'll
sinking. His figures are undoubtedly correct
again, from his standpoint; but does he not do
Bothwel injustice in giving prices subject to
the II to Is miles cattage? We.l-sinking is
indeed hazardous and expensive, yet there are
responsib parties to be found who viii take
such risk for reasonable compensation.
s. An intelligent gentlemen informs "Spur-
wink" that halt of the wells of Boutwell, have
already proved failures &C., &c. This strikes
us as remarkable intelligence. The Maple well
is pumping oil at a depth of 100 feet. The
Michigan well is pumping largely at depth of
over Geo feet. Can a well be pronounced a
failure until it has either been abandoned or
sunk below this depth? We do not say but
halt of the wells may prove failures" but we
do not believe the time has arrived yet to draw
this line. G- ..+,.-'t
6. He is also informed that a leo barrel well
atBothwell does hot STOW" so big a stream as
a 10 barrel well at Petrolia We have spent
some eight months about Boutwell,, and this
is the first information we have received of a
Glowing" well there. So far as we know they
are all pumping wells. The yield of wells ev-
erywhere is exaggerated as naturally as water
runs down hill. For our part we do not be-
Geve there Is flowing well at Boutwell,, and
wouldn't advise you to. Yours truly, aua Tl
ilo gliGia.5 .9de tns I'd CRUDE.