The Petroleum Centre daily record. [volume] (Petroleum Center, Pa.) 1868-1873, 1870-05-27
OIL CITY, PA, May II, 1870.

Sou0 correspondent Yesteruhy Nisilcu tuo
fained bnruing aud gas wells fSAndy, some
fourteen miles southeast ofiOil City. These
wells are located in Pine Grove township
Venahgo county, about a mile and a hall
from Ccntervillc, between Sandy Creek and
tae east branch OF the same.
The Burning welt as it is called, is locat.
ed on, the lands of Pouring Rock and East
Sandy Oh Company OF Philadelphia. The
well was drilled by the company during
1866, four years since, aud attained the depth
ofadout eight hundred and fifty feet. AT
this depth the tools became fastened and
could not be extrcnted. Tubing had been
put in at several stages of the progress o.
tie well, aud diilling was resumed at in
tervals. AZ The depth indicated the tools
were imbedded in mud vein, supposed to
be three feet in thickness.
After various attempts at removal, tubing
was finally put in. The gas soon filed this
and burst the seed-bag and attempting 10
ped into the we'll, and operations were sns-
pended. The gas, mixed with couside ra-
ole oil, has continued unrsmiiingly to os-
cape from the well TO present. dale, with
terrible force. Soon after this accident the
well was fred by some means, and burned
for a long time. In the fal! of 1868 Mr.. j :.
B. Benton, one among the best OF our prac-
tical operators, obtaining lease Of the
well from the company, went TO work to
conquer or tame this irrepressible '.spouter''
After an expenditure Of labor and money in
no sin,ed degree. he succeeded in getting
the old well under control, commenced the
drilling of new well short distance
above it, and finished the same during the
past winter.
So great has been the force OF the gas in
the new we'll, thatit is only within the last
few weeks that they have been enabled to
pump It. The force Of the gas from the
new we'll is greater than that from the cid
one, yet, strange TO relate, there is no sp-
parent dimlnution OF foice from he well
drilled iu 1866. Both wells are located in
valley or fiat, surrounded on all des by
hills which slope gradually.
The new well was jumping for tho first
| time cn the day Of our visit. Aud this
pumping affair was effected by the 9uee, est
arrangement ever bshe.d by moral vision.
Imagine, ifyou can an engine steadily
pumping well 925 feet in depth. wi,boi,
the use OF steam, fuel, or even boiler
! Such is the s.nbborn fact-no mistake about.
it. TIE gas is led from the well to the en-
CINE house Of The new one, by means Of an
ordinary two-inob iron pipe. TIE attach
ment is made 10 the engine by the steatn
| pipe, in the same manner as ii stesm me,e
used. A turn of the screw and OF sne goes,
| run by pressure IRON the gas alone, without
exhaust pipe, or attachment of any kind,
steadily and well. The piston seems to act
as the exhaust, and the escape OF the same
was as regular as steam. :
| The engine was running at pressure, we
should judge, equivalent 10 fully six,y
pounds Of steam, requiring only small
amount of the gas Tue force OF this as it
! carried from the wells, was capable Of ex-
erting . pressure OF fully Two hundred
iounts 10 the square inch. The engine
could be run at any degree OF speed neces-
sary vito perfect safety. that its expan-
sive power wss capable OF. 1t has been
customary to light tho old well at night, q
| pipe extending up through the top Of the
derrick for the purpose. This had been re-
moved. From the point where it is attao n i.
ed, tho gas was escaping with deafeDing
roar, large stop- cock being fastened below
| the same, and left open for the purDose o -
The opening was scarcely quarter Of on
inch. Into the top Of this stones as large as
IN egg were cast, These wer. sent up ffty
feet in the sir, through the top Of the der
lick, MS II discharged from cataput. Flat
stones Of several pounds weight were whirl-
cd ficm ia top like feathers The joint of
the pipe conducting the gas 20 tho engine
were also open, aud allowed grea. Guanti.
ties to escupe. We had no desire 10 light
match or even smoke cigar in that local-
ty.
The temperature Of the gss as it came
from the wells was extremely cold, chilling
the hands. 1t could not become heated by
passing some two hundred feet through an
ordinary !ron gas pipe. So the accepted
TACT that beat is necessary 10 furnish the
mutton for prcpeling engines is somewhat
damaged. Either Of these wells have snfi-
cient volume Of gas TO ran, we should esi-
mate, forty engines. Nine hundred feet OF
| tubing was drawn from the well easily1by
the engine thus propelled. In add,tisn.
there Is heie gas enough to furnish fnei for
the wells of no: only the neghborhood. but
| ola greater portion of the oil region, II con.
neclion could be made.
The new well has produced oil, frequently
several barrels per day, OF d beautiful green
color, 40 gravity. The sand rock of both
4 nall