Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-09-27
LETTER FROM THE OIL REGIONS.
PARKER's LANDING, Sept, 1871.


reader of your paper, and not having
noticed any communication from the
oil regions nor from this part of the
country, have presumed that note
Of events transpiring here might moi
be uninteresting to your many read
ers, and will jot few of them down
to you, and you may place them in
your columns or not, as you choose.
To those who are familiar with the oil
regions adjacent to PithOle, Petroleum
Center, Housewife, and the neigh
boring oil countries, the statement
that this is the largest oil-produeing
district in the wolld might seem un-
warrantable but, nevertheless, such
is the fact, as has been shown by
statistics of oil products for number
of months past.
Parker's Landing is located on the
west bank of the Allegheny river; is
below and distant from Oil City fifty
miles by the A. V. R. R., and eighty
one miles above Pittsburgh.
The town bearing this name has
been built up mostly within the last
two years, and at present its pOpula-
ton is increasing very rapidly. Oil
was first discovered here, believe,
some six or seven years ago, but
nothing very promising was develop
ed in the way of its production until
four years later, and from that time
to the present the production has
steadily increased, and to-day its
trade has assumed a shape that is i'm
mense. The town here consists Of
but one long narrow street running
parallel with the river, and in times
of high water is in rather close proX-
unity to it for safety, and as a steep
bluff rises at from two hundred to
three hundred feet back from the
river, the chances for its assuming
much larger proportions are rather
limited. But proceeding up the con-
tinuatiOn of the street to the top of
the hill we find ample room for build
ing. Here also we find a snug little
town, but still larger than Parker,
called Lawrenceburg, now incorpor-
ated as Borough, and doing a
splendid business in every kind of
trade. Everything commands an ex-
orbitant price, and leash down is
the ruling motto in nearly every place
of business. Lawreneeburg looks
neat and city like, and its appearance
forms quite a contrast to the narrow
dirty street at Parker. The buildings
in both these places are all built of
wood with neat and respectable fronts,
and present quite handsome appear
ance for a place so rapidly built. The
want of more good hotels is severely
felt, there being but one good one at
Parker kept by Mr.. Charles Spencer;
and here let me remark that the style
in which he administers to the wants
of his many patrons would do credit
to any hotel man in a first class city.
The Sterritt House at Parker Station
on the east side of the river, is large,
cOmmodious, and, I understand,
well-kept house by the gentleman
whose name it bears. Travellers will
find this a convenient place to refresh
the inner man, as the two midday
trainsstOp twentyminutes going to and
from Pittsburgh. Some one with plenty
of cash might do good business by
erecting a first class hotel at Parker
and adapting it to the wants of the
immense thrOng that is daily rush.
ing there. Some enterprising parties
from Housewife, believe, are utting
up q fine theatre building at Parker,
to aid which the citizens have gener-
ously donated two thousand dollars;
and, I presume, during the coming
winter we will be entertained with
in the theatrical line, a
rare luxury here. OF churches Parker
has none, while Lawrenceburg is
pretty we'll supplied, having three in |
which regular services are held, |
viz: Methodist, U. Presbyterian, and |
Catholic. The Methodist pulpit is at |
present occupied by Rev. r. w. Crane, |
who Officiated last year at Wilson |
Chapel on the Parkman road near |
your place, and his plain, jOvial, !
manner is well suited to 1
hose who make up his congregation /
here. The territory now embraced /
IN what is known as the Parker oil |
ield, is daily being extended In alldi-
'ections, running along theriver on the
vest side for over five miles in length,
md in some places extending back
nearly one mile in width. On the
.ast side it has been traced up the
Clarion river (which empties itself
nto the Allegheny one mile above
lere) for a distance of six miles.
Territory here is being rapidly tested,
md some splendid wells have been
ately sunk, one or two that are max
ng as high as eighty barrels per "a
lours. OF course we have a goodly
lumber of small wells among the
everal thousands that are at present
Producing oil here, some ranging as
Ow as five barrels per day while
large portion are pumping twenty
i've or thirty barrels. Many reach
s high as one hundred barrels, but I
hey are not often known to hold out |
{ those rates. One fact notice here I
hat among all the oil men that /
ave met 1 have not seen but one
rom Ohio, most of the heaviest opera
DTS being men from New York and
1 have heard that an
)hio man sometimes ventures over to
ngage in the business, but he either
cts sold on a dead lease or is relieved
{ his surplus cash in some manner .
hat serves as an iLducement for him
D close business. A very extensive
nd paying business is done here in
oil from the wells to the
ars and barges when the river is at
nnning stage.
This is done through iron pipes, two ,
lches in diameter, laid to all produc-
lg wells, and connecting with ten
housand barrel tank owned by the !
'ipe Co., and from thence is forced
cross the railway by steam pumps.
lille after mile of pipe is continually
eing added, and, am told, the
alue of the different lines now in
peration here, including tanks, etc.,
Till exceed eight hundred thousand !
ollarsI Parker & Karns are the
wners of the most extensive line. 1
nd judging from the constant use in {
'hich their engine is kept, are doing
rushing business.
Fortunes are not often made here :
d day as they were nine years ago
4 the upper country when the old !
,mpire and United States belched I
,rth their fifteen hundred barrels of :
II per day apiece, although we have :
)me wells that flow for few days J
fter being completed but it is not 5
common occurrence, most wells re- :
uiring vast deal Of steady pumping :
nd torpedoing to make them WELD. :,
nd this does not secure the object :
esired. learn that lsome parties :
-e prospecting for oil down as far as h
Tree miles below here on this side of q
le river, and are meeting with good 2
Iccess; quite q number ofwells have =
zen struck and ample room is here !;
torded for those who wish 70 try q
leir fortune. The great depth of the .
! rock here will keep many from in :,