Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-03-06
FROM THE OIL REGIONS.

constantly taking place in and about
the oil diggings; to keep track OF all
the good things that are being done,
and record the bad ones also. We hear
of many who are being made wealthy
and are placed in easy positions,
financially, by fortunate investments
in oil stocks; Of others who in their
epdeavOrs to keep pace with the lucky
ones and who, forgetting the many
failures of those who had q bitter taste
of misfortune before them, rush into
speculations that take away their capl-
tai in a manner mot slow" So the
same old story Of success and failure
Is every day heard, and steadily and
surely, sometimes successfully, and
sometimes not. the work Of prospect
ing and boring for oil continues Most
operators are not sinking new wells TO
any great extent, as the inclemeney
of the winter will not permit the
erection of derricks, buildings, and
machinery, to do the work Of drilling.
Yet all are doing their utmost to-se-
cure leases in good territory, and are
making extensive preparations to do
heavy amount of operating in the
spring or as soon as the weather is
more favorable. We predict the great
est rush to this region during the COM
ing summer that has yet occurred,
and for those who wish to engage in
the oil business, this is beyond doubt,
the safest place il the Pennsylvania
oil region to inYeSt, as more oit Is
produced here in comparison to the
number of wells in operations.
Producing oil, We might say IS
science. In past times, when the
country along the famous Oil Creek
was the only place in the State where
operations were carried on to any eX-
tent. the wells were drilled to the sup
posed proper depth, and if after few
DAYS Of unskillful pumping with very
inferior machinery, the well did not
yield oil in paying quantities, II was
abandoned and pronounced q Dry
hole" But at the present day, some
wells after being drilled, are pumped
for months before q satisfactory yield
is obtained and usually where the in
dieations have been good, this manner
of testing, namely, steady pumping
without interruption results, in max
ing paving well. As an instance Of
the perseverance and pluck of some of
our most enterprisingO Oilmen, We Will
mention one that we think Is worth
giving to the public. Nearly seven
years ago and previous to the time
when oil had been obtained here in a
quantity that would induce men TO
risk their money in drilling in this
locality, a young man residing near
FreepOrt of this county, and Of limit
ed means, came here at the instance OF
his friends and with the hopes Of bet
tering his fortune, drilled we'll to q
depth of eight hundred and hfty teet,
lust above and in the immediate
vicinity of Parker's Landing. There
was no town here then, only landlng
for boats, and hotel was kept by Mr..
lanes Parker. A good sand and some
| indications of oil was obtained, and
the necessary apparatus for pumping
I was procured and placed in operation
/ out after six months OF stedoy pump
inq, they had not been rewarded by
OIL enough to keep q common DER,
rick lamp in burning material. Still
the well had improved some, and the
! indications were more favorable than
/ when first sunk. Its perseyering own
er, nothing daunted, kept up the same
old routine in its management, and
at the end of two years itwas making
almost oil enough to pay the running
| expense. This was cheering certainly
And in the next four years, which
length of time terminated but q shori
time since. this well kept slowly and
steadily increasing, and but few
weeks ago was yielding almost 4Oi
bbls ner month, q very good paying
we'll. And from which its ownel
obtained the basis of q fortune, thai
to-day counts hundreds Of thousands
We hear his name mentioned daily q:
one of the leading men in this district
and one of the propie tors OF the largest
pipe lines now in operation. We
don't presume to say that oil can 0t
/ drawn from q rock where it dOn'i
exist, but we are satisfied that If more
good STEADY pumping was resorted to
in place or yielding TO discourage
ments and abandoning wells WITHOUT
a fair trial, we would have 3 muen
smaller amount of oil failures, ana 8
i greater number of suecessful oil pro
ducers. The total daily production
for the whole, Pennsylvania oil re-
gion now exceeds 1000 bbls., and We
may form some idea of the inDensity
of lis trade when we consider that more
than $3.50, 900 bbls. were shipped e
foreign countries in 1871, and this fei
far short of the demand. What for
tunate thing the discovery Of oil hal
been to the land owners in this yiein
jity. Some have already realized hand
AomelY and are still doing go. But pre-
vious to the development Of the terri
tory here, the greater part OF thos'
owning land were only burdened Dy
being its pOssesOrs. And especially
wss this the case along Bear Ereek
which empties into the Allegheny
River, one mile below this place. TO
! agricultural purposes 1t was compare
lively valueless being covered VIII
huge rocks and serubby growth o
oak and hemlOek timber. Years ag'
an Iron Company made this thei
scene of operations, and we have many
times viewed the ruin OF their old fur
mace which stood on the bank of thu
etream about one.half mile from 1t
mouth, and vas successfully WORKED
more than fifty years ago. Alter
while the works were abandoned an
allowed 10 crumble TO ruin, while th'
rugged hills along the stream tha
were stripped of their timber and usel
for eoaling purposes, grew up will
another growth Of dense thicket II
many places, and until the discover,
Of oil there two years ago was about a
wild looking and desOlate q country a
car be imagined. Now q hundre'
fires gIeam along its course and the
roar of a hundred engines !
mingled at noon and midnight will
the shrill whistle of these might,
workers, that reyerbeFates Tar dow
and out upon the broad Aileghen,
giving evidence of the life and bustl
and development now going on
r Very happy to learn Of the enterPris
! that has been manifested in the actiol
Of the citizens of Warren in securing
) so many railroad advantages, as wei
t as otner improvements that must i'm
, proTe the growth and enhance tht
! prosperity Of your city. With suel
: railroad facilities as they will have =
? the construction of the difeI4n
! branches under contemplation, War
rem eannot fail to make city of whiel
: the citizens OF the Western Reserv
may well be proud, and We look fol
, ward to the completion Of these sew
: eral enterprises with no ineOnsidel
I able interest.
5 The railroad items in th
{ CHRONICLE referring to the progres
: of the work, &C., are eagerly sough
for by the reading ppplla- .;hFteep Y