, 1872-12-30
PETROLiA.
A Sketch Of the Oi1-Region.
Discovery, Progress, anu fresen1
Condition of the OIL
Business.

miles would comprise that part OF western
Pennevlyania known % the soil Regions.
And it is very appropriately named. o1l Is to
the inhabitant OF Petro1ia what the reindeer 1s
to the Esquimaux. In o word, it PROVIDES
directly or indirectly for everything. The coun-
try is, for the most part, wild, mountainous, and
rugged, and produces nothing OF Importance to
gupport it's large population, but oil. Hence,
everything else must bo brought here, and living
is more expensive than in any other part OF tho
United States. unless it be the "Far West"
The popular idea that obtaining oil from
Mother Earth belongs to 80 the wonderful age OF
discovery in which we live"
1s EnnosEUs.
Like many other things, 81 that Heethen Chi
nee :" is thousands Of years ahead OF u.s. Con
fuc.us speaks of oil coming from the rocks
casually, md not as anything new or wonderful.
Horodotus, whom, in orr ignorance, VIC called
the father Of lies," mentions an oi1-wen in
Zante, which is still flowing. Tho existence Of
petroleum in the 's Oil Regions Of Pennsyl-
yania was known to scientific men long before
it's so-called discovery in 1859. The French
Commander of Fort Du Quesne, writing to Cen
things, speaks Of the Seneca Indians, in their
worship of the sun, using oil obtained from
tic rocks. This tribo occupied the
whole region about Oh Creek and
vicinity. Fifty years ago, oil was collected he1e M
oil by blankets soaking it up. This Was sold
throughout the country as "Seneca Oil" and be-
Ieyed to be enicacious in curing many diseases.
THERE ARE MANY THEORIES
as to the origin of petroleum: One, that it is
liouid resulting from tho decomposition of ma
rino and land plants; another, that 1t IS from
oil-vielding animals which swarmed the seas of
tho Devonian period; the generally accepted e1-
planation is, however, that it is the condensation
of certain gases coming through the eaftas
crust from the liquid interior.
In 1859, d Connecticut Yankee, by the name OF
Drake, came to Titusyillo, and near this place
commenced boring for q vein of silver. which
tradition said was there. He was out Of funds
in short timo, and regarded by most people as
an impostor; but ho pcrEogcred, and, at the
depth Of ITO feet,
Of 20 barrels per diem, then worth $40 per barrel
This created the widest excitement, and, as
new wells and new localities became known,
wonderful fortunes were made in day, and old
farmers, fifty years behind the times, became
suddenly millionaires. As 8 natural consequence
of money becoming so plentiful and wealth fall
shodlyism in it's worst form was apparent
everywhere. One or two anecdotes will Illus
trate the effect
3'sTR1K1Sa OIL
had upon some Of these people. An old couple,
too impatient to wait till spring to build, took
elegant furniture, lace curtains, ETC., into their
log cabin. A blacksmith. having !" struck oil. "
and who, instead Of counting his money, as
formerly, by dollars, counted it by hundreds OF
thousands, cent his daughter to fashion
Of the instructors wrote to him that
it was useless to keep his daughter at school, as
she lacked capacity. The old man very indig-
nantly wrote buck, asking why they did not buy
capacity for her. il she wanted it. He had
money enough.
For six or seven years
EVERYTHING WAS SPECULATION.
The oil business not carried on as q legltl-
mate ono, but for the purpose Of mailing for
down so low TINT is did not pay tn barrel it, and
it WAS at times allowed to run into the
river. Then there were wells which flowed mo.o
than 1000 barrels in twenty-four hours. Now, a
well which pumps 100 barrels is considered much
more than average. Of course, in different To-
colitIes, petroleum is found at different depths :;
but, as general rule, that found near tho sur
face is much heavier, aud consequently more
valuable, that found deeper down.
improvements arc constantly being made IN
the machinery used IN
PUTTING DOWN An OIL WELL;
b11t, in the main, the general plan Is the same
First. derrick is built, so or so feet high,-
much resembling the lookout stations built for
the Signal Corps during the late var, or tho
rough observations on the seashQre. To the top
Of tho derrick is fastened al pulley-blocl,
through which the rope passes that raises and
lowers tho tools. The latter weigh about 1000
pounds, SO that powerful blow is struck at
every revolution of the crank. Without going
through the details of boring, will state. as
soon as oil is found, tubing ia set in, and It the
and, if not flowing we'll, 4 pump must bo put
in, to bo worked by IN engine. The fuel COM
monty used in the engine, the well itself pro-
yides in the shape Of
This is, to ono seeing it for the first time,
| something wonderful. Tho "head" of gas is
sometimes very powerful. There was engine
at o,le end Of the walls at Parkers Landing,
| whose motive power was gas; no steam was
| used, but tile pressure Of gas from the well had
| the Same effect steam in running the engine.
Gas-wels, supplying towns, manufactures, and
private dwellings, with fuel and Light, are COM
| mon throughout the Oil Regions, and on the
| shore Of Lake Erie east Of Cleveland.
The number Of barrels Of oil produced in q
year -
| rs coMETE1Na sTUPENDoUs.
| Taking the past ei1 months, find the average
| monthly yield Of the entire OIL Region to be
| $50, 900 barrels. During the same period, the
| number Of yielding wells each month averaged
| 4,s00. I have said great fortunes have been
amasscd here, and might add great many for
tunes have been lost, us is attestod by the nu-
meronB deserted derricks you see everywhere
THE CENTRE OF THE Oh. BUSINESS
| is Oil City. OF all places ever visited, this is
tho dirtiost, most ill-arrangod, and busiest. By
the way, you see very few idle people in Petro-
| liz. II was near Oil City that the first large
wells were found. The Oil Exchange is here
where great part Of the oil business is trans.
acted. Titusville is one of the most important
places in tho Region. Petroleum Centre at one
time had bright future, but it never realized
it, and is on the wane. Reno Was town Of
mushroom growth, and roso and fell in the
famous q Culver Bubble" This town and {
tract Of 1 200 acres are owned by the " Reno Oh
Company" Hero derricks take the place o.
ehado-trees, and no family can be without a
least two On the whole Region proper.
is the finest place. Its streets arc broad ane
well laid out; the people are public-spiritcd
and some of tie buildings, public and private
would put much larger places to shame. It ii
| surrounded by very steep and high hills, one O.
which, viz, the 'Egbort Hill, ;, is famous for th'
number of yielding wells on it.
I am afraid have made this letter too long
but at another time shall endenvor to tell some
thing of refining oil, and the different league
and combinations organized between the pro
duccrs. retners, and railroads. all of which ar
Of public interest. II. P.
Disappearance and fscappcarnnce o
| Land.
l. rone;rao m irnnopca onorupt NJ oro1n1eo