The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-09-12
CORRESPONDENCE oFTHE TELEGRAPH



ELnRA, N. Y. Aug. 4th, 1872.
Dear IszeGraph.-The trip from Niagara to
Trunkeyyille, small station on the Allegheny
River r. Il. was easily but not quickly made, the
delays attending the movement of heavy oil
train on which we were compelled to take passage
from Iryineton, making our arrival late. At
Trunkeyville we took the stage for Fagundus,
distance of two and one half miles, time one hour,
and all the way up hill. Fagundus City is tie
center of large and productive oil district. Hun
dreds of wells are to be seen at this point. and
what seems strange they are almost withot except
ion producing from two to fifty barrels each, every
twenty-four hours. An unproductive well can
scarcely be found. One and a half miles from the
"City'' we found the wells known as "Barns
Wells" These wells, three in number are on
the side hill near Hickory Creek, and are owned
and operat ed by R. B. Barns, G. o. ParishSand o
Mr.. Mcdonald. Messrs Barns and Parish were
formerly well known residents of Kenosha Coun-
ty At this point the powerful engines, pumps,
and extensive tanks of two Pipe Companies are
found. These companies transport the entire oil
product of this section to the railroad. having
pipe lines to Tideoute and Trunkeyville on the Al
leghany and Titusville on Oil Creek. To accom-
plish this the pumps of both companies are kept
running both day and night nearly all the time
forcing the oil through 1--WE and one hafsinch iron
pipe over the hills several hundred feet high, the
tanks Of the "Barns Wells, and in fact of nearly
all the wells of this region are connected by means
of pipe with the tanks of both companies. This
insures home market, and competition among
Of Tho
panies Here we saw an iron tank with a capacity
of eli ghteen thousand barrels, full to the brm the
product for one month, we believe, of well ownec
by one man. AS in the days Of the Pit lie ex
citement, some men become suddenly rich, YET
they are few and far apart and thousands ready
to testify that the oil business is exceedingly
slippery.
At this time the greatest excitement prevails al
or near Parker's Landing, some sixty or seventy
miles below. Of the fortunate in that locality we
hear Of one Kenosha mar, Mr.. e. II. Dimmick.
The daily oil products of Pennsylvania is abou1
seventeen thousand barrels, worth perhaps, on ar
average S3.75 per barrel at the wells, But the
amount of capital invested is simply immense. On
the whole, after looking the thing over carefully
we think we nerefer Kenosha as pace of resi-
dence to any town in the oil country; and II we
had capital we should hardly care to sink it six Of
eight hundred feet into the rock here, for fear il
would become buried so deeply as to be beyond
the power of resurrection. The oil region is a
good place for moneyed men to keep away from.
AS you have SEEM this letter is dated at Elmira.
We supposed on our arrival at this beautiful little
city, we should see or hear no more of oil. But
oil trains are passing through the place hourly,
and one of them yesterday afforded us one of the
grandest sights we have ever witnessed. From a
hot journal an oil car took fire just the train was
entering the city, and the ames spreading quickly,
eleven cars,all laden with oil were consumed.
TWAS Sunday morning, and the air was perfectly
still. Hundreds fpeople on their way to church
noticing the fire were attracted thther, and there
saw pillar of clouds, forcibly reminding them of
that which guided the Children of Israel In their
wanderings. From the burning OIL column of
smoke hundred feet in diameter and as black as
midnight, maiestically thousand feet into
the air and then breaking, fell slowly back to the
earth, spreading out it did so, until the entire
body of smoke took the form of gigantic tree,
such an one as might exist in the Calveras or
Mariposa of Jupiter For an hour and ore 1t seem
looked to be as solid as rock. But a breeze
springing up it was soon dissipated, justas the
little breeze of next November will dissipate the
heavy column OF smoke that now darksns our polit-
ical horizon. By the way, is it not astonishing
what clearing up breeze can be famed into exis-
tenceby means of bits printed paper in the hands
of these who know how. Republicans in this part
of the Empire State, say they know how.
Yours Truly, t
81 HOSEA BARNS