New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-22
THE NEW OIL WELLS.
THEIR YIELD AND ITS EFFECT ON THE
I MARKET


NoPOLY.
rFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TRrBUSEl
FRANKLIN, Pa. Sept. 12.-For the sake OF
easy reference there are several modes OF dividing the
oil country. but the best general designation, and the
one most likely to be understood by the casual reader Is
that of the "old" and the New" Districts OF course
where there such constant change there Is In the
oil country, these terms have no fixed meaning Tor
what is to-day may not be so considered three
months hence But just now this division particularly
good one The northern extremity, or rather the two
northern exremities of the oil producing region are in
the vicinity OF Titusville and Tidioute, from which
points it extends In southwesterly direction along the
Allegheny River though not following its course strictly
down to Greece City and Mllerstown, distance In
straight line OF about eighty miles The Old District
begins at the NORTH above and ends at Pakers
Landing the Allegheny River and comprises most OF
the old famous wells, including those Of Pithoe, which
have figured so conspcuously in times gone by. The
"New District" begins at Parkers Landing and extends
down and includes the new wells OF Modoc. The en-
tire district is rough farming country and is traversed
with lines OF hills which, though not remarkable for
hight are OF mountainous character Here and there
are which, though Of moderate size are cites"
those Of Titusville and Franklin being the finest
The present accepted theory in regard to oproducng
rocks Is that they lie series OF BELTS the general trend
OF which is from twenty-five TO twentythree degrees
east Of north and west OF south But there are minor
belts that to the great BELTS and even
the most experienced oil men are not very certain OF
the accuracy OF their theories One who has never Wis
tied this country apt to fall into the error Of suppos
ing that tho number OF wells that have been sunk quite
limited but the fact is that they may be numbered by
thousands They are scattered everywhere hill and
mountain. In valley, In mid river, in town and country
even In the city Of Franklin there several old wells
with their derTicks And most OF these wells have
gone decay and but very few yielding enough oil
to pay cost rnaly from to drill
each OF them, estimate may be arrived at OF the
amount Of capital that has been disspated.
BORING FOR OIL.
The business OF drilling wells has now fallen almost
entirely into the hands OF professional driers When
man or O company has decided upon drilling well, and
selected its SITE the first step taken is TO put up der
rick or, it is termed here, carpenters rig This
is framework made mostly OF plank from 65 TO rs feet
high about feet square at the bottom, and running
nearly to point at the top The cost OF derrick Is
about $500 The tools used In drilling the bit, which
is like any ordinary rock drill but larger, being about
three feet In length above that the augur stems then
two chain links called the Jars ana above tnat .ne
snker bar" This Is attached at the upper end 10 tine
rope, which passes over pulley at the TOP OF he DER
rick and thence down to large wndlass OUTSIDE Oh Lne
derrick The drilling Is done by steaInengine with
crank movement which keeps the drill at WORK day ana
more rome AT proper Intervals turn the drill while
IL operating After the drill has reduced certain
nnantity of rock TO sand it Is drawn from the we'll up
into derrick aud the sand pump lowered and the
sand brought out when the drill is again Inserted The
rope used must be Of the very best quality ana In dg
ng deep wells IL requires two ropes as the sand very
soon them out The expense Is very eonsderaoe
one being 500 for each rope The tools for drilling that
are now Used weigh 800 pounds those that were first
used weighing only 20 pounds gooo SET OF urlIlerS
viii put well down In about 65 working days, provided
they have good aud accidents but 1t oftentimes
takes six months 10 reach the oil SAND. ,,,.
The rock in which the oil is found has very decided
din from the north the south, being about sixteen
feet TO the mile In the old or northern part IL IL fouhd
at depth OF from four hundred feet whereas
AT
hundred feet deep the expense OF dInng one vi TUE
new wells being nearly double that OF the old ones The
dpIIers generally know where they by the kind of
sand that they bring out AT Modoc at nep OF ABOUT
five bunared feet they strike what is called the noun
taio and down 10 which point they bore eghtinch
hole Here they know that they are below all fresh
hat rock with an inside diameter OF 50 nq9s5 From
there they through the casing the remainder OF me
shoulder Of at the bottom Of the casing to shut of
the salt water, which Is sometimes round Ia large qusn
titles The next sand OF Importance that Is found Is
called the second sand which lies at depth or Hte
over twelve hundred feet and sometimes produces Oil
This however, is not considered good Sgn ana makes
future drilling operations on the same rather gloomy
work, frstcass well cannot be expected Inc MY
foot sand comes next; the next Is tne Dowaer teh
comes the cornmeal sand called because or ts resen
bance to corn meal From tnat you 70 Ior Of
pebbly rock. and II the well going 10 amount 10 any
thing oil appears the moment you pe1e a OF Even Sa
mentioned the space Is filled up mostly WIN shells sIae
sOaprock sand, etc. the drilling DeS SGi9 0aSy d
by tho drers; and the mountain sand SO hard tast
1
bit are very perceptibe among the grams Oh sahu
GAS WELLS.
Asa rule those who sink wells conhne themselves 70
the vicinity Of good oprOducng country but occasion
ally man of rather sanguine bent of mind risks his
eight or ten thousand dollars on an outside BORE snch
wells are called wildcat wells and If they prove un-
successful which generally the case they serve as
guides to the careful oil men, who use them as
tests" in determining the limit OF particular OIL de.
post Such wells are sometimes Calico yes. "ols,
INT test we'll proper that is sunk for the mere
purpose OF asceraining whether oil th IN AZ n ac
locality, the owner being WILLING 10 run JUG fi'A VI
fcing mis- money for that purpose.
When the drllers strike well that gives OUT Only gas
limits OF the oil deposit In that direction are reached
and but wildcat borers would THINK OF gong iur
ther visited great gas well near MOdOc Dut lounu
IL decidedly the wane When u was urst uIIiLeu Tue
rush Of gas vas SO ta' a ,S wtn 400 500
feet OF it audible conversation was an dn9
force o T s II IN sfS Se With hand Now the
force much reduced owing, as Is beieVed 10 the
boring of many wells at Modoc, two ana a-halI Ies
distant that without much difficulty ordinary cane
can be held tho discharge and In all PROBABILITY
the well will soon cease 70 discharge at all.
There is another gas well the village Of Fair View,
from which that village Is both Lighted ana provided
the ground coating of salt is being constantly formed
on the castings of these gas wells aud alter consuo
by the gas many pieces Of which picked up from the
ground around about
1.-THE NEW WELLS AT MoDoc.
The large new wells at Modoc what are called
" flowing wells" that is, they do not require to be
nnmped. The stream of oil from flowing well Ia not
continuous but comes In pulsatons with occasional In
Of entire stoppage of greater or less length
good flowing well runs at first with great force, and
me Weld OF accordingly great, but gradually de-
reases in PRODUCTION until IL 20 flow at ALL and
then must be pumped after which the supply goes on
numnno and then IL IA shut down. II therefore re-
1ares Ordinarily the constant drilling of 400 wells to
hold the prSdasOn P p 10 the must stop except in the
Of Modoc because nothing less than 2O
barrel we'll will pay back 20 the owner the nrst COST
AZ 600 10 $1,000 with oil at the present prices 80 cents
r barrel al the wells. Wells that will yield 200 barrels