Smyrna times., 1873-02-19
ce/Iu ID e D IL s.
The Pennsylvania Oil Regions.

An Oil City correspondent of the Chicago
Tribune writes as follows: "ln 1859 a man
named Drake came to Titusville, and near this
place commenced boring for vein Of silver
which tradition said was there. He was QUITO
funds in short tme and regarded by most
people as an impOStOr; but he persevered, and,
at the depth of 10 feet struck flowing oil
well of twenty barrels per day, then worth $50 |
per barrel. This created the widest excite
ment, and, as new wells and new localities |
became known, wonderful fortunes were made |
in a day, and old farmers, fifty years behind |
the times. became suddenly mlllionaires AS |
a natural consequence of money becoming so
plentiful and wealth falling upon persons un-
able to judiciOusly use it, shOddyism III its
worst form was apparent everywhere. For six
or seven years everything was speculation.
! The oil business was not carried on as legiti-
mate one, but for the purpose Of making for
tune at one stroke. From $50 barrel oil went
down so low that it did not pay to barrel it, and
it was at times even allowed to run into the
river. Then there were wells which flowed
m re than 2000 barrels in twenty-tOur hours.
Now, we'll which pumps 100 barrels is con-
sidered much more than average Of course,
in different localities, petroleum is found at
different depths; but, as a general rule, that
, found near the surface is much heavier, and
, consequently more valuable, than that found
deeper down.
Improvements are constantly being made in
the machinery used in putting down an oil
we'll; but, in the main, the general plan is the
n same: First, a derrick is built, fifty or sixty
feet high, much resembling the lookout
d stations built for the Signal Corps during the
5; late war, or the rough observations on the sea
shore TO the top Of the derrick is fastened a
i, pulley-block, through which the rope passes
ID that raises and lowers the tools. The lattel
rs weigh about 1000 pounds, SO that a powerful
Or blow is struck at every revolution of the crank
rry Without going through the details of boring,
~ will state, as soon as oil is found, tubing is Sc
n in, and, if the we'll is flowing one, the ownc
re-. is fortunate; and if not flowing well, pum
IS; must be put in, to be worked by an engine
ns The fuel commonly used in the engine the we
,,O., itself provides in the shape of gas. This,
Ae to one seeing it for the first time, somethin
i is wonderful The ''head' of gas is sometime
IN very powerful There was an engine at on
aid end of the walls at Parker Landing, who's
n1 Iba motive power was gas no steam was used, bt
ar the pressure of the gas from the we'll had tn
Of same effect as steam IN running the engine
nniG Gas wells, supplying towns, manufactures, an
ad private dwellings with fue land light, are con
ed .bi mon throughout the Oil Regions, and on IL
aud shore of Lake Erie east of Cleveland. III
hen number of barrels of oil produced in year
hm the something stupcndOus. Taking the past S
u3 months | find the average monthly yield
n as the entire Oil Region to be 100000 barre
the the During the same period, the number of yiel
hen ing wells each month averaged 1900. ha
irS y DE- said great fortunes have been amasscd hcl
o"s, and might add great many fortunes ha
@e been lost, as is attesed by the numero
And And deserted derricks you see everywhere covert
:! of dry-hoes. The centre of the oil business is
pre- pre- City OF all places | ever visited, this is
i %n on dirtiest, most ill-arranged and busiest BY
the way, you see very few idle people in Petrol
ms i5as 1t was near Oil City that the first large we
ra,s ,!ns were found The Oil Exchange is here WHIT
ii be great part of the oil business is transact
oore &e Tiusvile is one of the most important pa(
dis- in the region. Petroleum Centre at one II
ioaT I"iT had bright future, but it never realized
eg,ty and is on the wane. Reno was town
: the mushroom growth, and rose and fell in
: hang aS: famous Culver Bubble" This town and
n 10 tract of 1900 acres are owned by the Reno
o%er eT%5 COMPANY" Here derricks take the place
an 20 shadetrees and no family can be withoutat
oqnt two on the whole Region proper. Franklin
g ny tor a the finest place. Its streets are broad and
sup sup laid out the people are public spirited,
some of the buildings, public and priv
erred would put much larger places to shame.
ser, surrounded by very steep and high bills, on
5eiore re- which, viz, the Eg ert Hill, is famous
'e"'y- the number Of yielding wells on it.