, 1873-12-08
THE OlL.-REGI0N.
From Ernnkltn to Corry--Oll City.
CnrreauandkncA Of Tha CIfcdna 1riIt,if1A


CoRRY, Pa, Deo. !, 1879.
At Franklin tho great oil-rogion begins.
Along the valley, up tho Blope Of the hills, and
oven upon their submits, tho lrnme-workB OF
tue boring dorricks, in groups and clusters, nro
to DO seon,-none Of the wells being productive
enough to pay working, however lucrative they
may hayo been heretofore. 11oro fortunes hayo
been made aud lost; and hore nro to bo met tho
largest mon ever mot in any country. 1t secmH
as il . race Of giants had pooplcd these mountain
rnngea.
From Franklin our course lay up tho Allc-
gleny River milos to tho mouth OF Oil Crock.
we passed many hugo eheet-iron tanks full Of
crude oil, oach containing from 80, 600 to 1900
barrols; and derrlcka in groups and clustora on
tho banks Of tho river aud up tho hill-sides. at
tho mouth Of Oil Creek ia
OIL o1TY,-
appropriately named, for everything looks oily.
There IL oil in tanks, oil in barrels oil swimming
on tho water in tho creek; tho air smolls Of oil.
The derricks are 80 thick thoy romind ono Of
fields full Of old, deadened trees. They lins tho
crook, climb the hill-sldcs, and spread away for
miloa Oh the sumnlitB. Bnt the little stoaln-
engines which work the machinery arc still bu
little work il done now, because tho recent
attikc Of Bpouting wels in nnotlor district OF
country, flowing their 1000 barrels per day, hayo
10 depressed tho marriott tint 50.barrol, which
las to bo obtained by pumping, will not pay ex-
penses. Hut It ia a curious feature Of thoso
flowing wells, that, in ~ tow days, tlloy begin to
tal on until thSy layo o to alp'y the ~ pumping
low as 50, barrels ror dny.
OH. Is 4 STRANGE PRODUCT.
Its origin battles tue researches of the geologigts.
No sooner is ono theory tnken for o baais than
home new development OF q new soil oyorthrows
oil t0t1 C1,n1 1n.t
III labyrinth Of speculation. Some Of thcse
wells have been sunk as deep az 1,700 feet,
going down through the now red sandstone
stratum, then layer Of sand, on through the
through tho granite stratum, sand, quartz, aud
into light yellow sand. when tho oil spnrta forth
with volumes Of gas. producing d roaring sound,
much like that Of tho steam Of heavy engine
below the line Blato, and coal strata, but ato not
SO productive as tho deeper ones.
The oil on tho aurface OF tho water in Oil
Crock 1B tho aeepago and waato from tho pipea
and tanks. Tho rocks and banks Of tho stream
are black. as il painted with coal-tar.
Tho oils al handled by
PIPES AND pu1trB
Pipoa are laid by ppe.compauioH for miles, and
the oil conducted for Is or so miles to huge tanks
or cistornB. The cars are run along near the
tnula, and the oil is drawn on by nnother pipe
arrangement into the car-tanlks, and 30 conveyed
to tho markets for refining. Tho cur tanks arc
laid horizontally on platform-cars, and contain
trains is ia motion, 25 or 80 cars in tran run
ming tho curves OF the creeh look not unlike q
hugo serpent gliding along in wriggling curyes.
THE CRUDE OIL
is put upon the market at Titusyi1lo. Oil City,
aud Franklin, very much like tho grain at CHI
cago, or stocks on Wall street, New York, and ia
attended with tho same fluctuations aud excite
ments. It has it's Bulls and Bears, who buy
short OF sell long,-a scrip of papor represent
ing 80 many barrels in tank or celtiicato Of Pipe
company, being the only tangible substance in
yiew as q basis OF transaction.
Oil City Is jammod in botweon high hills at tho
Of tho houses arc built mp against preoptous
hll,-tho small shrubby timber hanging over
tho roof. A railway callod tho Inclined Piaue
runs mp rugged point OF ono Of the bills. with
ha ~ssn t draws e car %i dosa s
SsF Sho reside @ handroda | Of iD' foas n'0ses a5oTs
thS town pass to and fro. On tho
residences, many Of thom clinging to tho aido OF
tho hill, yory much Us dormor-wlndowa on =
steep root Of house.
4 long bridge stretches across tho Allegheny
River to o town on tho opposite side ecal!ed South
Of the business is at tho mouth Of the creek, on
the north sdo, in tho narrow. valley, surrounded
by oi!tanks and dorricks. which is tho contro OF
all oil operations
It is also great railroad centre. Hero tho
Allegheny Valley, Oil Creok & Cory, brunch OF
Lake Shore, aud Groat Western Railroads con-
oentrate. Il snort OF the whistle nnd olang of
the locomotiye-bell salute the ears morning mud
nlght and stream Of travolors aro rushing
about for refrcahmcntB. Directly the "Afl
aboard is shouted, and away wlifls l tho
thou hero comes another passenger; and the
little town Of o9o inlSbltantg is in continaa!
lot BY Pittsburgh for tho fhiladelphia, Doston.
aud Oinciuuati trade the Lake Shore and
Qreat Western for Cleveland, Chicago, and tho
Wost The Oil Creek i Cory 1ioad Tor Buffalo,
Now York, aud all tho Eastern markets; aud tho
trade IL i,,l11,9nse.
Leaving the noisy. oily little city for Cory,
VIC passed through tho great pine-rangos which
arc tho boast Of Northorn ponnsylyana !; aud,
III wo wound around tho points and eurvos Of
tho creek, wo soon became conscious that We
had left tho oil-regon. Tho air becau1o pure
aud awaet, pnd tho water iu the creek looked
clear anil bright. Il.
The II eccnt Dcntia from Ch1orofofm