The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-09

Fifty years ago oil was collected here by MAX
Ing dams In the river, and gathering The oil
by blankets soaking it up. This was sold
throughout the country as "Seneca oil, and
believed to be eficacions In curing many dis.
eases.
petroleum: One, that 1t is liquid resulting
from the decomposition OF marine and land
plants; another, that 1t Ia from oil-yielding
animals which swarmed the seas of the De.
vonan period. The generally-accepted ex-
planation Ia, however, that 1t is the condensa-
lion f certain gases coming through the
earth's crust from the liquid interior.
In 1859 Connecticut Yankee by the name
of Drake came to TItusVllle, and near this
place commenced boring for vein of silver,
which tradition said was there. He was Out
of funds In short time, and regarded by
most people as an imposter; but he perse.
vered, and at the depth Of one hundred and
seventy feet struck flowing oil we'll oil
twenty barrels per diem, then worth thirty
dollars per barrel. This created line widest
excitement, and as new wells and new local..
ties became known, wonderful fortunes were
made 10 dav, and old farmers, fifty years
behind the times, became suddenly million.
aires. AS natural consequence of money
becoming 80 plentiful and wealth falling upon
persons unable to judiciously use 1t, shoddy.
Ism In Its worst form was apparent every
where.
For six or seven years everything was spec
ulation. The oil business was not carried on
as legitimate one, but for the purpose OF
making fortune at one stroke. From thirty
dollars barrel oil went down 80 low that
1t did not pay to barrel it,and IL was at times
even allowed to run into the river. Then there
were wells which flowed more than TWO thou
sand barrels In twenty-lour hours. Now, a
well which pumps one hundred barrels is con-
sidered much more than average. or course,
In different localities, petroleum Is iound at
different depths; but, as 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, 10 the main, the general plan is the
same. First, derrick is built 6ity or sixty
feet high, much resembling the lookout sta
war, or The rough observatories on the sea-
shore. To the top of the derrick ls fastened q
puley-block, through which the rope passes
That raises and lowers the tools. The latter
weigh abont one thousand pounds, 30 that q
powerful blow Is struck at every revolution of
lhe crank Without going through the details
of boring, will state, as soon as oil is found,
tubing is set In. and If the well Is q flowing
one the owner Ia fortunate, and II not aow-
by an engine. The fuel commonly used IN the
engine the well itself provides In the shape of
This is, to one seeing it for the first time,
something wonderful. The "head" OF gas is
sometimes very powerful. There was an en-
CINE at one end of the walls at Parker's land
iog, whose motive power was gas; no steam
was used, but the pressure of gas from the
we'll had The same effect as steam in running
the engine. GasRells supplying towns, man
ufactorles, and private dwellings with fuel
and light are common throughout the oil re-
Rions, and on the shore of Lske Erie east OF
Cleveland.
The number OF barrels of oil produced 10
year is something stupendous. Taking the
past six months. find the average monthly
yield of the entire oil region 10 be $40 600 bar
rels. During the same period the number OF
Welding wells each month averaged 1900. l
have said great fortunes have been amassed
here, and might add great many fortunes
have been lost, as Is attested by the numerous
deserted derrlcks You see everywhere cover
ing dry-holes.
The centre of the oil business ls OIL City.
OF all places ever visited, this Is the dlrLi-
est, most lll-arranged, and busiest. By the
way, you see very few idle people in Petrolls.
It was near OIL City that the first large wells
were found. The OIL Exchange ls here,
where great part of the oil business is trans
acted. Titusville Is one OF the most import
ant places In this region. Petroleum Centre
at one time had bright future, but 1t never
realized 1t, and is on the wane. Reno was q
town OF mushroom growth, and rose and fell
In the famous Culver Bubble" This town and
a tract of 1900 acres are owned by the Reno
Oil Company" Here derricks take the place
OF shade trees, and no family can be Without
at least two on the whole region proper.
Franklin is the finest place. Its streets are
broad and we'll laid out; the people are pub.
lIc-splrited, and some of the buildings, public
and private, would put much larger places to
shame. 1t Ia surrounded by very steep and
high hills. one of which, viz, the "Egbert
Hill" is famous for the number of yielding
wells on 1t.