The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-08-13
A Big Oil Well-Twenty-flYe Hundred
Barrels Day.

On the 23d of March, 1873, the famous
Troutmau Well was struck on the western
extremity of the Modoc belt. IL com
menced spOuting at the rate of l,OOO bar
rels per day, anG has since produced lOO,-
900 barrels of oil. To-day this well yields
to its owners forty barrels per day.
Eighteen wells have been sunk on the
Troutman farm, which in all have yielded
about 100000 barrels up to date. In fact,
the Troutman farm has proved to be one
of the most profitable in Butler county
Test wells have been sunk east oft, north,
south and west of it, clearly defining what
is known as the MOdoc belt. This belt
crosses the main northeast and southwest
belt almost at right angles, and the circum-
scribed space where the belts cross or
overlap each other is called the Fourth
Sand Territory. 1t was known that this
MOdOc belt ext ,ndcd east as far as
Armstrong run, but the test wells put
down there gu>hed out for a few days at
the rate of ] 900 or 1000 barrels, and then
suddenly dwindled down to dimHnitiye
proportions. This eastern projection was
therefore temporarily abandoned, and lew
(if AMY operators imagined tnat IL WOULD
be worth drilling. The Butler county oil
basin was Just beginning to show signs OF
exhaustion. and the area of all the prolific
territory in the vicinity was pretty well de-
fined, when few spectators ventured to
run line of wells due east from Central
Point. near Peti Ola. 1t was simply
wildcat venture, and the owners OF the
wells had little expectation of making any
LARGE strike. The Parker well was one Of
these. and it is now q matter of little con-
sequence whether it is producing one
thousand, fifteen hundred or twenty-five
hundred barrels per day; the result Will
be Just the same, as it proves beyond
doubt that we have just entered upon the
eastern horn of the Modoc belt dilemma.
In showing up truthfully the exact situa-
tion the case will not be altered. as the en-
tire trade have already discounted the well
and its probable consequences upon the
future condition of the market.
The road leading to the Parker well
from Petrolia is in moderately good con-
ditiOn. and soon after leaving Central
Point the traveller observes the words mo
smoking permitted here" in conspicuous
places. After about two and half miles
ride the top of hill is reached, where a
loud. roaring noise is distinctly heard, and
eighty rods further on brings us in sight
of the well. A dense fog of mist envel-
opes the derrick, enoine-hOuse, and tanks,
while fully one thousand persons are there
Gazing on the wonder of armstrong cOun-
Nv
npou il i'm large letters, ''Boss Well"
and s'Creswell City," There are two
25O-barrel tanks, full of oil also two 200
barrel tanks, one of which is full. Three
dams, one below the other, catch the drip
pinos, and rivulet beyond, we are told,
for ten miles of circuitOus route TO the
Allegheny River, is covered with Oil.
There are two pinch pipes connected with
the well, one of which is shut completely
off. and out of the other flows steady
stream of oil with immense force. There
is no perceptible intermisslon IN the now,
and as it gushcs into one OF the l,2OO-Dar-
rel tanks, the foam and spray envelOp the
whole surrounding atmosphere In dense
mist.
A reliable gauger informed us that he
had gauged the well three times since the
stream was turned into the l.2O0-barrel
tank, and he found her doing $50, barrels
and estimated Ihe leakage to be at least
fifty barrels per day. He further stated
that in his opinion the well started OIL out
of the two 2-inch pipes at the rate OF 2 600
barrels Der day. He also claimed that al
| thouoh this was almost incredible, he be-
| Iieved that if the full steam was turned on
now she would do at least 200 barrels.
The well is only one bit in the sand, and
| it is claimed to be the largest ever struck
/ in the lower region. n ldrI1eT Ndlheu up
to us and offered to sell his adjoining farm
of 100 acres for 100000, which ten days
ago, for farming purposes, would not have
brought 81 600.
The surveyors are laying out Creswell
City.
The Parker well stands TWO and one
eighth miles due east of the most eastern
well on the fourth sand development, and
about two and three-quarter miles east oil
Petrolia. The number Of wells drilling
on this belt east of the most easteriy well
on the McGarvy farm is six, namely two
on the Snow farm. one on the Steel farm,
the Gushford well, 1.tO0 feet deep; the
Crawford well, 800 feet deep, and the Prem
tice well, 1.450 feet deep. The latter IS
half mile due west of the Parker well.
The entire territory, with the exception
of one farm, is in the hands Of a few men,
namely: Jennings Hoover, IL. l.. Iaylcr .2:S
& Co.. Prentice, Commings 81 Go: IheT
claims cover an area one mile in width ana l,,
six miles long TO the river.-11t''sv'''s
PENN Herald.