The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-13
PETROLEUM GAS FOR FUEL.
The Observations of a Wheeling Man
Away From tHome--A Suggestion
in Regard 10 the Top Mill.
WHEELING, Nov. IL, 1874.

WHEELING, Nov. IL, 1874.
Editors OF tho IntellIgencer:
The Scientific american Of the 7th inst,
in On article headed Natural Gas Tor
Fuel" cites its readers 10 the well known
firm OF Rogers Il Burchfield, makers Ct
sheet iron at Leechburg, Pa, who are
producing weekly 70 tons Of their goods
by using the gas Of an abandoned oil
well 1850 feet deep, situated about 1000
feet from the works, from which the gas
is conveyed by three inch pipe. Their
production oil sheet iron has increased
about 80 per cent since they began to use
the gas, and the iron made commands
i:om $40 10 $40 per ton more than the
same class OF iron where coal is used.
This is truly wonderful, but stranger still
is the fact that not fifty miles from
this city natural gas is not only used Tor
generating steam but also for domestic
purposes. A few days ago ! had occa-
sion 10 visit the town OF East Liverpool,
Ohio, situated on the line OF the @. S P.
K r, midway between this city and
Pittsburgh. While there l observed on
our West Virginia side, Immediately op-
posile, that gas was burning from two or
lnree posts within the extensive en-
closure attached TO the residence of r. r
Gardner, ESQ whose kind invitation to
Examine the same ! cheerfully accepted.
Mr.. Gardeners residence ia provided from
cellar to garrett with this natural gas. It
Is conveyed 10 the house by an inch pipe
from well on his own premises, about
900 yards distant. II Is then distributed
to every room in the house By means OF
pipe running across the Fireplace and
representing great bar, II you please,
perforated with ! inch orifices, about one
inch apart, 10 which Is attached stop.
cocks by which TO let on or of the flow
OF pleasure, thereby securing more
uniform heat than by the ordinary pro-
cess OF coal burning, and at the same
time producing light enough Tor all prac.
tical purposes. The gas is permitted TO
burn constantly, and when asked why it
was not turned of he remarked that ii
was as cheap as daylight. To me this
was remarkable spectacle, the
substitution Of natural gas for coal and
wood, thereby dispensing with the CRATE
and all its appendages, including the dust
ing rag. No smoke or dust Is visible. OF
course the ladies can at appreciate this,
as keeping up fires by the ordinary pro-
cess constitutes no uncomfortable part of
house keeping, Mr.. Gardner informs me
that quite number OF families in the
lower section OF town have used gas for
the past fifteen years, 10 the entire exclu-
sion Of coal or wood. He also tells me
that at the salt well, which has been in
operation for ten years, they run the salt.
water from the same well into pans and
then lightthe gas and "let her bile" pay
ing no further attention to it until it is
ready 10 barrel and haul away. This
msy all sound like "gas" to some people,
but 1t Is fact nevertheless. The well from
which Mr. Gardner obtains his supply
was sunk twelve years ago on Bsbb's Is
land, and was leased for the last few wears
TO j. Thompson Il Co, of East LIVERPOOL,
manufacturers Of yellow ware, Thev
p1curtd q supply Of gas TIL o lgh ont
inch pipe laid across on the bed OF the
river, sufficient tolrun their engine, sin.
kiln, and dye rooms. Last winter they
experienced serious Inconvenience on &C
count Of ice breaking the pipe, and were
compelled to abandon it. They have since
obtained gas on their own premises. The
Laughlin Bros. have erected q very large
establishment Immediately above the one
referred 10, and are now engaged in the
manufacture Of white ware. They put
down a well last February on their own
premises, 5 inch diameter, 10 the dep,h of
535 feet. The first show OF gas Ia light one,
was In sandstone at 1903 feet. The princI.
pal vein was struck at 4s7 feet, one foot
in very hard, fine sand.rock, and smaller
vein, after going through the above rock
at 5l6 feet, which Is the greatest depth Of
any gas well in the locality. From this
well they derive gas enough 10 success
fully run and light up their immense es-
tablishment
Ny object in penning this brief article
Is for the purpose Of calling public atten-