The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-10-29
The New Era in Fuel ut Pitts.
buFgh.

From the Manufacturer Of yesterday.
During the past week the enterprise Of
bringing natural gas from the Butler
county oil fields to this city has reached
u successful issue, and before another Is
sue Of our paper in at least two mills gas
will be used for pudding and heating,
Though we have several times given facts
in connection with this enterprise II may
bo interesting 10 group them together.
The well from which this gas is taden is
on VIM. Harvey's farm, some seven miles
back from Tarentum on the Allegheny
river. II Is an interesting historical fact
that the wells from which Kier, the first
to refine petroleum, are ut Tarentum
and near the same creek, we believe,
on whose banks this gas well Is.
The we'll was bored as a test well for oil,
II being out Of the field where oil had
been found. No oil was struck, but at a
depth Of over 200 feet large vein OF
gas was struck, which came rushing out
with q vigorous roaring at a pressure OF
something over 100 pounds per square
inch. The we'll was tubed with bs'inch
pipe, and for months the gus was allowed
to escape, burning all the time and light.
ing up the country for miles. Some
months ago, however, the Natural Gas
Company, limited, was fOrmed9tO bring
the gas from the well to the city. The
company consists OF MesSrs. Graf, Ben.
nett & Co., spang, Chalfant Il Co., G. W.
Bachelor, Henry Harley, J.J. Wander.
grit and ". X. Vanlergriit.
The objective point Of the gas was the
mills Of The two first gentlemen named;
one being III and the other l04 miles
from the well. The pipe, which Is a six
inch lap.welded one, Is laid, going from
Pittsburgh towards the well from Mill
vale, along the Butler Plank Road,
through Etna borough past the m i'll Of
Spang, Chalfant 4 Co. AT this point it
leaves the road and takes "bee.line" ~
near rs possible for the well, passing up
little Pine Creek and good part Of the
way along the Old Kittanning Road. 1t
is sunk to an average depth Of three feet
and traverses a very broken country.
On Friday Of last week the gas wis let
into the pipe and in thirty.six minutes II
was ablaze in Etna, distance Of III
miles. The gas first runinto boiler AZ
inches by "a feet to free 1t as much as
possible from the salt water which always
accompanies the gas. In this boiler the
gas pressure rose rapidly to llO h., when
a stay bolt gave way and the gas was
turned of. On Monday evening last It
was turned on again. The six inch pipe
had been tapped nt EtnN with four three
inch tubes and at Millvale with one.
From all Of these the gas poured In the
greatest abundance. From three OF those
al Etna, which had been placed in row,
flames 90 10 80 feet high and 10 to 20 feet
wide belched out. II Is supposed that
either Of these three inch pipes will be
sufficient to supply an entire mill.
The result Of this TO our city can hard
ly be estimated. This enterprise success.
fully disposes Of one Of tho great objec-
tions, viz. loss of pressure urged against
the feasibility Of bringing down gas and
with the number Of wells within 80 miles
OF this city, there Is no reason why Pitts:
burgh mills should not all use gas instead
OF coal,