The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-04-19

PETROLEUM. - Inc DFeYrhtAH OF
wednesday mentions that farmer has
discovered on the surface Of muddy
spriDg on HE rlsce = easy substance,
which, after bciag separated FROM the
muddy water hy flannel filter, burns
as readily O. crude petroleum.. 1t
asks Is it petroleum IL =
not unreasonable to suppose that snch
i the case There IS reason 10 believed
that the time vii. come when the
petroleum product Of Puget Sound
will transcend It's coal interests.
Petroleum was unknown - commerce
prior 10 1853. when it was first brought
into notice by an eccentric old farmer
and ex-military man residing within
what are now the incorporate limits OF
Oil City, Pa Some years ago, while
the writer was spening few days at
Oil City, a citizen related 10 him some
interesting incidents IN the history Of
the rapid development Of this great
source Of national wealth. He spoke
Of the old farmer soldier who first tap
ped this great hidden fountain Of
=
palace was built up in night. H.
had lived On the farm for years pursu-
ing the even tenor Of a farmers ways.
Not far from his house was a swamp
fed by spring from which oozed forth
On oily sort OF rusty, greasy substance.
No especial Importance was attached to
its presence there, as the same sub
stance was to be found almost any
where throughout the valley, ooZing
out upon the waters Of a creek which
drained it, and which, in consequence
had received the name Of "Oil Creek. "
Some Of the inhabitants were in the
habit of skimming up this substance
with spoons. etc and after tilteriug the
water out of it, using it for medicinal
purposes and to kindle fires with as the
Indians had done before them. The
quantity was so limited that no one
had ever dreamt of its becoming an ar.
ticle OF commerce Finally the old
Colonel, who was subject of ridicule
in that neighDorhood for his chicken
ing fancies," conceived the idea Of
boring for lie" He bored; and after
many weeks of toll and discouragcmert
the whole neighborhood was electrified
by the announcement that she had
struck lie" The laugh was on his side
then. Ills fortune was made. The
whole country was thrown into a state
of excitement over it. only eqUaled by
the gold furry in California. Well
after well was bored, fortunes were
made in day, and in the sparsely set
tied neighborho0d great city sprang
up, rs a lasting monument to the man
who first conceived the idea Of boring
for lie" Nearly all sections of cOun-
try where petroleum has been discover
cd are of coal and sand stone formation,
although all coal and sand stone bear
ing sections are not petroleum bearing.
of the country about the great coal de-
posts here suggestive Of the petroleum
regions Of Pennsylvania. That the
country is quite rs likely TO become
petroleum producing section as that
about Oil Creek was prior to 1859 can
hardly be questioned. Traces of this
substance hich has proved such great
have already been found here Not
long since man skinned up a guam
tity of oily matter from spring In
swamp just at the edge OF Lake Wash
ington, on this side, and within but
few rods of the old saloon at Flea
burg which has every appearance and
semblancc of petroleum. Several other
instances might be cited where what is
believed to be petroleum has been found
here. The first well bored on Oil Creek
was but eighty feet deep; but most of
the wells now bored in that section, we
believe, arc put down to the depth of
twelve hundred feet Many wells have
been bored for naught, being non pro
ducing. The cost of boring a well and
the appliances costs about $500. or
something near that figure. Who will
bore for lie -