West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-03-30
VOLCANO, March 26, 1881.

ED. l. KEENAN, lc MAI hcC III
West Virginia crude oil continues
dull and dilapidated, S1.1O per bar
rel being offered but with no takers.
1t seems the producers have no Gil
for sale at such figures, especially in
the face of the fact that stocks are
exhausted, and the production (in-
Guiding all grades) amounting to
only about 400 barrels per day.
It has often been asserted that
Parkersburg dealers are compelled
to have the product Of this region,
and that if they cannot get it at
their own price they will take it at
the producers price. Now is the
time to test the truth of the asser-
ton. Let the producers fix the
price, and if the dealers must have
it, they will readily accede to the
terms.
Official reports concerning the
oil trade in Pennsylvania are not
unfavorable for better things in the
near future. For February the fall
ing off in the production Of the TO-,
600 wells in the Bradford oil regions
was 10000 barrels. Stocks in Eu-
, rope are reported to be light
and the search for new territory has
not met with any success. There
is an accumulated stock of 100000
600 of barrels of crude on hand in
the Pennsylvania oil regions, but
this vast amount only represents a
years supply, and can hardly act as
"bear" in the market in the face
of a rapidly-declining production,
which already exerts sufficient in
fuence to hold the market in a
buoyant condition, in spite of the
manipulations of the Standard.
Since there seems to be determi-
nation on the part of the producers
of this region, to hold their oil for a
$1.5Oor $500 market, contemplated
operations will probably be carried
forward However, to drill new
wells and pump the reservoirs dry
with the idea in view of overcom-
ing the effects of low prices by a
large production, is utter folly. 1t
is more profitable to sell 100 barrels
of oil at $500 per barrel than it is
to sell 200 barrels at $1.00p per barrel.
1t may be said that any fool knows
as much, but if they do they do not
profit by their knowledge. For
years past, Pennsylvania and West
Virginia producers have persisted
in robbing their State and them
selves of wealth by the very process
of selling a double quantity foc the
same amount of money that half the
quantity would have brought them
had they practiced common sense
in the matter of their production
and the disposal Of it.
Mr.. Henry Caskins, on his way
home last Monday evening, after
dark, walking along the Twin Lick
Railroad switch, proceeded to 6
point beyond the place where he
usually stepped off the track, with
out realizing the fact that he hac
done so, and that he was upon 6
short trestle five or six feet from the
ground. Supposing that he was al
the right place to leave the track
he stepped off and came down tc
terra TRINA, breaking his right hil
and sustaining other severe inju
ries, which, under the most favora
BILE circumstances, will confne hin
to bed for the next three months
Mr.. Caskins has the warmest sym
pathy of this entire community il
this, his sad misfortune.
Mr. VIM. O'Brien has been con
fined to his bed for several days
from a seve:e attack Of bronchitis
The funeral services of Mrs
Wilson, wife of Mr.. John Wilson
were held at the residence of Mr.
Wilson, on Saturday morning, 1911
inst, by Rev. S. D. Tompkins. Mrs
Wilson died on the evening of tn,
18th, after brief illness, and wa
buried at Pleasant Hill.
Rev. J. J. Fullerton, DID,, anc
family are visiting friends in Volca
no. Rev. Fullerton was formerl,
Pastor of Volcano M. E. Church
going from this place to Mounds
vile, his present station, about two
n. IL r L