The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1881-07-28
STRIKING OIL IN A GARDEN
A Lucky blacksmith strikes it Rici


TLTUsvILLE, PA, July %.
month or so ego Sebastian Haehu, a
blacksmith living in Mechanic street
Titusville, Penn, was spading in his
garden after heavy rain. As he
tarned up the earth he noticed that
little pools of crude petroleum form
ed 10 the cavities made by the spade
He dug a pit four feet deep. 1t fill,
ed up with oil to such al extent that
be dipped out five barrels full. The
oil was of excellent quality, and
Hsehn sold his five barrels to the
Octave Oil Refinery. Week before
last Haehn dug another well in his
garden. 1t responded with yield
of two barrels an hour. The well
attracted great attention. II pro-
duced eighty barrels, and then
ceased to flow. The excitement
over the novel oil territory died out
soon afterward. On Monday last
the news spread through the city
that Haehn had opened another well
10 his garden, and that it was yield
ing at the rate of thirty~six barrels
day. Hundreds Aocked to the
scene of the new oil operations, =
The well was located in the south>
west corner of Haehn's potato patch.
With large tin hand pump the
owner was taking out of the hole two
barrels of oil an hour. His previous
we'll had also started again From
that one of Haehn's sons was taking
at the rate of twenty barrels a day.
Immediately following this strike
of the lucky blacksmith great de-
mand for leases of adjoining gardens
arose. Such an oil field had never
been heard of before. Without cap
ital, and with no tools but shovel,
an operator could sink we'll and
strike the sand in half an hour. -
The right to dig on four feet of a
mans garden became worth So boz
nus and oue quarter of the oil. For
three days Mechanic and adjacent
streets have been tbronged with ex>
cited spectators Of the new opera
ton, in oil production, and parties
Snxious to get "a piece of the terri>
tory" On Tuesday night Theodore
Avery, who has a coal yard adjoin-
Jog Haehn's garden, put down
we'll. At the depth of four feet he
struck oil. The yield was barrel
An hour. de has put down four
more wells siuce. The five wells
were yesterday yielding eight bar"
rels an hour.
The success Of the Haebn and
Avery ventures led to wide extern
sion of this strange territory Ava
cant lot on Washington street, south
east from Haehn's was yesterday the
scene Of active operations. Three
producing wells were put down
The rest were 'dusters,' Captain
Pickering went to 'wiIdcating' un-
Ter a shed near the Buffalo, Pitts
ourg and Warren Railroad track,
,oath of Haehn's. He dug to a
lepth of eight feet, and got we'll
rood for ten barrels a day. Two
wells we're put down on the ground
If the Octava refinery. AT FIVE feet
iii was found. One Of the wells is
twenty five barrels day.
The McKeown Garden, east Of the
.efnery, was leased by j. P. Thorn,
rs, VIM. Mckenzie, and j. NJ. Brin,
on. Thomas took the northern halt
# the garden. He got two five
,arrel wells of excellent green oil.
The other parties struck oil, but it
vas Of red hue, and had the ap
of being mixed with tar.
n the gardens along the east side of
Washington street several wells
came 10 as good producers, but the
Ill was Of poor quality. All the
along Oil Creek, between
w ashiugton and Franklin streets,
1as been leased by A. J. Krafiert.
he will develop it on large scale.
The original Haehn territory main
tains it's yield, and is being further
developed. Haehn has made a
trench all around his garden and one
the centre. lotto these the
oil collects rapidly. The operator is
putting up tanks to receive his oil,
as there is great scarcity in bar.
rels day. He expects to increase
i, to 200. The oil is worth at the
refneries Silica barrel. The price
of one barrel defrsys all the expense
of putting down we'll. Operations
are carried on day and night. That
part of the city is lighted up all
night by the flaming torches of the
oil men. The weird scene is wit
nessed nightly by hundreds of peo
pie. There are no indications Of
any decIiue 10 the yield of this oil,
and Haehn, the lucky diacoverer of
he field, is laying away not less
han 500 day as clear profit.
Honored and Blest.