The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-05-20
QUIZ PENNsYLVANIA NEIGHBORs

ConRnnBb purpose
OUR PENNSYLVAAIA NEIGHBORS
Excited ON the OIL QusEIIOn-bOTinE Deep
wells In washington COun'y-Ihe Line
Runs Through West virginia.
Our immediate neighbors In Washing
ton county, Pa, are very much interested
in watching the active operations now be
inc made TO ascertain whether there Is IN
that part oil the county, as alleged by ex'
perls, q large oil basin. Last fall, as has
been repeatedly noticed in this paper, a
company OF Eastern capitalists, headed by
most successful oil expert, visited the
farmers of the region aud stated to them
their belief in the existence Of oil In that
mart OF the county, and after working in
conjunction with number oil agents, resi-
dents Of the townships In which they we're
seeking the privileges during the fall and
winter, succeeded in leasing in the three
Townships Of Mt. Pleasant, Cross Greek
and Hopewell from 20 900 to $4,000 acres,
and ia other townships adjoining about
a. much more, making III all ~ the county
about 90 900 acres. The conditions Of these
leases required them TO commence opera
tons in the three townships allued TO on
or before tho first day OF June, and In
the others month or two later. Last
week derrick was erected on what Is
known ~ the MCGuggn Farm, In Mt.
Pleasant township, about six miles south
of Burgettst0wn, and with an engine and
the other necessary accompanying imple'
ments, drilling was commenced the latter
part Of the week, and on Tuesday evening
depth OF over two hundred teet had
been reached A double force has been
nut on 30 that the work will be continued
day and night, until oil is struck, or the
field satisfactorily tested. Another der
rick is being erected In Gross Greek town.
ship, near Mechanic, about three miles
northwest Of the place alluded 10, and In
few days drilling will be commenced,
Next week q well will be located In Hope
well township in or near West Middle
town, and work will be commenced imme.
diately. The cost oil putting down the three
wells Is estimated at about $4,000. OF
course, the cost to the company TO test
this field will lar exceed this amount, 90
IL took large sums OF money 10 pay their
agents who worked to secure the leases.
Mr.. OroCker, who is experimenting the
putting down oil these wells, is q man past
the thVee.sCore and ten years, and has had
twenty years experience In the business
lie 10 an expert, and Ia the man who first
discovered the Bradford district, and II
was owing to his energy and ability thai
the first we'll, which was successful, waE
put down In that region. II seems that
the theory upon which he bases the pros
poets Of finding oil In Washington county
IL something Ike the following: In 1881
and 1882 he had business which calico
him up the st. Lawrence river. One day
while walking leisursly along the bank
Of the gulf, near AntiCOstA Island, he dis
covered seepiDg out through the ground 9
greasy substance, which had every ap
pearanCe Of oil. He investigated the mat
ter to satisfy his curiosity, and was re-.
warded In his search by finding sutt
Client quantity to place beyond reasona
BILE dOnbt the fact that there was some
kind Of oil coming through the earth Of
that point. was to him phenomenon
which puzzled him. Some Two years To-
ter, while on business In Northern Ala
bama, he discovered the same sort o
oily substance seeping through the grOunC
at The MuBsel Shoals, on the Cumberland
river. Meeting the same sort Of oil o.
these two distant aud opposite points, hi
was further puzzled. But In the midst o
active business he had no time 10 thinh
much OF what he had seen, and II was mol
till 1860, during the big oil excitement
that he began again 10 think Of what III
had seen near tho gulf and shoals men
toned. He became interested In the de
velOpment ot the oil fields, and In thI
COURSE Of time discovered that the oil
strata ran northeast and southwest. Act
Ing ON this he ran line OH the map iron
AniiCOsta Island to tho MuBsel Shoals, thI
two points At which, he thought, the Of
cropped out. This passed through Nc
Kean county on down through the Kan
awha oil fields. He conceived thenotiot
that there was oil In Mexican county. 4
Company was raised to make the test
Tbs Slate GeologIst, as we'll as som,
other geolORistB Of local fame, ex
anined tho territory and pronounced
II barren Of oil. Bat Mi Cfocke
had no faith In their sCienlIfI,
examinations aud insisted that they wer,
mistaken and that a large oil basin coult
there be found. He perpevefed until III
succeeded In organizing q company 10 n
and develop the territory. It was FINAL,
done with the results already 40 wal
known. Now with the name theory h,
SAYS he expects 10 find oil In Washington
county. Run, he says, straight lin
from The two points named and you vii
find that II passes through the Bsadioft
distflCt, (MCKean county,, the Clarion
the Butler and the West Virginia districts
This line passes directly through that pot
ton NJ Washington county before men
toned as being tested. Some ten Of
twelve years ago Mr.. Croskef passed
through this Washington county territory
and became impressed with the belief thai
there was oil there. Subsequent develop
mehiB along the line mentioned enCouf
aged him to organize company with
sufficient capital to make a thorough test.
These ieat wells are located on the ridge
running northeast and southwest, and are
supposed 10 be 1850 OF 800 feet above The
level oil the sea, which diatAcnB they *.
peCt 10 bore, Il necessary, beiofB they
abandon the wellA. The dtilleB are In a
soft rock now, which Cfumblbs, falls III,
ana inlerleteB Eith the working Of the
drills. When they get through this they
expect 10 be able 10 drill 100 feet on al
average each dAy,so that before the middle
Of next month, II will be pretty definitely
sotlled whether or not oil 10 likely 10 be
found there. II may seem Bltange, but Il
ls nevertheless true, that Notwithstanding
the company hag net esked dollar from
any one outside Of their own organization
TO aid In this development, and has raid
tpnii fof ali eeFVicea YRndATad bv Tho diffaP.