West Virginia freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1881-1886, 1881-03-02


managed to move it very promptly,
delays never exceeding two or three
days, whereas, now whole months
are consumed in making a ship
ment. This evil needs remedy.
1t works a hardship on the produ-
Ger which he cannot afford to bear,
and which should not be so compla-
Gently allowed to exist, apparently
on the ground that there being but
one transportation company the oil
must go through their lines, any
way sooner or later. The coming
summer should not be frittered
away in simply making hot wealth
er shipments without any care or
preparation as to how cold weather
shipments are to be be made next
winter, for the limited production
of this winter will be followed by
prolific production next winter.
The oil regions of West Virginia
are, as yet, only partially devel-
oped, and producers are making
preparations to develope territory
on larger scale next spring and
summer than ever has been the
case heretofore. Probably the
greater portion of developments
will be confined to shallow oil, but
it is to be hoped that before the
close of the coming summer, that
the deep oil theory will be thorough
ly tested. Last summer the ques-
ton of drilling a test well 1000 feet
deep, was agitated to some extent.
The theory that at 1000 feet depth,
an oil bearing rock will be found,
was convincingly illustrated
through the able articles of "Produ-
GER" published in the Walking
Beam some months ago
At that time much inter
est was. manifested, but a
failure to secure sufficient capital
to warrant the undertaking proven
ted the demonstration of the theory
at that time. | now call the ques-
ton up again for further considera-
ton and adoption of measures for
carrying this enterprise through.
Every one in the oil region should
give it encouragement.
During the winter a number Of
new wells have been drilled in va
rious localities Of the region. ] be-
lieve the West Va. Oil and Oil Land
Cos tract takes the lead in produc-
ton of light oils, though it is said
that in the immediate vicinity of
TAFT Run the production is on the
decline. c. q H. Whitman, Cuth-
bert & Carrie, Hon. Hugh Mearns,
Pontius K Hardy, Upton, Gidley
& Wyatt, John O'Brien, and Shafer
& Jenkins are the principal produ-
GERS on this tract
Last Tuesday Mr.. VIM. Tenny
finished well for Col Vrooman,
Of Parkersburg The well is loca
ted on the Wood Co. Petroleum Cos
tract, near Boyd Run, and is 993
feet deep. Col, Armistead torpe-
doed the well Wednesday morning.
The oil show was not what is gen
orally termed good, but immediate
ly after the explosion of the torpedo
the well filled with oil to within
$50 feet of the top, demonstra-
ting the necessity Of Col. Armis-
tead's services in such cases. Twen-
ty-seven barrels of oil was the result
of the first "a hours pumping. 1t
will probably be a 10-barreler for
some time to come. This well is
about on line with the once ia
nous Shaw well, on Gales Fork.
1t is probable that developments on
this line will continue to be success
full.
C. & II. Witmann some time ago
purchased the old Shaw well and
lease and have cleaned out and tub
ed the well and are now pumping
it for light oil, but with what de-
gree of success | have not learned.
In the autumn of 1870, this well
was flowing 200 barrels of light oil
per day, buc through the misnan-
agement of the manager, it fell off
in the production to such an extent
during the ensuing year that it was
considered worthless and abandon
ed. At one time, in 1867, | think,
it was a famous heavy oil producer.
If there is any oil still remaining
in it, it will be found by it's present
owners This we'll is also located