Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-03-31
ITEMS FROM oILDOM.



great curiosity to most Of the rsver-
end gentlemen, for the way they 1isit-
ed this wells, whenever they had cny
leisure moments was o caution.
Every day while the conference las
ted, . number Of the preachers came
up here, to ''view the landscape o'er,'
and learn all they could about PetrO-
leum, End one Of the Bishops truly
said, that 1t was 80 wonderful,
"(meaning the way 1t was brought
from the earth, &c well as the many
other curious things, such as the econ
omical contrivances and Inventions It
had given rise TOY" that it would take
a lonq time TO understand, even q
pery little about 1t,
The Galloway Heavy Oil District,
contains over two thousand acres, be-
ginning st Franklin, and extending
over three miles In length, aud more
than mile In breadth, and the a-
mount Of oil that has been obtained
here alone, seems almost incredible.
The village or town, is situated. about
the middle OF the district, on an emf
nence flom which 1t Is ttten called
Galloway Hill.
A new we'll here was torpedoed just
few days ago, and since the. debris
has been cleared out 1t has pumped
over 6fty barrels, and II is not. more
than ten hours yet since It began.
This kind Of oil, as stated In prev
ious letter Is always worth from $3.50
to $5 per barrel. Just now 1t 10 $3.50.
Consequently, the owner Of this well,
need have no fear OF going to the Poor
House, for some time yet, ut all events,
especially as he is the posessor Of more
than hundred others In active oper-
alton, and Is constantly putting moro
down,
After a well has been drilled here Il
it is always torpedoNd, which has the
effect OF bursting open the rock which
contains oil, or through which 1t 6ows
A torpedo is receptacle or pocket
made Of iron, aad filled with Nitro
glycerine, or sometimes dynamite Is
used; and it 10 scared over with sealing
wax. The greatest care Is necessary
In making or handling these torpedoes,
as the slightest Jar will cause them TO
explode, dealing death and destruction
to everyth ing in their vicinity. Hence
when putting one into well it 10 very
carefully done, for we're 1t to strike q.
gainst anything. It would explode. At
ter getting it down to the proper place
q very small piece Of iron, tit need not
even weigh fourth OF al ounce,) Is
dropped down after it, and the one who
docs this, generally the agent, immedi-
ately starts of on the double quick, so
as to get as far away as possible before
the expl oSion occurs. Ia q Few mo-
ments dull thud is heard, and almost
simultaneously aquIntity Of mud, dir.
ty water, oil, ETC., comes dashing up
with such force, that 1t dies sometimes
dfty or hundred feet above the top
of the derrick, and then returns to
"Mother earth again In the form Of
mist or spray. The next thing 10 tc
clean out the well, that is to remove
all the particles Of sand, rock aid mud
from the b ottom, which the explosion
Of the torpedo caused, and then It Is
ready TO begin pu mping out the grease.
To clean out wells n sand-pump "a
used, and this is lowered into the ORR
fee in the same manner as are the
tools for drilling. Anas ttaS 10. the
reason those high derrlcks are built,
on the tops Of which pnIleys are inser.
ted, and over these the rope or cable,
at one extremity OF which the tools
that are to be lowered are attached
runs, while the other end Is fastened
to, and coiled around q ponderouS
wheel, called by the not very euphon.
ious name OF "Bull-wheel, !" and rs the
wells are from one 10 two thousand
feet in depth, one can scarcely imag.
ine what q great quantity OF cable
must necessarily be coiled around 1t.
And now let us imagine we are al
ready TO seDd the sand-pump down
We start the wheel which soon begins
to revolve with frightful velocity,
causing the cable to uncoil itself very
rapidly, and making dsatening noise,
until, at last, it reaches the bottom,
and having filed itself with sand, mud,
ETC., as it descended, is ready TO begin
the ascent to terra .fr,na, again. Hence,
the wheel is started once more, but
now it goes much slower, yet col az
ter coil of the rope is again winding it.
self upon the wheel and before. very
long the pump is above gronnd, ready
to be released from the cable AID dis
possessed of its contents.
But for fear you will be offended
Mr.. Editor, and will feel like cutting
old Pete q little with your boxing
gIoves--I very reluctantly say Ga reUoir
or aroirdupois. I forget which iS th'
| more proper of th0 two.