New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-03
THE NEW OIL DISTRICT.
LIVELY TOWN SUDDENLY CREATED.

/
AND CHARACTERISTICS - THE GREAT WELLS
| THE TRADE DEPRESSED BY THEIR DISCOVERY
| ffRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE rRIBUSE.I
| GARFIELD, Penn, July 1.-Six weeks ago this
place was unknown. because it was not in existence
and not even thought OF. Now it is tie most i'm.
portant place in the oil regions, the scene of busy
life and bustling activity, and the centre of popu
| lation of over 5000 persons, nearly all of whom
have come into this region within month. II is
situated q small plateau at an elevation Of 1000
! feet above the level, IN tho heart of noun
famous district, and is surrounded by almost inn
penetrabe forests, in which hemlock trees predom-
nate. These fore Is owned by wealthy firms en-
gagged in the lumber trade and operating large tan
neries. One of these firms which has tannery at
Sheffield turning ont 1000 sides of leather day,
owned tract OF %. 900 acres of land the most Of
which, it is said was purchased at tax sales for Is
cents an acre. Ii was only valuable because Of tho
hemlock bark for tanning leather and the logs.
which, when convenient to large stream OF water,
were sold to lumber-deaers
There were about 100, 900 acres of this land. CUB
divided into smaller tracts and owned by few
persons engaged in the lumber and tanning busi-
nesSes. The Sheffield firm employed number OF
Swedes and Danes to gather the bark and for this
purpose constructed n narrow plaEk-road some
eight miles in length over the noun ain and inso
which the city of Garfield stands The timber
was nearly all cleared away from this plateau, and
the land being of little value was soil TO some Of
the woTkingmen who settled upon it and cultivated
it. In a ravine a few rods in the rear OF Garfield
is now the famous Mystery or 646" oil well,
surrounded by the other "gushers,' from
each Of which oil is flowing
at the rate of from GOO to 1000 barrels day. As
oil speculation conducted by the bulls aud bears
a considerable margin is necessarily allowed on ths
reported production of these wells. some of which
1T is claimed produce 5000 barrels each day.
LANDS VASTLY INCREASED IN VALUE.
The land IN the vicinity of the wells, which was
bought some years ago at Is cents an acre, is
now selling for $1,000 an acre aud one-qnarter
royalty on the oil found The Danes and Swedes,
who were cultivatng some Of the land, were. Of
course, deceived by the sharp spectators and
parted with their holdings after oil was struck at
one-tenth of their present value Land which was
purchased a few weeks ago from these unsophisti-
Gated foreigners for less than 500 an acre is now
being sold at go per square foot for town lots tho
purchaser binding himself not to sink oil wells
upon it.
The scenes to be witnessed here the eager crowds
that rush to the oil field, the reckless specula-
ton in land the millions of dollars that are being
invested or squandered in the new field and tho
mushroom growth of the place, have
only been equaled by the opening
of famous gold and silver mines III the Rockies, or
he Pithoe furorof 1865 The excitement in this
case is confined almost wholly to the oil regions
and to oil dealers and speculators. and hence docs
not attract attention like the opening of silver
mine such as was found at Leadville or .Deadwood-
Although Garfield Is not yet month old aud has
assumed its title without even the dignity OF post
Office designation. it has all rhe characteristics OF
live town. There is a very fair hotel capable OF ac-
commodating 10 guests which il constantly over
crowded, persons coming In the morning and going
away at night because unable to get place to sleep
IN There is telegraph line and another build
ing telephone office furniture. hardware. gro
ceres and other stores restaurants several barber
shops and the like. The buildings are all made OF
rough pine or hemlock boards. Many
have no fronts, the occupying
them for business purposes as soon as closed
in on their sides and back The
lumber used here. with the exception of what is Gus
at a portable saw-mil erected near the OIL wells,
has to be brought over the mountains on the ono
road and of course the demand far exceeds the
supply.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW TOWN.
Numerous stakes driven into the ground bear signs
such as the following: Jones & Co will occupy
this place next week first dry-goods store"
barber shop" and under the tree are three barber
chairs with three tOnsOrial artists" they style
themselves hard at work, and several men sitting
Oh a iog awaiting the sound of next Under big
tent is beer-botting establishment, and other busi-
ness enterprises conducted Ill like manner.
When night comes on men may be seen sleeping
under wagons tents aud all places aforling shelter
Perfect order prevails, and disorderly scene Is sell
dom witnessed.
To reach here the traveller leaves the Philadelphia
and Elie division of the Pennsylvania Railroad at
Sheffield or Clarendon from each of which points
stages run. Long before those places are reached
the sight Of numerous derricks scattered over tho
fields tell of the oil country. Alghting from the
train at Sheffield the fist thing to attract attention
is hi sing sound like gas escaping Oh high press
ure, and looking up, at helghs
of about thirty feet, coming out of an inch pipe,
a sheet of flame caused by escaping gas. Sheets Ok
flame coming from like pipes can be seen at dlner-
ent points in the village At nigh, these light me
place in brilliant manner. and are put up TO serve
the purpose of pnblIc lamps, ana are allowed 10
burn night and day This gas IS broug!t TO the
village by a large pipe, leading to we'll two miles
distant This was sunk for an OIL well seven years
ago out only small quaptIty OF OH was found.
he escape OF gas was too powerful 10 a.ow OK
pumping the oil, and the prOprIet0rs conceived mo
idea of conducting the gas to Sheffield, and using s
Tor tue purposes of Illumination AMI fuel his was
done and for SIX years the houses IN Sheiield nave
been lighted by this natural g,s and il Is used
for fuel in steam-engines aud stoves, aad 70,
heating purposes generally. The dow Is
constant, and much more than can
be used that It Is allowed to burn all the time in
these large pipes stuck up lamps over the vi!-
lage. Like gas wells have been found IN othrr parts
of the oil country aud work is now going Oh 10 con.
duct the gas from one of these to the village OK
Clarendon where It Is be used in the same man
ner as at Sheffield. In the Cherry Grove distriet,
which is the name of the oil field at Garfield. the
gas from one wen is conducted ia pipes to four
other drilling wells where II Is used iOg el IN the
In al fft.n IN
which the gas is taken produces 1900 b1rrols OF OIL
a day Gas well, uear villages moro profitable