Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-12-14
UTILIZING GAS WELLS.


The steady decline IN the yield OF PEE
troleum in the Pennsylvania oil re-
gions is causing capitalists to turn
their attentio4 to the greater utiliza-
ton Of the natural gas, which is
peculiar feature of the region. The
drilling Of oil wells is always attended,
| by the appearance of infammable gas
in larger or in smaller quantities; but
| its presence Is not a necessary attend
ant of the finding Of oil. Many years
ago natural gas was discovered in
-Fredonia, Chautauqua county, N. Y,
| and it has been in constant use, both
for fuel and light, at East Liverpool,
Ohio, for twenty years, and no petro-
leum is found in either place. The
presence of this gas in the oil regions
has been one of the main causes of
the development of the territory to so
great an extent that the exhaustion Of
the petroleum deposit has been accom-
| plished years before it otherwise would
have been, for its adaptability and
economy as fuel has permitted opera
| tions to be Carried on where other wise
they must have been attended with
loss to the producers. 1t takes from
three to twenty-five days to drill a
well, and companies controlling the
supply Of gas furnish fuel for the boil
ers at an average cost of slips per day
per well. To buy coal or wood for this
| purpose would cost several times as
much.
Bradford and nearly all of the oil
region towns are lighted and heated by
the natural gas. The " gaS>streaks," "
as those districts are called where the
gas is found without oil, are very ex-
tensive in this field, and they were
secured by companies years ago. These
companies the Keystone gas company
and the Bradford gaslight and heating
company furnish nearly all the gas
supply. They are chartered by the
State. The latter company supplies
this city with light and heat.
Its >principal "streaks" are the
Rixford and the West Branch. The
former is seven miles southeast Of this
city, and the latter lies two miles to
| the southwest. Six wells take the sup
ply from these streaks, three on each.
The Rixford gas is collected in inn
mense iron reservoirs at the wells,
whence it is forced to Bradford through
iron pipes.
The natural gas is found in the
largest quantity and greatest force in
the third oil sand, and seldom deeper
than fifteen feet in the sand. 1t is
present, however, in all three of the
sands in some wells. The wells are
drilled Just as oil wells are, and gas
territory ranges from $3.50 to $500 an
acre. 1t is destined to be worth much
more when the finding Of gas may be
calculated on with certainty. In the
Bradford field gas has been found at
no greater depth than 2,200 feet. 1t is
used just as it issues from the depths
Of the wells, no refining being neces-
sary. The gas of some districts is bet
ter and cleaner than that of others,
the Bradford article being especially
excellent in quality. There is no odor
from it in burning, but before it is
consumed it has the same as
petroleum In carrying it through
the towns and into buildings the same
system is employed as in conducting
artificial gas, and for Illuminating pur-
poses it is burned in the ordinary gas
fixtures. In many parts of the oil re-
gions the pipes are laid on the surface
of the ground, but in the larger towns
and cities they are buried. For heat
ing purposes a pipe is conducted from
the main into the stove or range. The
end of the pipe in the stove is perfor-
ated to give spreading flame. A stop
cock on the outside Of the stove regu-
lates the supply. The fire is kndled
simply by turning on the gas and
throwing a lighted match in the stove
| In CRATES the effect of coal fire is OBJ
tanned by replacing of pieces of earth
enware inside. These become red-hot,
and glow with the true anthracite
cheerfulness.
For Illuminating purposes uniform
charge Of fifty cents a month is made
to the consumer. Where twelve burn
ers are in use discount Of twenty
per cent. is made. To large consumers,
such as hotels, stores, etc, further
discount from the twelve-burner rate
is given. An ordinary family or cook
stove pays 81 a month for fuel, while
ranges aud large heaters cost So a
month. In the early days Of gas burn
ing in the region an ordinary stove
consumed about 500 cubic feet an
hour. The subject has been given
much scientific study, however, and a
regulator devised by which the amount
consumed is much reduced without
affecting the heating power of the
fuel. The gas is not measured. 1t
is matter Of much surprise to
the stranger visiting this re-
gion to see the gas in build
ings and on the streets burning
all day as well as during the night.
| No one takes the trouble to turn off