The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-07-18
THE DEEP HOLES,
FROM WHICH GAS AND OIL ISSUE,
That are In This -DbItrus.Isns sun in
the CsatrsI Tsll-CSnp plaist from W,lIIhurE.
Work Rssunsd In the Deepest Well
In the world and OIL Foaad.

1t was reported in yesterday mornings
paper that the distractions had been re-
moved from the gas well at the Central
Glass Works the night before and that
once more everything was lovely; that the
drills were boring away and that big flow
Of gas could be looked for in few days.
Such, it was supposed, was the cnse until
yesterday afternoon when the drill was
removed for the purpose Of pumping and
it was discovered that there was still some
thing down there. All Of the old pump has
been removed, but it Is supposed that the
points Of three steel instruments that were
used in attempting to remove the ropes
and pumps, and which broke off while
being used, are now being pounded by the
drill. It will take considerable time to
dispose Of these. The well Is now about
SIS feet deep. The gas escaping from it
was lighted for q short time yesterday. It
made blaze about three feet high.
IT SMELLS THErRHEADs.
Secretary Reeves, Of the State Board Of
Health, informed an IsTELLIoESCEa man
yesterday, that several Wellsburg people
had petiLioned the Local or Brooke county
board Of health to grant them some relief
from the escaping gas in the town. That
at nights 1t escaped from the pipes and
from under the boilers where ii ID used and
SO filed the air that in the morning those
living near by woke with headaches and q
feeling Of drowsiness. Wellsburg Is an
anti-license town.
THE BIG BUCHANAN WELL.
The deepest well ever bored is the one
in Washington county, Pennsylvania,
known as the Buchanan farm we'll. It Is
near the famous McGuigan gas we'll, and
was being bored for oil. Il will be re-
membered that while the operations were
going on at the well in March, the cable,
between 1000 and 5000 feet in length, and
weighing several tons, parted several hun
dred feet from the top, and that all efforts
TO catch hold OF it and draw it out with the
great iron shalt or drill at its lower end,
failed. The workmen were then discharged,
and the public supposed the well aban-
doned, but Superintendent Crocker had no
thought OF quitting the work.
Additional tools were procured, and on
the llth inst. work was resumed. The
well, which is dry, was filed with water,
to assist in floating the cable, proper in
strument was inserted, the rope was
caught and lifted out. II was supposed
that after getting the rope stretched q
sucker rod" would have to be sent down
to loosen it from the drill at the bottom, as
that foot o0d Nnult pnt ha EFtaJ .,;th |
the weakened rope. Fortunately the rope
cut itsalt off where it was stretched to the
shaft, and thus saved great deal Of
trouble. The next thing to do was to re-
move the water from the well and pump.
ing" was resorted to, when nearly barrel
OF very dne crude oil was Obtained.
The we'll is cased to the depth OF twelve
or fourteen hundred feet and ia dry.
When the water Is removed, which will be
done in day or two, a spear" will be sent
down after the drill and no difficulty is |
anticipated in bringing it to the surface.
When this is accomplished the work Of
deepening the we'll will be recommended,
The machinery on the ground will enable
them to go tve hundred feet deeper, and
by increasing its power they could 20 to
the depth Of seven thousand feet, but it Is
hopd to reach oil, in paying quantities, at
a small additional depth.
The well has been sunk under difticul.
ties not encountered IN Tertiary where the
oil husiness has been developed. There |
every tool or instrument needed in prose-
cutting the work can be obtained in the |
immediate vicinity, while here everything
has to be sent for hundreds Of miles at an |
additional expense OF time and money.