The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-04-04
THE DAILY BULLETIN
I'LL AND GAS.
I'll Wells in Pennsylvania Gas as Fuel
TO Generate steam-A Hundred
Derricks in Sight

boiilOhn III DlSut
Did YOU ever see the oil rigs at
work! Let US visit them. The tail der.
rick, about sixty feet in height catches
Jour eye long before YOU are near the
well. Next the walking-besm, moving
slow or fast, generally with a melan.
choly squeak, attracts your attention
Some OF the rigs are pumping away at
o lively rate, with sort of youthful,
careless disregard OF appearance, send
ing forth merry sound Others per-
form their duties slowly, solemnly, ST.
lently, as though they were ashamed Of
the degradation Of pumping oil thrt Is
worth only dollar a barrel.
Here is a boiler house, and here is the
engine which furnishes power to several
wells. 1t is in charge Of a young man
with pipe He seems to lead an easy,
though somewhat lonely, life. 1t costs
no labor to keep up the fires, for natur-
al gas is conducted by means of pipes
under the boiler, and the operator has
only TO regulate its flow. The room Of
the engineer is cozy and comfortable
winter retreat both snug and warm.
The derricks are everywhere. In the
woods, in the open fields, on the hill
tops and in the valleys. There are 100
in sight from this hillside. When you
consider that each well in running order
costs from 81 900 TO $4,000, and that
about as many dry holes as produce
ing wells are bored in q given territory,
you begin TO have faint idea that II
takes capital to run the business. | be-
lieve that the average cost of boring
and starting we'll is about $4,000. Oh
is found at depths varying from 800 to
to 1900 feet. Some wells start with
production of a few barrels per day and
continue thus for years. Others,
KNOWN As "GUsHERs,
start with squirt l.000 or 1000 barrels,
and flow only during the first day. At
ter flowing ceases, pumping is begun.
One we'll yields largely for time and
then stops altogether; another, though
1t may have been gusher at first, be-
comes valuable producer and holds
out for years. Some Of the oldest
wells In this territory are still produc.
Ing.
Gas is struck quite as often as oil and
the volume yielded is enormous. There
was well at St. Joe, Butler County, q
few years ago. which was wonder
even to oil men. When the gas began
issuing from the earth 1t made such
ripping and tearing among things in Its
vicinity that people were glad to get at
a safe distance. Dirt and mud, sticks
and stones were thrown high into the
air After its first angry symptoms had
subsidized the gas was lighted, and it fur
nished heat and illumination for all the
country round. The snow melted away
from several acres of ground and calves
and sheep fattened on the grass which
sprang up; crickets and grasshoppers
and little birds fingered lovingly around
that well, singing its praises all the
winter long. remember reading about
1t at the time and thinking the whole
story lie-but 1t wasn't,
1t is fine TO see the oil wells at night.
All around are the blazing jets of gas,
some big and some little. Five miles
from the wells you can see the lurid
illumination of the gas reelected upon
the clouds.
Pipes carrying oil run from the wells
through the country in all directions
They extend to Pittsburg, to Cleveland
and to New York. At the pump sta
tons are engines which send the fluid
through the land. Huge iron tanks will
be noticed at intervals all through the
oil country. These tanks generally
have capacity Of 10000 barrels each.
The oil is stored in them until II is re-
quired for shipment. One of the tanks,
situated opposite Parker,
WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
In 1879 and the contents took fire. The
flames were communicated to two other
tanks near by, the oil boiled up and
overlooked and the burning liquid
rushed down the bank into the Alleghe-
ny River, The petroleum continued to
burn for nearly two days, and during
this time the entire surface of the river,
for over half a mile Of its course, was q
sheet of flames, affording one of the
grandest sights ever witnessed.
The price Of crude petroleum varies
ETcdty' W HcH lle Helus III tUe NlClnlly
Of Parker began to be developed, $3.50
was the figure, and fortunes were made
very rapidly. Over production caused
speedy decline; but in 1874 the price
rose to 81 and so continued for some
time. During the past year the price
has been below fifty cents The tluctu'
atoms are often most damaging In
their effects upon the spectators in
margins.
The farmers who owned tho land or
which the oil developments were made
should have received most benefit
Many of them did become rich so quick
ly that 1t turned their heads and they
lost their fortunes as soon as they haC
them. Others were cheated out of al
income by swindling spectators.
few managed wisely and reaped sub
stautlal rewards. The Robinson farm
near Parker, is said to have produced
about $2,000,000 worth Of oil from 1861
to the present time, and $50, 900 to $40,
900 per month was the income Of ii
owner for considerable period, he re
ceiving one-eighth OF the value of til,
oil produced. The farm contains | ,l0t
acres. Tho McClymonds farm, OF
which Harms City is built, contains 20l
acres, and Is said to have produced
100000 worth Of oil in ten years.