The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-06-23
WHEELING'S WEALTH
IN THE NATURAL GAS RESERVOIR,
which LIE. Beneath H.r-U.s. to Which the Ga.
Can be Pat with PrOnt-rAs Flow at the
Central Glass n Orps Well UndlnInIAhsd.
Tho Drilling to be Resumed To Day

The fow OF gas at the well Of the Central
Glass Works Company was undiminishsd
yesterday, and some Of those who visited the
we'll, and who had been there the day before,
thought the force was increased. As the gas
was not burning, however, 1t was difficult to
Judge Of the relative volume as compared
with that flowing on the previous day. The
blaze was extinguished yesterday morning
BY throwing heavy wet rag over the end OF
the tube. The pipe was then removed from
the opening Of the we'll, with the intention
Of continuing the drilling, but the flow OF
ras was so great that the workmen could not
stand over The well without danger OF
A phyxiation. A hole was therefore broken
in the iron casing o few feet below
the top Of the well, to allow the gas 10 escape
there and the mout OF the well was tightly
plugged up with wooden stopper, which
was weighted down with the long iron drill
| ing tool. The gas made roar like letting
Cd steam as 1t escaped from the opening In
the side OF the casing
A two inch pipe was inserted OF the side
vent, and the gas conducted 70 the creek
bank. A small steam pipe connected with
the supply pipe OF the engine was inserted In
this some distance from It's mouth, to create
a stronger current than the pressure OF the
gas would afford, and the gas lighted at the
month OF the pipe. The well was visited
last night by hundreds OF people, and the
hank above was lined with men, women and
children all evening.
VALUE OF THE GAS.
The progress OF this well has beer
watched with the liyeliest interest
by the manufacturers, especially the
iron men. They can appreciate the worth o.
the discovery that Wheeling Is located ovel
the MYSTERIOUS reservoir OF natural gas. Should
II be secured here In such quantities as a
Wsllsburg, the future OF this city as manu-
| featuring point Is secure. The saying OF ex
pense for fuel In the iron mills and glas.
houses Is weighty consideration; and thert
can be little doubt that the gas would have
or, alter value as fuel than coal aud coke
The eyenness aud reliability with which the
heat in furnace can pe regulated would en-
able manufacturers to turn out BETTE
quality OF iron aAd nails. Many experienced
iron MEN express theopinion that the gas car
be employed in blast furnaces, giving an In
| tense and even heat, and making iron OF a
good quality IS can be made with charcoal
Already the project OF sinking we'll on the
creek b .ttom In East Wheeling and sup
DIV ng the planning mills, foundries, machine
shops and other small manufacturing estab'
lishm.nts there with gas for fuel has beer
broached.' The income 10 the company sink
ing the well would be considerable, aud thu
saving to the consumers enormous. PRIVATE
houses could also be furnished with the ga.
for heating and lightning purposes at cos
much below that OF coal, and yet at good
profit TO the owners OF well.
II would also be feasible for the city u
sink a well and furnish the gas At nominal
cost to citizens Having the exclusive right
OF way through the streets for its pipes, and
complete system OF mains and pipes, II
would Be able to dispense with the gas works
and the expensive process OF manufacturing
gas. Otherwise 1t is predicted that natural
gas will become so common that the city can
not compete with 1t.
OTHER WILLS.
In addition TO the wells already mentioned
as having been contracted for, the Ben wood
Iron Works has made q contract with the
firm which Is sinking the oil well at Grave
sunk on their premises. The Moundsville
well, by the way, as Is slated in the Items
from that place In this mornings paper. is to
be lined with iron pipe so as TO shut OF the
flow OF gas, and boring continued In the nope
OF striking oil. Many men here believe that
oil would be found by shutting off the gas
and going deep enough.
The Martins Ferry gas well is not going
down as fast az could be hoped for. The
contractors have had exceedingly bad luck
10 the way OF getting tools and reamers fast.
They are nearly 40j feet deep now not hav.
ing gone down any for about ten days, but
are working hard night and day to get the
work in shape to 60 ahead. They have just
purchased two new rores OF ! 500 feet each al
ecostof about $500. They ara bothered very
much with the salt water, but With all the
drawbacks they seem to think that gas ID
near at hand, especially since Wheeling has
struck such nice flow OF gas, and II success.
full there two other wells will be started al
once.