The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-05-02


the drive pipe. A hole was bored
through the center of the plug and
lead pipe inserted in it, and bent over
into the hogshead. Men were then
employed to dip the oil out of the hogs
head with pals and pour 1t into barrels
through the old-fashioned cider tunnels.
No one suggested that the surface water
be shut of, and in those days 1t was not
thought of. The novelty Of flowing
well drew large crowds to the spot, and
for many weeks 1t was the topic of
conversation among oil men.
The well flowed into the h0gshead
through the lead pipe without tubing
In 1t for several weeks, or until a tank
could be built. After the tank was up
one joint of two and one-half inch tub
ing was put into the drive pipe, and ex-
tended up into the derrick through the
bottom OF q common oil barrel which
was fastened there on q scaffolding.
The single joint of tubing was all that
was ever put into the we'll. Old clothes
and waste were packed around the tub
ing inside the drive pipe, and braces
put on them and against the sides of
the derrick, to prevent their being
blown out. The owner estimated the
best days production of the well at
sixty barrels or possibly seventy-fvc
barrels, though others put it as high as
100 barrels. Oil was sold from this
well, in the month of January, at $40
barrel.
After the we'll began flowing into
the barrel at the end of the tubing,
ha orl
ting in 1t, and one flow forced the head
of the barrel out. When this was be-
ing mended, it was discovered that the
bottom of the barrel was filled with
pebbles which had been thrown out to
the depth of nearly foot.
After being turned into the tank for
four or five days. the well began flow
ing with the greatest regularity. Ii
flowed four times day, and so regular
that for number of days the flows did
not vary minute. Its time of flow
ing became so well known that men
would come with their watches to time
it, and amuse themselves by regulating
the time of day by it. On the second
or third Sabbath after being turned
into the tank, it made no oil. This
was reported to Mr.. Curtis. the owner,
and also the fact that on the next Sab
bath it made no flow. On the follow
ing Monday morning. finding the same
thing had occurred, Mr.. Curtis ordered
a gauge to be taken the next Saturday
night at IL o'clock, and another on
Monday morning. This was done,
and the gauges showed that not q drop
of oil had been put in the tank. This
occurred each Sabbath for long time
causing great interest and mystery in
the minds of the people. AT that time
there was considerable discussion con-
corning the breaking of the Sabbath on
oil wells, and this well served rs
good text against Sabbath breaking.
After some study Mr.. Curtis discovered
that this eccentricity was due to n nat
ural cause. There were many pump
ing wells surrounding the Sunday well,
all of which were shut down each Sat-
urday night at midnight. The surface
water was not shut off and this flooded
the producing sand. On Monday morn
ing the pumping wells were started
again, and as soon as the water was
exhausted the Sunday well began flow
ing again with its accustomed regular
ity, only to close when Saturday night
came around.
When the oil was exhausted in the
first sand, after the well had produced
three or four months, it was drilled by
steam power through the third sand, a
depth of 500 feet. No oil was found in
either the second or third sand. and it
was abandoned. Meanwhile the price
of oil had declined from the $40 point
in January to twenty-five cents bar
rel.-OI City Derrick.