Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1884-11-22
MAMMOTH OIL WELLS.

The Great Gushers with a Record of Six
Thousand Barrels Day.
The two greatest oil wells ever struck
in the world are still spouting oceans of
Petroleum within thirty miles of this
city. Railroad trains for Butler County
are thronged daily with visitors TO the
field. 1t is est mated that in the one
week past no less than $1,000 people
have beento see these Baldridge gushers.
Since the Christie well was brought in
this week, with its first days production
OF $500 barrels, and since the Phillips
well was completed last week, with an
increasing capacity of $500 barrels per
day, interesting comparisons have been
in order with other great wells of past
years. The Christie wells production of
nearly 5000 barrels in twenty four hours
gives her the first place in the history of
petroleum as the biggest wonder of the
oil trade. Her rival, the Phillips well,
with its 4,500 barrels every twenty four
hours, ranks next. Some history about
other big gushers will be interesting at
this time.
SOME BIG WELLS.
After the discovery of petroleum and
the boring of the first oil wells in Penn
sylvania, in 1856, the first large strike to
attract wide spread attention was the
Hamilton Mc(lintock well, TWO miles
north Of Oil City. In January 1860, it
started off at The rate of sixty gallons a
minute. or 2,160 barrels per every twenty
four hours. The people were astounded
by such a tremendous flow and so great
was the volume of greasy stuff that they
could not get sufficient storage for it and
much of it went to waste. This shame
full waste is well illustrated in the case of
the Cornplanter Oil Company's well on
the C!app farm, in Venango county, one
year later. 1t was by no means a large
well, but 100 barrels were filled in the
first sixteen hours and the waste filled a
pond twenty FIVE square rods in extent.
But it was in September of 1861 that
the most intense excitement was created
all over the country by immense wells.
Oil Creek developments III Venango
County had progressed as far as the Tarr
farm, without doubt the most prolific
piece of territory ever discovered. All at
once the Dom Pedro or Phillips well.
No. =, strLck oil at the depth of 600 #.
A perfect geyser spouted forth. In the
first twenty four hours she vomited four
thousand barrels and kept that rate up
for quite long period. The excite.nent
knew no bounds. Thousands of specula-
tors who had at first held aloof now
rushed i'll on the infant petroleum indus
try. A few days later this excitement
was greatly augmented by another huge
strike.
In close proximity to the Phillips well
the Empire well was finished, with a
daily production Of $500 barrels. An
extract from a newspaper published in
the oil regions in 1861 reads $50 much
oil is now produced it is impossible to
care for it, and thousands of barrels are
running into Oil Creek. The surface of
the Allegheny River is covered with oil
for miles below Franklin. Some wells
ale being plugged to save production.
Fears are being entertained that tie
suppy Will coon be exhausted If some
thing is not done 10 prevent the waste.
Our waterways and farms are saturated
so deep With the surplus o; this danger
GUS fluid that vast fires are also to be
feared"
GREAT FORTUNES IN OIL.
In January OF 1868 the Noble and
Delamater well On the Farrell farm, on
Oil Creek, started off at the rate of 3 600
barrels. As result the Caldwell well,
near it, decreased one-nalf i'm production
The Delamaters bought and plugged it
so that their wells flow would not be
interfered with, paying $175,OOO for it.
Up to August Sd, they had sold from
their great gusher 11S 900 barrels of oil
for 1854 900, and the market rate was
still So 80 per barrel. In August of the
same year the Maple Shade well was
started at 1000 barrels day. In March
of the following year it was burned, with
5000 barrels of oil. In February, 1864.
the Noble and Delamater well, above
alluded to, was sold for $220,O0O. Up to
that time it had produced 303,473 barrels
u hiph at 81 50 ner harre1-laSS tbon th a