Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-07-08
OYER TINE DERRICK.
The Belmont OH and Gas Company
Strike 1t Rich.
A Heavy Flow Of Natural Gas at
BetheI.--The Pressure Thirty Pounds
to the Square lnch---Much Excite
ment in the Glass City.

About eight o'clock yesterday morning
our neighboring town of Bellaire was thrown
into q state of wild commotion BY the re-
ceipt of telegram from Bethel, where the
Belmont Oil and Gas Company has for
some time past been prospecting for natural
gas, stating that tremendous fow Of gas
had been struck the night before. The tele-
gram was addressed to Mr.. ]. A. Steele, the
contractor who is putting down the well,
and was signed by S. NJ. Williams. A rush
was at once made for the B z. & c. depot,
and when the nine o'clock tram pulled out
it had on board quite a number of gentle.
men interested in the company beside q
crowd of anxious spectators Some feel
ing that time might be saved by taking the
county road,
SET OUT IN CARRIAGES
for the scene of the find. 1t was several
hours before the arrival of any further news,
and during the interim little crowds Of bust
ness men and manufacturers discussed the
gas question in ell its various forms, spoke
laughingly of the flow and then settled down
with mingled feelings OF fear and ecstacy.
But the news that arrived shortly before din.
ner confirmed the dispatch received in the
morning. A gusher had indeed been found
which had the pressure Of thirty pounds to
The square inch. Mr.. A. L. Baron, who
ia one of the stockholders in the company,
in o message from Bethel, stated that the
gas was shooting up with such force as to
throw water and mud a distance OF Is feet
into the air. Drilling was continued when
the water would permit all day yesterday
and the pressure of the gas seemed to
GROW STRONGER.
The we'll is situated eight miles south
west of Bellsire, and is about 1900 feet
deep. Mr.. s. M. Williams, who has had
charge of the drilling, is an expert at the
business, and was employed by j. A. Steele
& Co., who had been contracted with to put
down experimental wells. The company is
composed of the following Bellaire gentle.
men, who are highly elsted over their sue.
cess: M. Somehow, c. Rumbach, G. c..
Kelly, DIR. G. A. Close, Adam Faupel, DR..
A. K. Mcclure M d. Reasoner, A. l.
Baron, J. F. Smith, Fred. Jahnke and Geo.
Keller.
Although the corporation was DESTROYS Of
securing oil, it is felt that the gas will be q
greater boon to Bellaire than oil. Many
Bellaire people have felt that unless natural
fuel could be found in their section, indus.
tries must inevitably
co TO RUIN.
Cow true such an assertion is, time only
could have told.
1t is said that gas loses three pounds Of
force every mile it is piped. To bring it to
Bellsire the supposed pressure Of thirty
pounds would dwindle to six, which would
be sufficient for almost all demands.
The evening train on the narrow gauge
brought home many of the visitors to the
gusher. They stated that water impedes
the flow of gas, which makes terrible
racket and at times shoots out with astonish'
ing force. All admit the strike a paying
one. The well will be cased as soon as pos.
sible whea it will be known to certainty
the extent of the find.