Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-19
A NEW EIELD.
DIscoveTv OF Vein OF On AZ Trout Run.
Lycoming County, Pa.


Lycomins County, PA.
A WilliamspOrt pa special says
OIL has been struck near Trout Run, in |
Lycoming county, at point about
eighteen miles west of this city. 1t is
not fiction. The oil is there, and
fifty-barrel well is the result. AL
though thousands Of wildcat 1t" Ope-
rators have punctured the soil in this
territory for years, and although thirty
years ago a shaft was drilled for oil al
most on the very spot where this
strikc has been made, never be-
fore was a drop of the. fluid seen,
and the old-hunters, one by one, gave
up their fruitless task, Disguised with
failure, and in many cases impoverished
financially. A year ago a company OF
capitalists in this city formed combi-
nation to work the field, but after
awhile they wearied Of the chase and
withdrew. One Of the company, how
ever, Henry W. Steinhilper, stuck TO
il with bulldog tonacity, and, with the
aid Of an experienced Bradford OIL
man, kept working away. 1t is on
Steinhilper's land that this well was
struck. This is the first oil ever found
this side Of the tleghanies. A vein OF
oil vas struck two weeks ago, and the
we'll partially filed TO height of 900
feet. The well had been sunk to
depth Of 1000 feet and is five and three
eighth inches in diameter.
[ - jerable prejudice then existed
ssa'r It he OF operators around Trout
Rur, and consequently distractions
were placed in their way which delayed
work. Somebody sank steel rod
weighing sixty pounds into the well,
and this ha1 to be taken up before drill
ing Gould be resumed.
SUCCESS AT LAST.
Yesterday morning at 10 O'Clock the
reservoir Of oil was again tapped at
the depth of 1000 feet and the well
quickly filled 18th the finest Of crude
, petroleum TO Aheight Of 800 feet, which
proved beyond = shadow Of doubt that
a bona-Jide led of oil had been dis
covered. igic flow Of the we'll was
stopped, as there was no tanks at hand
in which TO store the oil. Dispatches
containing the intelligence of the sue
cess OF the Trout-Run operators were
immediately sent to Pittsburgh, Brad
ford, Oil City, and New York. Ex-
perts gave the average yield of the new
well per twenty-four hours at from
thirty to fifty barrels.
The well is on what is known as the
Kelley farm, which is near the town Of
Pennsdale in forest about four miles
from Trout Run. The territory bears
q striking resemblance to the Bradford
and Venango county oil-feids. Hills
half as high as mountains rise on either
side Of the new well. The geological
formation Of the bed Of the valley is
similar to that Of other oil sections. The
owner Of the vel will begin toproduce
at once, and, after little more
drilling, it will be sorpedoed. Another
yell will be put down next week. Il.
W. Carroll, Of Bradford, an GILMAN of
experience, has been On the Kelley
farm for the past three weeks, watch
ing the opening Of the well. Mr.. Car
roll said to-day Il" There is oil in that
well, and very good OIL" Being one
hundred and twenty-five miles nearer
10 the sesboard than Bradford, this ter
iitory, il ID develops into a field, will
have large advantage. Until the we'll
is torpsdoed il will DO impossible to tell
It's cipscity, rs nine-tenths Of the wells
In the Upper Bradford field never flow
at all until they are .shot."