The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-06-12
THE WASHINGTON OIL FIELD.


Some Interesting Facts in the History
Of Its Development.
-Four years ago what was known
as.the Niagara Oil Company, com
posed of syndicate of men in and
about Buffalo, n. T.. having as they
believed thoroughly studied the sit
uation of the Pennsylvania oil belt
from a geological point of view, luck
lily arrived at the conclusion that oil
could be found in Washington coun-
ty, and accordingly secured lease
of about 10000 acres of land near
West Middletown. A test well was
at once begun on the farm of man
named Michigan, near the place
above named The well was finally
finished, no oil was discovered, but a
good oil sand was found. and de-
cided petroleum oder pervaded the
atmosphere that surrounded the der
rick and the mouth of the well. But
the owners were rewarded in two
particulars, they succeeded in drill
ing the deepest hole that has ever
been put down into the earth, some
1920 feet in depth, and struck the
largest gasser ever known. The val
ue Of the gas produced by the well
very soon became apparent. A
bright idea struck some of Wash
ington's enterprising men and ac-
cordingly the Washington Heat and
Light Company was formed, the OBJ
ject in view being to furnish the
town with fuel and light by means
of the natural gas. A considerable
quantity of land was leased for the
purpose of drilling for the gas, and
derrick erected near the CHARTERS
depot, on the Gantz farm. At a
depth of about 2,200 feet before a
gas vein of any size had been struck,
oil WAS found No small amount of
excitement was created by the lat
ter find, and at once number Of oil
men were brought to the place at
tracted by the discovery of new
field. These men seemed to have
confidence in the territory from the
beginning as most of them stayed at
Washington and began at once to
lease land for oil purposes. Several
derricks were erected and wells put
down as rapidly as possible. The
first oil we'll that came in, of any di-
mansions, WAS the Gordon No 1,
which when struck produced oil at
the rate of $50 barrels per day. The
Gordon No. | was struck last Au-
gust and has been producing ever
since, we believe never having fall
len much below so barrels of oil a
day. fr
Following after the Gordon No. l
next in size, came the Smith well,
drilled as wildcat" the lease hav-
ing first been taken by Dyer d Co,
who afterward granted half to
Willets Bros. The well proved to be
the first genuine gusher in the field
and produced oil at the rate of 40C
barrels per day; which record it has
kept up since oil was first struck
about the 4th of last January. Dyer
h Co. sold their half interest in the
well for $4,000,
The Thayer No. was the next
gush struck and came in at the rate
of 1000 barrels per day. This strike
, was followed soon after by the Van
, vergrift No l, which outdid all for
mer records of gushers in that field
producing oil at the rate of 100 bar
rels an hour. But the Vandergrifi
was eclipsed in few days by the
, Cameron No. /, which became {
gusher at the enormous rate of 2O(
, barrels an hour or nearly 5000 bar
rels per day. About 125 derricks
have been erected in the Washing
ton field, and fully % or 30 wells
have reached the oil sand and ar,
now producing. The daily output
being at present something Owe
5000 barrels.
Over a million dollars have alread,
been expended in the field by OF
/, spectators and producers, and Mt
, one knows how much more will ye
be expended. Many of the farmer.
, received from 800 to $175 an acr,
, cash bonus on their land for leasing
: and besides will obtain an eight
.. royalty of all the oil produced. Thu
: well on the Cameron lease pays tn,
owner of the ground $500 per day
that being the value of his eight
royalty.
One farmer leased 600 acre trac'
; for 100000, others obtained from
: $4,000 to $4,000 on their leases
according to the number of acres 0
land they owned. There, as in al
large speculative schemes dame for
tune deals in capricious manner
!. Many vast fortunes have been mad
|, but thus far few lost
). Dyer d Co., who were half owner
of the Smith lease. came to the fielt
> poor men, but their lucky strik
. made each of the three partner
!. worth $4,000 u piece. The firm
= who bought their half interest 500
:. afterward failed, but not from thi
. cause, as the Smith. well is puttin
. them on good footing again. Som
= men who came there mere driller
: began to take leases, and those VIII
:. = have not already been rewarded ar
u looking forward to vast fortunes i
= prospective.
;. While it lasts. oil production
i far ahead of gold mining for forum
= making. Many men in a single da,
:, :, by an oil strike, have been enriche
I thousands of dollars. When til
- Thayer No. came in the owner w
i offered $2OO,OOO for his well, bu
- laughing, turned on his heel an
y, y, walked away from the bidder
). IFuunoeh,,r,, Renukj;c0n