Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-07-26
EVENTS IN GREASE.
ALL EYES TURNED ON THE WHEELING
C0NPANY'S NO. !.
The Stray Sand 10 be Pierced To-Day or To-
Morpw-The Situation at Taylostown
Talk Of Oil Here.

Quite a number of business men, stock
holders and officials in the Wheeling Oll
Company, now operating on the grounds
of the Western Pennsylvania Agricultural
Association, will go up to Little Washing
ton this morning to direct and overlook the
drilling i'm of the Company's No. l well,
now very close to the stray sand, from
which so much is hoped. When drilling
ceased Saturday night the tools were 2,322
feet from the surface, and the Gordon sand
was thought to be not far off. This
morning the boiler will be moved back
and the drill set in motion again. The
sand may be reached this evening,
or the pay dirt may not
be found until tomorrow morE-
ing, and his uncertainty makes the situa-
ton all the more interesting TO the gentle
men who are making the venture. The
most experienced operators on the ground
agree that the prospects for a gusher were
never better, as the well is located in the
midst of heavy producers, and the eondi-
tons during drilling have all been of the
most suspicious character. Several other
wells are expected to get the sand soon,
among, them McKeOwn No. 3,Craig & Co.'s
we'll on the Stewart lot, down 1900 feet,
the Union Oil Co. s No. 4, down 1850 feet,
Thaver No. 3, and one of Willett's wells
ON the Munce lease. 1t will thus be seen
that Saturdays output of zoos barrels is
liable to be largely increased this week.
At Taylorstown Something like n truce
seems to have been patched up between the
West Virginia Natural Gas Company and
the Niagara Company, and an unwonted
amount of harmony prevails. Friday
night, however, things looked decidedly
bad, rs, according to the Washington pa
pers, the West Virginia Company's men
run off the Niagara guards and placed
twenty men on the disputed land, with a
heavy force of employees in reserve. An
amicable settlement was reached, however,
through concessions made in this city by
Mr.. Robbins, and the storm blew over.
Apropos of this well, a Washington tele-
gram of Saturday night says:
"Looking carefully over the field, it can
be plainly seen that TaylOrstown is the
keynote of the situation. There has been
nothing done but putting up the G00-barrel
tank and tank house, and running their
connections into the tank. Tho tools are
not in the hole, and the Oil-saver must he
put on before drilling can be commenced.
1t is true there are considerable indications
O foil around the well, but | still adhere to
my first idea that they will be disappointed
when they open up the well.
"The same company are building an
other rig on the adjoining farm south of
the well, and if they can hold the market
down by making attempts to open the well
it seems all they care for. The Niagara
Oil Company have a well northeast of the
well, which is down 300 feet"
1t is likely no drilling will be done there
for day or two.
The Western Union and b. & o. Com
panies have both opened telegraph offices
at TaylOrstown within the past few days,
and scouts and others interested in the
mystery will lack no facilities for the
prompt transmission of any important
movements. Edward Wall has charge of
the b. q o. Office and Harry G.. Bills of the
Western Union. The latter company
were second in the field and have been M
able TO get tirst-class accommodations for
their Office, but in order not to be left,
they procured an old washing machine
and fastened it to u fence in a tent Of the
camp of the laborers on the pipe line and
made connection. They are now ready
for business.
There was nothing new from the Mound
vile well yesterday. The strike down
there has imbued "a great many of Il
citizens with the idea that oil exists in the
immediate vicinity of this city, nOtwith-
standing all the holes which have been
punched in the earth, and the grease got
at the Central glass house mill and over at
Ktnaville has been frequently alluded TO
within the past few days about town.
Whether this talk will develop in any
thing or not it is impossible ut this time to
say. 1t will depend very much upon the
size of the Moundville mystery when the
veil of secrecy is lifted.
There are a thousand acres Of land near
TaylOrStOwn, not leased for oil or gas pur-
poses, and 5. J. Crothers says he will put
up a saw mill and saw up about twenty
acres of timber if necessary.