Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1886-12-21
4 RUSSIAN OIL WELL.
THE LARGEST FLOWER EVER
KNOWN IN THE WORLD.

Discharging Over 500 Tons of Potro-
lcum Per Hour-A Wen which spouts
OIL to the Height of Nearly a2A
Feet.
A good deal has been said lately concern
| ing the possibility Of Russian oil driving the
American article out OF European markets
and very extensive consular reports were
published on tho subject a short time ago.
\ Interest In the matter win be revived by a
report that comes from the Bakur oil dis
tricts of Russia TO the effect that the largest
flowing well ever known in the world has
been struck there. The amount OF oil which
Is said 10 be discharging seems simply in
credible, but il is by no means improbable,
for the reason that In 1883 well In tho same
district called the Droojba well spouted
enormous quantities OF oil.
This new well called the Tagiefr well Is
said TO be discharging $1,000 pools Of pc
troleun an hour. As pood is equivalent
to about 30 pounds of our avoirdupois weight.
this well must DO discharging over 800 tons
of oil an hour, or over $4,000 tons for the "a
hours.
The Droojba well spoutcd at the ratio Of
nearly $500 tons per "a hours. For 43 days
it discharged daily average Of $4,000 gal
Ions, and in 1l5 days IL yielded more than
| g, OOO, 900 gallons. IL spouted TO the height
| of nearly 200 feet, while the new Tagieff well
spouts to the height of nearly pa feet Al
| though the we'll Is over three miles from the
town Of Bakur, yet petroleum sand is pour
ing upon the buildings and streets.
A THRILLING SPECTACLE
The scene at the well is said to be awful.
The discharge is accompanied by an awful
roar, great stones are hurled terrific dis
lance, while the wind carries the fine sand
which spouts up with the oil often miles
away. IL is TO be regretted that most Of the
oil spouted from this well will be lost Such
a waste seems barbarous, yet, owing 10 tho
want OF q pipe line TO run 1t to the Black sea,
nearly all Of the =, 75O, 600 gallons discharged
| every "a hours viii be lost in the sands which
lie around the orifice, deteriorate In the
lakes, OF mingle with the waters Of the Cas-
plan sea An effort, Of course, will be made
to put cap over the well and keep the oil
below the surface until wanted, but an enor-
nous waste will have resulted before this
can possibly be accomplished
With the present prices which prevail for
crude oil in Bakur 1t is questionable whether
there would be much profit in saving this oil
aAbSA cN'iaAN WIS pau ~ w ~ - o~%A0
that $50 gallons Of crude oil sold there will
realize no greater price than the London i'm
porter pays for one gallon Of refined Ameri-
can oil. A pipe line is what the Russian oil
districts need, and with its completion and
consequent development Of the enormouse re-
sources Of the Bakur district, IL will be n very
difficult matter for American oil producers
10 successfully compete with the Russian oil
i'm the European markets.
A pipe line is now projected from Bakur
TO Batoum on the Black sea. IL will, 1t is said,
receive the cordial support OF the govern
ment and four great European firms, includ-
ing tho Rothschilds, OF Paris, who have re-
Gently made large investments In oil property
at Bakur and Batoum, and are said 10 have
bid for the contract 20 build the line. IL will
cost $40, 600 900 and will be $50 miles long.
The pipe is to be large enough TO carry lcO,-
600, 600 gallons year and the tariff will be
cent gallon.-Kansas City Journal