The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-30
RUSSIA'S PETROLEUM.
The OIL FIELDS ON THE WEST
COAST OF THE CASPIAN.

Brief Description of Baku-"watering''
the Streets with Naphtha Residuum.
TIE system Of Boring wells-A Re
marLable Eruption-A Profitable Well.
Baku, the great oil emporium, is on the
west coast Of the Caspian sea, about third
| Of the distance from its southern TO its
northern extremity. 1t is at the foot Of the
abrupt eastern end Of the Caucasus range,
which occupies the entire isthmus, and Is
characterized at both extremitIes by striking
volcanic Developments Those about Baku
are most remarkable. The city had twenty
years ago 10000 inhabitants, and now con-
tains c b. CO. Though 80 nnch Of II is mod
ern, the streets and shops Of the old Persian
city remain, with its lowers, markets, baths,
shops and temples, giving an excellent idea
OF Persian architecture without the trouble
Of going into the realms OF the shah TO seek
| il.
The whole place is as redolent Of the odors
Of kerosene as a town in the oil districts Of
western Pennsylvania They penetrate with
equal impartiality hotels, private residences
|
soil Of the entire region is impregnated with
nuphtha and coal oil, and the sea is often
covered with thick coating, tho wells are
al some little distance from tho city. The
refneries only are adjacent to the port. They
occupy the middle Of the city area, and the
reservoirs of naphtha render 10y their smells
the passage of the traveller from the steamer
or the railroad station TO his hotel almost liz
,olerabe Water is not yet abundant, and
Is delivered by Tartar carriers. For water
ingn the streets the residuum a naphtha Is
used, which, tolcrably firm in cool weather,
yields easily to the tread in summer, the foot
sinking into it as il it were mud of n certain
consistency. 1t costs only one-eighth Of q
,ent n pound. The sidewalks are paved with
sort Of bituminous concrete equally senSi-
ole to the suns rays This oil residuum is
also employed for heating steamer and loco
motive boilers II is cheap and easily trans
ported, and its use is likely TO extend from
the Transcaspian railroad and Caspian steam
crs into other ports OF Russia where coal is
dear and wood rot plentiful
The port is a the landward end Of tho lit
tie peninsula Of Apcheron. where 1t joins the
main coas: on the southern side. The center
Of volcanic activity is TO tho east or north
east Of Baku on this peninsula, and but few
miles distant, ard is characterized by little
craters Of mud in constant state Of ebulli-
ton. This surface changes constantly its
form and level, and from its crevices issue
currents Of gas which the application of q
lighted match may kinlle into a general
conhagration This plain, seen on n quiet
night from the Virgins Tower, seems COW
cred with phosphorescent flames. In 1885
one Of these mud volcanoes burst, sending up
u height Of 800 feet a jet Of gas that took
fire and menaced tho whole country with
ruin. Fortunately it subsidized Us suddenly as
it had appeared
A railroad eight miles in length connects
Baku with the oil producing center, which is
on plateau 20) feet above the level Of the
sea. II is a sort of basin two miles in
diameter. surrounded by low hills Of lime
stone At the bottom Of this depression,
which is composed Of alternate strata of sand
and mari, 40 wells have been sunk, most Of
which have given excellent results. They
are owned by companies and private indi-
viduals Being within so small space they
are necessarily crowded closely together, and
tho skeleton structures necessary for their
operation give at distance the appearance
I Of a grove or small forest The system Of
boring is borrowed from America. Instead
of tho shaft used by the French n heavy
| trepan with steel point is employed which
is lifted by machinery and let fall with q
rotary movement In Pennsylvania there
are wells over ., coo feet in depth. Those Of
/ Baku have not gone so far, though some Of
them have exceeded half that distance. To
sink one ! GOO feet costs $751; 600 and a years
time, and it has as yet yielded nothing
Singular difficulty is experienced from the
/ gas which so pcnneates the sand that the hole
/ is often filed as fast as bored, and the sand
even forced far up into the tubing already in
place. The work has gone on for twenty
years, and as no record has been keeps show
ing thickness of strata. wells are still sunk at
! hazard without reference TO locality.
/ At Baku the oil does not seem 70 exist in
level sheets The wells sunk give different
results. Some prove abundant; others are 1T
once exhausted. or four continuous wells,
the first gave out Mt 2Go feet, the second at
$50. the third az 2s3 and the fourth at $50
! Land purchased at SO the sagenc about 10
square feet, rext a profitable vel, produces
LOtNiu8. OI tuV otutI Manu- = oltti nap
pens that, as in The case OF artesian wells il
America, a new well sunk by the side Of a
valuable old one takes the supply and renders
it worthess-at least without further boring
/ Tue deposits seem t. be in small pockets, en-
nbiing well TO be fed by two Of them at diff
ferent depths q; the same time 1t has been.
proved that there are subterranean comnu-
nications, for it often happens that the oil of
several wells may be colored by coloring mat
ter thrown into one of them at the surface.
/ Flowing wells are rare. Pumps are usually
necessary When squirt Of oil is coming
the workmon are made aware Of it by the
noise that precedes. Toy at once take flight,
aud not a moment too soon, for the force Of
the stream is sometimes sufficient to throw
the structure and machinery at the top hun
dreds Of feet into the air. The pockets are
supposed to contain ct the bottom stratum
Of water, at the top gas, with the crude pc
troleum between them. When the well strikes
the oil, the gas suddenly expands, forcing it
ND TO the opening with violence. Sometimes
there is an eruption Of sand sufficient TO bury
the works about the mouth of the we'll One
eruption filed all the canals near by contain
ing petroleum, created great lakes, and