The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-20
VHRHLING INDUSTRIES
And Those in the Vicinity That
Contribute to Her Prosperity
THE TAYLoRsToWNol OIL FIELD.
The Boom ThroughoutWest Virginia.
New Enterprises sprIngiug Up
Everywhere,.what is Doing
In tho Wheeling Mills.

EVERY MHcEc''eNh NN - HNs"h
In tho Wheeling Mills.
The oil excitement in the Taylors-
town district is on the increase and der
ricks are being erected in all directions.
All incoming wells are proving paying
investments, and the majority can be
classified as "gilt edged" producers, In
July, 1886, the original oil well Of the
field was drilled in on the
John McAIanus farm, She was owned
by the Natural Gas Company Of West
Virginia and proved paying well, The
Anchor Company and Forest Company
then bought in the j. Cundall and Jim
Noble No, |, both of which flowed over
200 barrels In twenty-five hours, De-
yelopments were made on the Sam Car
son, Sam Blaney, Donahue, Flack, Hod.
gins, Jim McManus, Bill Crothers and
Robert Noble farms, all OF which came
in good territory. The aforesaid cOm'
panies then consolidated under the style
OF the Washington Oil Company, and
on November | was in the great shut
down movement which lasted one year,
No new wells were drilled and all pro-
ducing wells were shut in to only make
thirty.seven barrels each per day for one
year. Everything was at stand still
until January, 1888, when Joe Preston
and Joe Ellsworth, two young men,
leased the Tommy Hilton patch Of
twenty.iour acres that adjoins the vii
lage OF Taylorstown, They here invested
their last dollar,
This place Is almost due south from
the original MCManus and was consid'
cred no good by the knowing ones,
Nevertheless the Joe.Joe Oil Company
struck n good producer OF two hundred
and fifty barrels, which was followed by
five Others. The original Joe-Joe lor
No, y Hilton has produced some $4,000
barrels of oil to date, and is still good
well. These young men, Gmboldened
with success, leased the John Thompson
farm, northeast OF their Hilton and one
and d half miles distant, and here started
another wild cat. This, 1t was predicted,
would be worthless, and the boys were
deemed fools for going into q section
that would not DO touched by the large
companies. Nevertheless their venture
proved grand success and one hun
bred and sixty.baTel well crowned theil
efforts.
The excitement then was intense
Producers AoCked in from all directions
and tho adjoining farms were held al
fabulous prices. The Robert Knox and
William Knox farms adjoin this, as also
the Hagerty Brothers, TheJ oe.Joe's, how
ever, held tho latter. These farms nov
have thirty.two producing wells and
are yielding fortunes for their owners
The developments continued north GnC
south, and frst.Class wells have beer
found on tho Houston, RitGhey, Hen
deyson, Bill Crothers, Thompson, Aag
erty, kIy, Carson, White and many 9th
or farms with plenty others to hear from
The CoGy well, near Cotiy station
south Of the Knox farm almost two
miles, is very light, and will stop devel
opments in that direction. This well il
situate Two and half miles above ray
lortown and close to the Baltimore {
Ohio railroad, to the left going up
Still farther out Ia the Brownlee, whidt
is looked upon as duster, and nothing
is looked for there. Joe Preston and jo'
Ellsworth sold their Hilton and Thomp
son as also their Hageerty's interest t
Joe Craig for $4,000 last December, so
with their profits previous to the sale
they each had the modest littlesum o
$4,000. Ellsworth, in company wltha Mr.
Baldwin, invested in a fine farm nca
Washington, and now is engaged II
stock breeding. They also have n fine
half.milc track for their fast stock. Hi
ton has purchased and paid cash for {
fine farm, aud the oil developments Rrt
again near his new venture. Tommy
Is quite lucky, rs his little twOnty.ioul
acre plot was mortgaged aud a decree o
sale issued before his first well va!
brought in, and only pressure from the
outside made the party holding the lier
hold off until the well was In.
The Taylorstown oil field is all within
the bounds Of Buffalo township, aud Is
now composed Of 1853 producing wells
and about 100 under process Of develop
ment and many new rigs building daily,
The Blaney lease trouble still Contin'
ues, the Washington oil Company still
holding possession. Trouble, however,
Is looked for, as bets have been made
that the bushwhaCkers will not be nj.
lowed to eat their Easter eggs on the
lease. However they arc well prepared
and it will take suite an army to route
them.
Blaney has served an injunction on
the Washington company to prevent
them from proceeding to drill No. 4 well
on the farm. This, however, will not
amount to much, as they will give bonds
for damages and continue.
The Bigham well contractor, Will
niger, is having trouble. A string Of
tools dropped has caused a fishing Job
for tho lust two weeks and probably the
big well will be moved. Tho Grimes
well, near the Grimes gasser, has also
been fishing for the past three weeks.
The Washington Company have alone
some seventy producing wells and about
half that many more coming. Their ter
ritory is now divided into two districts,
John Rumbaugh, the former superin.
tendent, having charge OF one.half, and
Scott Thompson, formerly superintend.
ent Of the Buffalo Oil Company, over.
seeing the balance. The latter will &C.
cupy the John MCManus residence, re.
Gently purchased by the Washington
Company,
Several fights have occurred within
the last week, regular old.timers, and as
Iaylorstown has had the regularmurder
that must occur before a town can be
chased regular oil town, she Is now
ready to take her place in that category.
Five Transfers were fined for hauling
q boiler on the Sabbath day last week.