Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-19
IN THE OIL FIELDS.
Petroleum, at Present Worth More
Than Gas, and as Easily Gotten.
WORK IN CONDEMNED TERRITORY.
The Depp Farm Wells Flow Still Worth
More Than $1,000 Per Week.
WELLS GOING DOWN NEAR PITTSBURG

While "experts" are defining oil territory
in the CHARTERS field and have settled upon
its superficial area at present as TX square
miles, it is interesting to keep trace of drill
development. Moon township people are
inclined to ask why they are not put into
the territory, and there is no we'll defined
reason why they should not be so considered.
In this section if anything definite has been
settled it is that you can't always tell any
thing definite about the strata that contains
petroleum. The Allegheny chain belongs
to primordial time, and what may have oc-
CURED since then can only be guessed, even
by geologists.
The Ewing's mills or Mont0ur run dis
trict was condemned some time ago, and it
certainly didn't pay the gas accompanies much
in the way of dividends, but 1t seems likely
to have future as petroleum producing
field. The Depp farm well below Ewing's
mills is about eight weeks old, and although
1t has slowed up from its initial work Of
300 barrels day it is still making 175 bar
reIs and since it was struck has yielded
some SO, 900 worth of grease, three times
the cost Of boring. The Ewing-Dorrington
well in the Knopf farm did not get much
showsto tell what it might have made, as
salt water came in, and in attempting to go
deeper bit was irrevocally stuck necessi-
tating the boring of new hole.
WELLS GOING DOWN.
Development in Montour run is growing
apace. There are two more wells being
drilled IN the Depp farm by the Ft. Pitt
Company. On the BYrne farm, near the
mouth Of Moon run. One has been located
on the McClelland farm, but drilling has
not been commenced. The Imperial Coal
Company is preparing to drill on the old
Ewing farm. Ewing & Dorrington are
boring two wells on the Knopf farm, and
operations are about ready to be commenced
on the Schmid farm. All this indicates
considerable activity for a territory called
worthless two months ago.
Considerable interest was manifested in
the Davis well yesterday in the Grafton
field, but the mud was 80 deep and SO dis
heartening that only those who had direct
interest in it had courage to attempt pill
grimage in that direction. Said man who
has had considerable experience in the oil
business: 'sThe Arbuckle-Jamison well.
while good thing for the country, pre-
dict with confidence will not be worth a
dollar to the owners. You want to know
why. 1 will tell you. They will, in order to
make sure of getting all the oil in the farm
for themselves. bore half dozen holes at
the least, perhaps more, and the majority
will be dry ones, and the cost will absorb
all the profit from the gusher.
MONEY SPENT IN BORING.
There has been more money spent in bor-
ing for oil than all the oil ever gotten has
paid for, but nevertheless the industry has
been a grand thing for the country, for
while it has brought great wealth to but
few, it has given the many employment,
and has built cities. Natural gas may fail
as general fuel, but it has made Pittsburg
rich, and its use will in time stop the waste
of coal. 1t will not be many years until
the "a, 600, 900 cubic feet of gas now wasted
daily will be utilized, and the public fur
nished with fuel as cheap as they now get
the natural article. Pittsburg may again
be enveloped with the smoky pail that once
gave her part Of her distinction, but not for
long. The late criminal waste Of fuel and
accompanying dirt and misery win not be
perpetuatsd while cleanliness and profit can
be made 60 hand in hand"
Mr.. r. II. Smith and others were on the
point of establishing great coke plant and
furnishing fuel gas when it was demontrated
that the natural article could be had-itWas
thought at the time for almost nothing-and
millions OF rusting capital are awaiting the