The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-11
.VHBRLNG AN OIL CENTRE.
And the Developments Daily
Coming Closer to Her.
RICH PROMISES ALL AROUND,
Oil aud Gas Making Operators and
Farmers Rich on Every Side Of
tho City-was the Test Made
Here n Conclusive One?

The belief is general in the city that
the test wells sunk here for oil or gas
offered no conclusive evidence that
these valuable fluids do not exist here.
Three scattered experimental wells were
put down, and in all smal. flows OF gus
were struck, with a showing OF oil.
This seems to indicate that the wells
were near veins Of both. Dry wells are
put down right in developed fields, and
near producing wells, Why might not
u well as near these produce oil or gas?
The theory that Wheeling is on the
gus belt has all sorts Of arguments to
sustain It. Tho best OF these, perhaps,
is that both oil and gas are found in
every direction, and in these days Of ac-
tivity the fields OF operation are daily
coming nearer. Experienced oil opera
tors have leased lands neal Potomac, in
this county. OIL and gas is found seven
or eight miles south, IN Marshall COun-
ty, Northward, the Hancock county
aud Toronto, Ohio, field are becoming
important, To the west, the showing at
Glencoe and around st, Clairsville is
good,
There Is considerable stir just now in
process OF development OF the supposed
oil belt through Belmont county. At
the Stitt well near Glencoe, the casing Is
being drawn and replaced with new.
On the farm OF Sutton near this well a
derrick has been erected and another
on tho farm OF James Mckelvey west OF
Glencoe. Monday a gangof men passed
through here on their way to Glencoe
to begin the erection Of Il derrick on the
lands Of Gilin Heirs; also a gang to
Armstrong; Mills to erect one on
Anderson's Run, and at Glencoe the
spot has been selected for one on the
lands OF Henry Dixon, and parties are
expected any moment TO begin opera
tons. Within three weeks 1t is expect
cd that ten or u dozen wells will DO in
progress within n radious OF ten miles.
The excitement has also now reached
Fairpoint, Belmont county, on the O.,
l.. &W. road, and those interested say
it will extend over a large part Of that
county. Representatives OF 7. J. Van
degriit, @. Underwood & Co., and r.
Jennings& Co., are at Fairpolnt brlskly
engaged in securing leases. The farmers
US usual are becoming wary when they
perceive signs OF competition In lease
taking, and are now holding out for a
bonus.
In the Toronto field the operations are
also spreading. Eighteen thousand acres
Of land have been leased for oil purposes
in Columbiana county and the counties
OF Harrison and Carroll adjoining. In
Jefferson county, also, large tracts have
been leased. McKeown says he will
drill fifty wells in this field III the next
two months.
Cyrus Underwood, representing the
Standard Oil Company, has leased apor'
ton OF the B~allentyne farm, below New
Cumberland, paying n cash bonus oil
5000. Twenty-Five car loads OF sup.
plies and tools reach New Cumberland
every week.
Several Washington and Claysvllle
gentlemen have leased n trnCt Of land OF
about 600 acres south Of Claysville, in
DONEGAL aud East Finley townships,
aud will in a short time put down q test
well. This land lies in a southwest di-
rection in a direct line with the deyel-
opment OF the Taylorstown field aud is
considered by oil men q good territory.
A bonus OF 81 an acre was paidr A line
from TaylOrStown TO this tract followed
n few miles touches the Marshall county