Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-18
THAT HAVE MADE HANCOCK COUNTY
FARMERS RICH.
A History Of The New Plsld-A Well Fifty Tears
Ago-Ths Later Dsvslopmsnt-GrOwth
Of New Cumberland-A Flourish
ing Community.
Special Telegram to the Register.


cries in the Washington county, Pa. field,
the Standard Oil Company and its official
organization began to lease all the terri
tory far and near-everyt thing between
Washington and Mscksburg
Cyrus Under wood, of jamestown, New
York, representing the vandergrif's, began
hio operations in Hancock and adjoining
counties. He leased thousands of acres
on conditions that we'll should be sunk
in specified time, in default of which,
probably q dollar an acre per year was TO
be paid. These leases were to run for
term of years. After Underwood had Sc
cured as much territory az possible, he put
down a well on the Enoch Allison farm in
the Grant district, seven miles northwest
of New Cumberland. The hole was dry,
and the company represented by Under
wood concluded to wholly suspend opera
tions in that field. Consequently all the
leases were allowed to lapse Mean
while the gas companies in eager
search for further Supplies Of the
natural fuel, were sinking wells. The
Ohio Valley company got showing
of oil on the Elliott Campbell farm, and in
last October the Bidgewater Gas Company
very Unexpectedly came upon the olesgin
ous fluid in their we'll on the Bdce place.
VALUES SUDDENLY MADE
That was sufficient warning. The leases
which Underwood had been able to get
from the farmers for almost nothing, now
became valuable, and the impecunious
spectators found little favor in the neigh
borhood The operators and their agents
who came from the old oil fields were
much impressed with its possibilities and
the reduced expsnse of reaching the fluid
at only 1900 feet from the top of the
ground was a sufficient inducement
Leases were speedily made on the basis of
bonuses of $50 $75, 800 and $50 per
acre with royalty of ! the oil, in case a
productive well Was found.
Upon these satisfactory terms the famers
gave over the gas and OIL privileges and ope- |
rstions began Much ofthe territory is there
fore in possession Of the oil men, but never
theless a considerable amount remains in |
the hands of the farmers. The Clerk of
the County Court of Hancock county |
makes careful, conservative estimate,
and he says that the sum of $3.50 600
has been already paid to the farmers as
bonuses, in addition to the royalties which
they will receive from productive wells
OF this sum John McKeowD, the indepen-
dent operator of all the fields, whose home
is in Washington, has alone paid $45, 900.
This increase IN the capital of the people
of Hancock county is very noticeable in
the quickened pace given to the varied
business interests of New Cumberland.
Everything, as the drllers say, has a
move on" it, and tradesmen especially
have been prosperous beyond their dreams
The town has livened mp and ITS long
frame is tlkipg on flesh and blood. Rents
are higher than they have been before,
owing to the number of people who have
been attracted thither by the oil boom.
But the energetic men of the town, notice
ablv the Porters are making what they
believe to be ample preparation for the
rapidly increasing population. Already IN
ali parts of the town new dwellings are
going up and before the Summer comes
fully $50 new residences will be completed.
OF course these are not expensive build
ings. They are merely neat, comfortable
houses designed for the workingmen who
would bring their families here were the
accommodations better. With these i'm
provements the people of New Cumberland
look for an increase of 1000 ia the popu-
ation of their town.
THE RAILROAD BOOM.
The New Cumberland branch of the
Panhandle road is also experiences Of the
great boom which is everywhere apparent.
Immense quantities of heavy freight are
carried TO the town and the side tracks are
crowded with unloaded cars. This freight
traffic, indeed, is so great that 1t material
ly interferes with the passenger traffic, as
sny one who is compelled to travel over
the branch nowadays can testify. Sttps,
however. to obviate this have been taken.
On last Sunday thirty freight cars were
brought to town and on the previous Sun
dsy fourteen were pulled up from the
ia ction. 1t is possible that further de-
mands will hereafter render these Sunday
reights a necessity.
Above the fact is referred to that the
sidetracks are crowded with loaded cars.
The reason for this is that there are not
enough heavy teams in the neghborhood
for the work. Probably twenty teams are
now so employed at big wages, but that
number might well be doubled without
glutting the market
The operations in the field are conducted
by a great number of companies and indi'
viduals. John McKeOwn IS undoubtedly
the largest operator. Three local compa-
nies are doing something in the field.
These are familiarly known IA the Little
lin. - "Big jim, !" and Little Dick" OIL
Companies. To the residents of this town
or 10 the farmers heresbouts no further eX-
nlanations of these names are necessary;
but an outsider would not know tnat the
Little jim" and Big jim" companies
are affectiouately named after the Porters,
lanes and J. NJ, respectively, who are
known as the most progressive citizens OF
the town. From their immense plants they
annually ship millions a1t millions oil
6rebrick, and about June rhsy will open
an immense plant for the manufacture OF
china ware.
PHILANTHROPIC BUSINESS MEN.
There is no questioning the liberality Of
the brick manufacturers of OF New Gum
berlsnk. About six weeks ago the pretty
new Presbyterian church here was dedl-
Gated and Rev. DR.. james d. Mohat,
President of Washington and Jefferson
College. who is well known in Wheeling,
was invited to be present and to take part
in the ceremonies. President Moffat came
and in conversation with some of these
gentlemen told them Of a handsome dIlye
projected through the campus OF the Col
lege. They listened with interest and dls-
cussed with him the plans which had not
vet been fully determined upon.
When DIR. Moffat reached home be
found a letter awaiting him. 1t contained
the yery kind offer to donate to the Col
lace enough fire brick to construct the
drive through the campus, and accompa-
nvine it was memorandum from the
Panhandle officials that the brick should
he delivered in Washington free OF change.
with such citizens the future OF New Cum-
berland cannot be in doubt.
As TO the per-.aneuce of the oil field, the
prevailing opinion is that it will be good
for many years to come. The wells that
have been struck do not start of with
tremendous record, which quickly is re-
duced tp nothing but thsir gait lnyaria-
his is moderate and it is kept up in re.
markable degree. 1t is said, IN iact tnat
some Of the wells have actually increased