Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-17
A GREAT OIL GUSHER.
Petroleum Struck on the Arbuckle
Farm in Stowe Township
WITHIN FOUR MILES OF TIE CITY.
1t is Flowing zoo Barrels a Day and the
Shell Only Cracked.
CHARTERS CREEK Is RAlNBOW-HUED

''To him that hath shall be given" etc.
Out OF 100 observant people 40 years of age,
90 will believe at least that much of sacred
writ is true, for their experience has yeri-
fed it, and the unquoted end of the SEN
tence will also receive the same percentage
Uf assent. The Arbuckles' heirs struck it
rich on Monday evening, but not until yes
terday did the public begin to get onto the
significance of the strike They could
scarce conceive that a 700-barrel petroleum
well was spouting within four miles of the
Court House. Up rough and ragged ra-
vine leading from CHARTERS creek, about
a mile south of the mouth of the creek. the
oil flowed in torrents at intervals. coloring
the creek with 81, 600 worth of iridescent
hue. The distance to the we'll bv wagon
road is perhaps mile further, but "as the
crow flies" it is not more than four miles
from the court house, and the spot might be
seen from the top of the tower, perhaps.
The well is in the 45O line, said one of the
drillers, the line extending across the river
In the neighborhood OF the mouth of Woods
run In Allegheny. The depth of the well is
variously stated at 1000 and ZOO feet. The
sand has been merely penetrated, the shell
OF the rock only being broken. One of the
men at work said that the flow might or
might not be increased by deeper drilling.
The output is variously estimated at 500 to
200 barrels a day, and some say il is 80 bar
re!s an hour. 1t is flowing by heads, and
Tat one time was timed and there came II
barrels in ten minutes. There is great abun-
dance OF gas and the tank being full, the
gas throes made a commotion that sent oil
IN spray several rods from the tank.
SHOES CREASED FOR NOTHING.
L
walking through the grass so feet from the
we'll. There was no attempt made at con-
cealment, and it was a good day for livery
stable men at CHARTERS, rigs being in more
request as the day grew. The only people
not allowed near the we'll are coon hunters
with their torches and lanterns. If you
don't mind climbing steep hill and being
covered with beggar lice and Spanish
needles you can get up to the hill from
CHARTERS creek in few minutes on foot.
As an evidence of how little is known
even by geologists and people whose bust
ness it is to know something about oil and
gas bearing rock, a short distance west
of the Arbuckles well is one on the
Clever farm, which was supposed to be
much better territory and though this well
is deeper than the Arbuckles, gas hardly
sufficient TO supply two boilers was found
while few rods still further west is a good
well on the same farm, that has been pro-
ducing oil for months. Still west of this is
the Moore gas well, which did not come I'D
TO expectations, and on strength of the dis
appointment leases westo of it were abandoned.
Scarcely had this been done when the Fort
Pitt Company struck well nearly mile
still further west on the dep farm, which
after month from date of strike is still
putting out / 900 barrels of oil a week and
n Ic N faofd If Tor
gas, but revenue of S150 day isn't bad
consolation for the disappointment.
IT WAS TROUBLESOME WORK.
The Arbuckles' well has had an eventful
history. Work was begun in April. AT a
depth of 600 feet slanting fssure in the
rock was struck, and after protracted effort
to straighten a crooked hole it was aban-
doned, the rig readjusted and a new bore
begun 20 feet away. After the second hole
was well on the way the tools were lost IN it,
and then followed five weeks fishing Job
People in the vicinity say that Fred Lam
niger mas for years stated there was
either oil or gas in the ravine. When tired
hunting he would sit down and mediate.
and if not startled out of his reverie by the
gambols of squirrel on the brink of ruin he
would hear labored sounds in the bowels
OF the earth. AT times they resembled
the gurgling of some fluid, like the kechug,
kichug of hard cider from jug, and at
others like the .labored breathing of some
subterranean monster who was struggling
for more roon. As Mr. Lauinger has been
saying so for years, some people who
laughed at him now begin to think he may
have been an unconscious seismometer
The oil is considered equal to that of
Washington county. The Guffey people
control large amount of territory in the
neighborhood. The well is in the Gordon
sand, and is the largest yet struck in the
Grafton field. b. S. Stewart, the contractor,
and his men were hustling yesterday to take
care of the oil, and at noon the second tank
was almost completed, and at 1855 P. NJ.
the United Pipe Line Company made con-
nection and soon alter the distressful waste
OF oil was stopped.