Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-09-04
TO HUNT GAS.
A MEETING OF MANUFACTURERS YBSTER-
DAY DISCUSSES THR QUESTION.
The Probabilities are That Thorough Test Will b
Made in This Viciniiy-Other
Industrial Matters.

The prospects are that in the Dear future
a thorough test will be made in this vicin-
ity for natural gas.
A meeting of manufacturers was called
for the Chamber of Commerce yesterday af-
ternoon, st $3.50 o'clock, to consider a
proposition from Messrs. J. F. Sweeney
and D. N. Thornburg, in reference to sink
ing test well in this vicinity with a view
of obtaining natural gas or oil.
The gentlemen present were Messrs. J.
n. Vance, Maj. Alorzo LOring, ]. D. DID,
Bots, c. D. Hubbard, George Wise, L. S.
DelsplAin, A. W. Campbell, Jos. D. Brady,
c. f Irwin and Menrs. Sweeney &
Thornburg.
Mr.. Sweeney called the meeting to or der
and named Mr.. Vance as Chairman. Mr..
Brady was selected as Secretary. Mr.
Vance made statement as to the oil ject
Of the meeting, saying tina. it had been
called together by Messrs. Sweeney and
Thoinburg, with the view of forming
company TO develop some land on which
the gentlemen held leases, for whatever
might be found-Oil, gas, or any other
valuable product.
Mr.. Sweeney was asked to make a state
ment of their proposition, and in response
he said that be and Mr. TnoTnburg had
leased about 5000 acres of land near
Clinton, this county, 800 acres of which
was on Peters run and 9, 900 close to Gin
ton. They were assured that the territory
was very promising one, and ne wanted
to. ASCERTAIN if anything could be done to-
ward organizing a company or manuiact-
urers TO put down one or two test wells,
and they would be willing to turn over the
leases without compensation. If the test
proved fruitless they asked nothing, but if
successful they expected certain interest
in the company in the way Of paid up
stock. The leases provided that wells
were TO be commenced within one year Of
the dale they we're granted, after which
lime a rental would have to be paid.
In answer to q question, Mr.. Sweeney
stated that it would require about 81, 600
OF &. 600 to put q well down ., 500 feet.
Mr.. Brady said that the failure of all the
wells put down about Wheeling was due
to the fact that they were never sunk deep
enough. They had gone certain depth
when a bed Of sbale was struck and then
they stopped; that they should have gone
through this shale to tap the territory
reached by the Ohio gas wells. If test
we'll is sunk it should be started with the
idea of going at least 1900 feet if neces-
sary. This bed of ahale is supposed to be
about /, 900 feet thick, and if oil or gas is
TO be found about this city it will be nee
essaIy to 70 below that and tap the Tren
ton rock.
Mr.. Vance said he had talked to Mr.
Hearne, of the West Virginia Natural Gas
company, about the proposed territory and
he said they had considered the adyiss-
bility of developing it, but they had COM
menced to sink well in Brooke county
and did not care about trying any other
territory until they see how their present
venture turns cut Mr.. Hearne said he
would rather risk the CLIFTON territory than
any other within twenty miles of Wheel
lug. Mr.. Vance said he would not think OF
stopping at less than 4 600 feet, if neces-
sary to go that far, as it was his opinion no
we'll had been put down deep enough in
this vicinity and therefore the territory had
never been fully tested. He thought that
the advantages to the manufacturers if gas
were discovered was sufficient inducement
to make the test at the expenditure of q
considerable amount of money.
Mr.. Campbell suggested that if $4,000
were to be spent in this wsy it might be
as well to sink well near one Of the
mills
Mr.. Brady said the State geologist OF
Ohio had said that the bed of shsle spoken
of was ffom !, 0O0 to l, $50 feet thick and
no good results could be expected until
they went through that. He thought the
Board Of County Commissioners would be
willing to 90 into such a test He imag-
inel that about the most favorable lOca-
ton, however, to sink a test well, would
be at the mouth Of Boggs' run. Or if
we'll YVES sunk near one Of the mills With
good results, the other mills could put
down their own wells.
Mr.. Vance, Mr.. Irwin and other gentle |
men were of the opinion that a final test
should be made, snd advanced the idea |
that a company with capital of gay SIS |
eco be organized for the purpose of max
ing thorough test The proposition of
Messrs. Sweeney & ThOrnburg was admit
ted TO be fair and liberal one. A gen
eral discussion of the question was in
dulged in, and there is every prospect that
a company will be formed 20 sink q well |
in this section.
The meeting adjourned to meet again
Thursday afternoon, at 2 o'clock, at the |
same place, and manufacturers in ali
branches of business will be inyi sd to be
present.
A gentleman we'll veTsed in the matter
said that the territory secured by Messrs.
Sweeney & Thornbuig is a promising one,
because it is on an exact line with the
TaylOrstown, Pa, and Glercce, o., fields,
and if there was gas at both ends there
was no reason to doubt lis existence in the
middle.