Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-07
INDIANA OIL FIELDS.
A Rival to the Petroleum District of Penn.
syIVnnia.

ESPECIAL TELKGRAM TO THE DisPATcH.I
FINDLAY, April 6--Quite a number Of the
gas and oil operators of this locality have Just
returned from prospecting tour through the
gas fields Of Indiana. where they went to look
for petroleum, and all agree that everything
goes toward the convincing conclusion that oil
exists In the Hoosier fields in immense guam
titles. and that the day Is not far distant when
the trade will be astonished by gushing wells in
geysers of the Wood county, Ohio, field. The
small operators having been driven out Of the
Ohio field by the Standard absorbing all the
territory, are looking for new fields to conquer,
and Indiana will soon receive the benefit of
their industry.
None of these operators, except the Stand
ard crowd, take much stockin the Gibsonburg,
Sandusky county, field, as none of the wells in
that locality produce more than 100 barrels per
day, and from that point down as low as 10 and
II barrels. This, of course, is too small to pay
operating expenses, with oil st Ohio prices.
about ten sets Of tools at work punching holes
in the ground, and these will perhaps average
Is wells per month. No important develop
ments have been made, however, for the past
three months, and none are expected, it being
generally conceded that the days for big wells
in the Ohio field are over, although one may
yet be struck somewhere when least expected,
as the nature OF the territory is such that no
one can tell anything about what the ground
| will produce until the well is drilled.
A small well or even a dry hole. in the pecul-
lar formation underlying the Ohio field, can
never be taken as q sufficient guide in the Sc
lection of a second site. Over near the biggest
gushers in the Cygnet section, the first of this
week, Contractor Martin drilled in about as
poor a specimen of producing well as anybody
would wish for, providing he was on the hunt
for something of the kind. Innumerable in
stances OF this kind, however, are to be found
in the richest portions of the Ohio field and
should not be taken as safe guide in the selec-
ton of territory for producing purposes.
The daily yield in the Ohio petroleum field is
not as great as 1t was two months ago, nor is it
likely that it will ever be increased much, no
matter how much drilling Is done. The skins
of the first crop of wells in any field Is the ele-
ment that generally swells the output largely.
1t was so in all the Pennsylvania fields, and, SO
far, it has proven correct in Ohio.
In the neighborhood of Freeport. in San
dusky county, there has been considerable ex-
citement for the past ten days caused by the
drilling in of three wells for T. ]. Vandergrift
one Of which is said to be fair producer,
being capable of 25 barrels a day in the natural
condition. AS result the country surround
ing Freeport has been overrun with oil leasers,
who seem determined to have the last slice
left in the field Even the Standard has put
agents in the field, though as yet they have
not taken much territory. The bulk of the
land is already in the hands of T. j. Wander
grift, who owns nearly all the property be-
tween Freeport and Pemberville, a distance of
six miles Toledo, Cleveland and Findlay par
ties have also secured large blocks of the field,
and during the summer great oil boom in
this section is expected.