Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-03-29
A MYSTERY"
THE STITT OIL WELL, NEAR ST. GLARS
VILE.
Great Deal Of Leasing Going On in the Vicinity
The Painters Strike Still 0n-Gls-
callansOus Industrial Notes.

A REGISTER man yesterday paid visit
to the now somewhat famous Sttt farm,
oot in Belmont county, Ohio. Its fame
comes directly through the boring of an oil
well in the premises, and the subsequent
plugging OF the well and a refusal to allow
anyone 10 s.e the condition of things there
about, by the Standard Oil Company g
representatives. The farm ia located
about midway between ST. Cairsville and
Glencoe, a small station Oh the Central
Ohio Division of the B. & o. r. R. In
quiry at the hotel in ST. Clairsville devel-
opsd the fact that two representatives OF
the Standard Company are located there,
and that they are busy, working early
and late leasing land all the way from Nc.
Mahon's cresk 10 Wheeling creek, dis
lance of nearly ten miles, and owe, a space
two miles wide
These men are very close mouthed, and
their operations are kept profound secret.
The hotel proprietor had the temerity one
morning to ask one of them which way he
WAS going, and he was very promptly re-
questei TO read the ans yer Ia the stars
and was given to understand that hotel
mans duties are 20 care for his guests
personal wants and not to assist 10 their
business. A trip TO the we'll gave very
/ little information except to show with what
astute secrecy, the Standard OIL Company
! - l.
dOes not care for the public TO know. Upon
approaching the derrick the reporter vas
met by a sandy haired son If Ireland, who
in the broades, accent inquired bis busi-
ness. The following dialogue was then
rehearsed:
81 came TO see this well"
THE well is closed up, and if il wasn't
You couldn't STE very far down sucn n
emsll hole, replied Iceland
How deep IS ii?'
'Tudeed l don't know. They didn't
/ tell me, and if did know wouldn't tell
you"
"Why did they quit drilliog?"
at becomes poor man like myself TO
be civil to my employers, and question
like that might net be considered civil, so
never asked"
"Well, you don't know"
1--WE just tried to teach you Lesson in
civility, and you don't seem at all spt."
MAY l see inside that house there?n
eyes, sir; 90 and look in at the window"
The reporter vent, but saw nothing but
plain floor built Of tODgusd flooring
boards, without even knothole T crock
to let one zee anything of interest.
Seeing that tie "watch-gentleman"
would allow no familiarity and that even
a fiue cigar would not bride him, the bur
suit of information in that direction was
abandoned. Other perfons about the
premises were equally close mouihed and
the whole place wears an air Of mystery
that is truly exaspeTating to a news hunter.
From other sources it was learned that
the Stitt farm was leased By the Standard
OIL Co. some time since, and well began
last fall. Little interest YVES manifested
bY people in the vicinity, and that little
vas easily sati fled by those in charge
till one day few weeks ago, The fires
under the steam boiler were put out and
house with the close floor described built
over the entire affair. Two wstchmen,
one for night and another for day service
were put on duty and since then no one
has been allowed 10 go near enough TO see
or hear anything
This was followed at once by the most
active operation On the part of two
representatives of the company who went
to work leasing all the land in q space two
miles wide, reaching from McMshon's
creek on the south 10 Wheeling creek on
the north. These gentlemen work hard
starting out early and sometimes not re-.
firing to the hotel till midnight Their
success at leasing can not be discovered
for they impress the same secrecy upon
persons with whom they deal as they them
selves maintain.