Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-11
THE OLD OIL REGION,
Activity of Operators in VenangO
County Somewhat Restricted
Owing to the
SCARCITY OF GOOD TERRITORY.
Much Petroleum Still obtained From the
Famous Farm That Gave Coal Oil
Johnny His Start
SCARCITY OF GOOD TERRITORY.
A DECREASED PRODUCTION REPORTED.
SOtes and Views From Western Pennsylvania and
West Virginia Fields.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM 10 THE prsrArcH,

u
on CITY. August 1O.-1n Venango conn
ty, the cradle of the great petroleum indus
try, operations are characterized by activity.
The volume of work, however, is not as
large as in the spring, which is chiefly owing
to the fact that available territory cannot be
had. 1t is expected that production will
show decrease on the 1st of September as
compared with the output in July.
The mos: prolific territory in the county
is found in Pine Grove and President town.
ships, which is principally operated bv the
North Penn Oil Company and Kahle
Brothers. In the latter precinct Edward E.
Clapp, the "Duke of President" is the
proud possessor of hundreds of acres of good
territory, which is about all that is left in
Venango county. Mr.. Clapp has had many
tempting offers for his land, but as yet no
one has been able to get a foot of territory,
with the exception of the Kahle brothers, to
whom Mr.. Clapp considers he owes debt of
gratitude for a great favor conferred upon
him by their father in days long gone by.
Producers wonder why he does not operate
himself, but "the method in his madness
will be apparent in days to come when the
production is reduced te a minimum point
and the price of the staple correspondingly
start of from 80 to IS barrels, but as a rule
they are greatly underestimated.
In the old Pithole and Pleasantville
pools there is some new work, 1t might be
said there is little more than ordinary in
terest at the latter place on account of some
extension to the field.
ALONG OLD OIL CREEK.
Along the valley of the historic Oil creek,
from Titusville down to Oil CITY, there is
more or less drilling being done. The bust.
est poiDt is on the Steele farm, whence Coal
Oil Johnny derived his worldwide repuua-
tion. By the way, the ex-prince is now
employed by railroad company as station
agent in Nebraska, and is earning an
honest living. The famous farm has
made a mint of money, and is still
one of the most desirable properties
in the country. The largest we'll struck on
the farm flowed l, 500 barrels day for sew
eral months, the greater part of which found |
Its way into the creek. When this we'll was |
struck oil was only worth % cents barrel, |
but two months later, and before the well |
had ceased flowing, the market had jumped |
TO 81 barrel. The farm was at one time |
sold for $500, 600, and several years ago |
was bought for $4,000 by j. w. Waits, the |
present owner. At present there are 35 pro-
ducing wells, six of which belong to the list |
u bAC OlN A4AlSle, USluS iIOu ID ~ OU YEARS /
old, and are still producing barrel each. /
The old farm now yields production of |
!, 800 barrels month.
Saturday Mr. Waits completed a new
veil which will make 20 barrels on the |
start of, and is drilling two month, which |
will soon finish up the iarm. UpBull run, on
the Patterson farm, John Sharp just finished |
diminutive pumper, and Benninghoof &
Co., on the old Benninghoof farm, are build
rfr 2 a.
one or two wells drilling, while at Kane
City several string of tools are running.
Jesse Fry & Co., on the Dalzell farm, are
drilling well; II. r. Davis is drilling one
IN the old Foster farm, and Bankson is
drilling another on the Blood Iarm. At
Rouseville, J. B. Robson, on the Robson
farm, is drilling a we'll, and McMullen &
McCombs, on the Hood, are rigging up.
OIL CITY AND VICINITY.
There is some drilling in the immediate
locality of "the HUB" but the wells are
generally small. On Palace hill Charles
Curtis has recently completed a fve-barrel
pumper and has another drilling. Satur-
day Joe Manning completed his No. 4,
which when shot will make fair well. On
the Cooper tracts H. l. Webb lost a bit in
the hole, and it looks like bad fishing job:
the we'll is on top the sand. William Has
son, on his own property up Charley run is
building two rigs; his last venture near the
Munross wells is the largest yet found in this
section. Up Halliday run Hunter & Cum
mlngs have commenced drilling another
well. From Oil City down the Allegheny
to the Two Mile run there are five or six
wells drilling and number of rigs build
ing. AT the mouth and little way up the
run there is quite third sand development.
Ut is found below the heavy oil horizon.
! The most extensive developments in the
county are in the gray sand district, which
extends from Oil City to Mariasville, dis
tance of about nine miles. Between these
two points there is almost one unbroken
line Of derricks, some of which mark the
DEVELOPMENTS for years back.
At Salem City John Gaily, to whom be-
longs the honor of opening up the field
some 10 or u years ago, is drilling we'll
on the Miller farm. John B. Smithman,
one of the largest and most successful op-
orators in the county, few days since COM
pleted his No. "a, on his own property, and
is building Nos. 26 and q rigs. J. J.
Fisher, on the Gates tract, has a rig COM
pleted, another one ready for the drill on
the Carol farm, and is drilling one well on
the old Sands farm.
Good Many New Rigs.