Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-22
A SLOW OIL TOWN.
Belmont More Conservative Than the
Average Petroleum. Center.
HOW THE FIELD WAS OPENED UP.
A Passenger Train In Peril From q Newly
Struck Gas Well.
A GOOD PRODUCER AT WILDWOOD

BELMONT, W. VA, August 21.-The
growth of the town Of Belmont has been by
no means phenomenal. In fact, it has NOT
kept pace with developments, and does not
possess the hustling characteristics OF the
impromptu oil towns that have come and
gone in the Pennsylvania fields. For an
oil town it is very conservative, and no one
cares to venture unless he is sure of his foot
ing. The mercantile and other business es-
adjustments, however, are in healthy and
fourishing condition. The place has no
licenses, but is infested with floating speak
easies concealed among the dykes, where
the vilest tangle foot is dealt out In these
dens gambling reigns supreme, and many
an innocent and unsophisticated youth has
received their first lesson in the arts by drop
ping good round sum of hardJearned money.
Operators and contractors find these saloons a
menace to their business as their employees at
times frequent these places and the excess of
dissipation incapacitates them for work. The
aid of the authorities has been invoked, and
in few days Belmont will be cleared of this
pestilence.
The honor of opening up the Belmont pool
belongs to William johnson, of Pittsburg, who
far a long time fought it out on this line. No
producer ever clung to a theory or worked SO
assidulously as has Mr.. johnson. and certainly
none have met with better success. Mr.. John
son anchored his frail bark in the Belmont field
in the fall of 1882 and began operations on the
Cook farm on Henry Camp run, mile and
half south of tho Belmont field. He was look
ing Tor shallow wells and
HIS FIRST VENTURE,
had it been struck at the present time, would
have made paying well, but at that time it
cost more to buy barrels than the oil was
worth. Mr.. johnson then left the diggins for
two years, when he returned and drilled an
other well on the Green Ruttencuter farm,
one-third of mile south of the Belmont field,
and found a gasser in the Eureka sand. His
next venture was located one-half mile south
of the above well on the Cook farm, where he
found four feet of sand, little oil and some
gas. From this well he naturally drew the
conclusion that the farther south he went
working in the wrong direction. He then
turned his attention to the north and drilled
well on the Alb Smith farm, just on the edge Of
the town. This well had 10 feet of sand and
sprayed a little oil, but never made well.
At this juncture of his Belmont career, MIR.
Johnson's exchequer became exhausted, and
notwithstanding the fact that he controlled
100 acres of what is now the most prolific ter
ritory, he could not induce capitalists to ven-
ture a cent They called him crazy, and for q
time his operations were suspended. In May.
Mr.. Johnson's experience and the knowledge
he had gained assumed control OF the famous
island, organized the Two Brothers Oil Com
pany, and on February Is, 1890, struck 400
pioneer johnson soon followed with another
well on the Browse farm, which started off at
10 barrels a day. thus crowning his efforts
with success. Mr.. johnson now has six pro-
ducing wells making daily output Of 800 bar
rels. The probabilities of an extended field
yet remains for the drill to determine.
The oldest operators here think thatthere will
be found an extension on the Ohio side on a
second degree line, running northeast. This
opinion seems to have received additional sup
port from the fact that the Mccullough well on
the Rowland farm, located three-quarters of a
mile southwest from the Brown well came in
and is practically dry. having only
eight feet of close sand and a slight showing of
oil. The result Of Ackerley and Samueps
same time, and located on the other side of the
Brown farm well about ], 500 feet also lends
strength to this theory, the well having only
six feet of sand, and when shot perhaps will
make q small produce.
FEATURES OF THE FIELD.
Taking the Brown well as basis Of argu-
ment, which, by the way, had IA feet of sand
and is now producing so barrels a day, the con-
of the Rowland and Green farm
lures. Just whether the prolific streak lies to
the east or west of the Brown WELL will be
matter Of future revelation. On the south
western end of the Belmont belt but little is
doing as the geological formations are irregu-
lar and broken. One popularity of the field
that the rock dips to the northeast. while in
most other pools the dip is to the southwest.
The Borcher well. located across the river on
the Gano farm, three-quarters of a mile west of
Belmont developments, is dry in the Eureka
sand, but they are still pegging away for some |
thing below l $50 feet.
The Brown Oil Company's No. s. Taylor farm,
will find the sand Monday, and their Nos. 2 and |
} on the Jones farm will most likely tap the |
sand. Monday or Tuesday. while No. /, Hen |
tricks farm, and No ], Gore farm, will finish |
few days later; their No 4, Taylor. is drilling |
st.600 feet, and No. s Is a rig-building.
On the Stewart farm the Thomas Pencer Oil |
Company, 500 feet in advance from the acre |
md half WELL are drilling at 1000 feet
The Travellers Oil Company are building |
-ig on the ]. B. Reynolds farm, three miles up |
French Greek from Belmont and three-quarters |
If q mile west of the cotton farm gasser. The |
Duncan Oil Company on the A, Smith farm
1ave well down $50 feet. Last night, what |
night have proved serious accident was |
sverted by the timely tagging of the Parkers- |
)urg and Wheeling accommodation due at Bel |
restle. The Brown OIL Company struck O |
,eavy vein of gas and salt water in the salt |
and in the well. which is located near the |
restle close to the track. The gas escaped |
With great force. and is saidto be the heaviest |
low of gas ever found in this sand.
Had the train attempted to pass the well the |
,aloric fluid would have been ignited from the |
Ire in the locomotive. which would have set the |
rain on fire, and the escape of the passengers |
rom horrible fate would have been simply |
miraculous. The conductor, Notwithstanding |
he objections of the engineer and fireman, had |
he well. When at safe distance from the |
.asser the fire in the boiler was rekindled, and
Ifter an hours delay the train departed.
II. MCC.