The Dickinson press., 1890-09-27
PETROLEUMS RISE.
STORY OF THE DISCOVERY AND
GROWTH OF THE OIL FIELDS.

Tho Land on Which tho First Well Was
; Found Was Traded for u Cow-SIany
Men Were Ruined Before Fortunes We're
NIade-Names of Some Early Wells.
!. Very few people are cognizant even
in western Pennsylvania of the rapidity
of development in the petroleum bust
ness from the time, thirty-seven years
ago, when it was known as Seneca oil.
Active operations began in 1858, when
Col. Drake, of New Haven, was en-
ployed to sink an artesian well for Bis
sell s. Eveleth, who had leased the Titus
vile oil springs in 1854 from Brewer,
Watson 6 Co., paying them $4,000 for
ninety-nine year lease.
A few years before the land had been
traded to man named Chase for a COW.
At first Bissell s. Eveleth had trenches
dug, which filled with water and oil,
and this was pumped into watts. The
well drilled by Drake struck oil ut
depth of 69t feet. It September it
pumped forty barrels u day, which sold
at so cents gallon. 1t began to hurt
the coal oil distilleries which made oil
from shale and camel coal
Operations spread down Oil creek, and
in December, 1859, u we'll was struck at
the Buchanan farm, near Rouseville, but
it was small one. Mr.. Harper states
that tho first crude oil delivered in Pitts
burg was from the Albion well, on the
Allegheny river, owned by Phillips, Frew
& Co. This we'll made fifty barrels
Tho oil cold M Q0 r%t.o oro11oV,
with the provision that the barrels be
returned. The machinery, supplies and
men necessary to drill the we'll were
shipped in the old canal packet Crystal
Palace.
WHEN WELLS MULTIPLIED.
In 1860 the petroleum trade began to
be recognized as business worth some
thing more than curious mention, but
its magnitude had not impressed itself,
for the people rated production of crude
in gallons and not in barrels. There
were no oil exchanges to rouse public at
tention. Some big wells made their ap-
pearance, but not many The Hamil-
ton-McClintock, two miles above Oil
City, started off at sixty gallons IL min
ute, and was worth 90 cents u gallon at
the wells. The Economics began to
rake in shekels at Tidioute, and refineries
began to spring up in various places.
Crude sold in this city at 60 cents gal
Ion.
Royalty to land owners, now ranging
from one-eighth to one-fourth delivered
in pipe lines, then ranged from one
fourth to three-fourths, and the oil was
furnished to the land owner in iron
hooped barrels, which ranged in price
from $3.50 to 1925 each. This arrange
ment bankrupted some operators i'll 1862,
when the price of crude dropped to 10
cents barrel, and they allowed many
thousands of barrels to flow into Oil
creek and down the Allegheny river. AS
Senator Ingalls, might say, their rides
cent dreams of wealth were speedily
dissipatcd. In September three-quarters
of the oil in barrels furnished by the
operators was paid for the lease of a lot
seventy-fve feet front at Titusville.
In 1861 the greatest wells ever struck
We're brought in on Oil creek. One in
Butler county, on the Marshall farm,
some years ago made Il larger flow ut tho
outset, but it did not hold out long. The
breaking out of the rebellion and conse-
quent panic prostrated petroleum bust
ness i'll the early part of the year, but
revival of tho industry took place DUR
ing the summer as the prospect began to
grow for increased uses for oil. In
August there were 800 wells between
Oil City and Titusville. In September
the Phillips No. 2, OH the Tarr farm, was
struck. Its first days production was
1000 barrels. The Empire was also flow
ing $500 a day. The oil was SO plenty
that wells were plugged, when they
could be thus restrained, but many
thousands Of barrels were allowed to run
into the creek, and the Allegheny river
was covered with oil for many miles be-
low franklin
GROWTH IN 1862.
The Woodford we'll on the Tarr farm
was struck in December and made 5000
barrels day. This we'll ruined tho
Phillips No. 2, and in turn was ruined.
The water was not cased off in those
days, and when the tubing was drawn
at the Phillips the Woodford began flow
ing b. s. The same trouble developed at
that time on the upper end of the Blood
farm. 1t is said the boring of the Wood
ford well was instigated by pure hog
gerry, with intent to ruin the Phillips
No. 2. The attempt was successful, but
it didn't pay the owners of the Wood
ford. The Coquette was also one of the
old time spouters of great renown. She
was owned by DR.. Egbert, who now does
business at 96 Fourth avenue, this city.
The year 1862 was more memorable
for trade agitation regarding oil than
for large wells. The market in this
country broke down this year, though a
gallon of refined cost in this city as much
as barrel Of crude does today. The
cost of hauling was immense, and pipe
line projects began to take shape.
The teamsters and their friends in the
oil country were a powerful party, and
they opposed the pipe line proposition,
and some lines were destroyed in places
and there were riots. Congress proposed
to lay tax of five cents a gallon on
crude, more than twice what it sells for
now, and ten cents gallon on refined,
and meetings of producers were held to
protest. Titusville was then tho center
for the producers. The cost of sending
barrel of oil to New York was 81. As,
and steamboats, charged Sc barrel fol
bringing it from Oil City to Pittsburg.
Crude ranged in price this year from II
cents in January to 1925 per barrel il
December at wells. Some people were
ruined and others made colossal fortune.
thereby, but the Standard hadn't beer
born, and the surplus was only 1000
barrels in Octobex.-Pittsburg Dispatch
Sold Again.
"It's bully site for coal yardf''
"What is?''
"Anthracite. New York Herald.
Cities of Russia.
In 1885 there were throughout til
immense empire of Russia, with tota
population Of 1os, ,7s7 1886, only thirty-si