Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-20
TAYLORsTowN on FIELDS.
What the 500 Wells of the Pennsylvania
Town are Doing.

l
TAYLoRsrowN, PA, May 19.-Another Of
those thriving oil sections, concerning
which little has been published of late, is
Taylorst0wn. Pa, some twenty-five miles
east of Wheeling on the line of the Pitts
burg branch of the b. & o. road. One cir
cumstance which may have prevented is
the mud-Or perhaps more strictly the
mortar During a rain the peculiar quality
of earth which compose the roads imme-
diately resolves itself into a soft, pasty mass
and i'm this condition they remain for a
long time. The road from the depot 10 the
stores has been almost impossible all
through the spring, and is likely to be for
another month TaylorstOwn is a sort Of
mud Venice The only way pedestrian
travel is effected is by means of a raised
plank walk running along the sides OF the
meadows.
But with all its mud it has oil, and that
in abundance. TaylOrstown, from an oil
standpoint. is another of those remarkable
four-year-olders. 1t was just years
ago last July that the first well
was finished, and to-day there
are 500 producers, and 50 more wells under
way. This also includes those in the Clays-
vile district adjoining, the scene of recent
Developments There are two or three
wells now drilling in ClaYsville which are
being watched Nth great deal of inter
est, as determining the extension of the oil
territory. One or two of these 800 wells
were once great producers, throwing some
,. 400 barrels when first struck. But they
have all calmed down TO a steady yield. The
average daily output at present, taking
the whole 800 wells into consid-
Grafton, is estimated at - barrels. The
average depth Of the wells here is 1900 feet,
some Of them going as low as $500. The
Washington oil is found in sand some 25O
shallOwer than at Taylorst0wn. The
amount of money thus far expended in de-
veloping this oil field, which is seven miles
long and from one to one and one-half miles
wide, is =, 100000.
The projections have been attended with
no more than the usual disadvantages, and,
considering the extent of the territory, the
dry wells encountered here have been few
and very far between: The wells
here are owned largely by com
panies. the Washington Oil Company,
in which ex-Sheriff G. p. Brown, of
Wheeling, owns large interest, holds in
the hollow of its palm l59 wells. About
the largest individual operating was done
by :. ID. Blaney, who projected wells ON
his own farm, and now has four running.
There are two kinds of oil in this field in
veins cross-nowing in what are known rs
the Gordon sand and the fifth sand.
No big strikes are of recent date, and the
only notable transfer of property is quar-
ter interest in the Gauley farm of 100 acres
for $50. 900. The owners of this property
were Messrs. Fall and Shay, and the pur-
chasers the Elyra Co., of Ohio. On this
| farm there are six producing wells already,
with total production of 200 barrels, and
three more drilling. Despite the already
large Weld there are still bright prospects
for the future of the field, and the terrific
ry is believed TO be good for several years
to come. Gas has been struck TO some ex-
tent here, but not very extensively, only
enough so far being produced from three
wells to supply the immediate neghborhood.
The gas section, however, is rapidly being
| opened.