Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-01
FL RTHER FACTS
SHOWING THAT WHEELING POSSESSES MANY
ADVANTAGES
To Profit Ii a Commercial Way From a De-
yelopment Of Surrounding Oil Fields
Some Scraps Of
History.

Last Sunday the REGISTER printed an
article upon the general topic Of the i'm
portance the neighboring oil-producine
fields are to Wheeling, pointing out the
central position Of our city and its convent
ence TO all the territory now undergoing
development. and il was particularly urged
that our advantageous location ought To DC
turned to still better account in a manufac-
turing and commercial sense.
The article in question, dealing as II did
with recognized facts, produced quite an
/ impression among business men and others.
From what old and experienced oil men
say il is evident that they look upon this
section as one exceptionally rich IN
/ grease. the development of which in
| the future will be something won
derful. The use of the term, this section, -
must be understood to be rather broad and
/ far reaching, as it embraces all that stretch
of land living from the Pennsylvania line
across West Virginia. through Manning
ton to the river at Belmont and over IN
Ohio as far. ut least. as Macksburg, where,
as all who know anything Of the history oil
oil know. much oil has been taken from the
Berea grit. that close long producing sand
in which all the big Belmont wells nave
been struck and the staying qualIty OF
which is something phenomenal. bered
grit wells drilled some fifteen years ago
are still producing paying quantities oil OIL
as bumpers
The history Of the advancement Of OF
DEVELOPMENT from the Butler field to the
Belmont field. eXhaustively written, would
make q large and interesting volume; tnat
of the Washington field alone IS one OF alb
sorbing interest II would commence along
in 1855, when Col. Crocker, Of Iitusville, a
well known member Of the Niagara OIL
Company, of Buffalo, began striking big
gassers. The town people catching the gas
fever, drilled for 1t right in town almost
and found il in the Can't sand, so called be
cause the we'll was on the property of man
named Can't. This sand was found
at depth of about 200 feet, or about L.,
$50 feet below the Pttsburg coal, which is
the point all oil men reckon from. Follow
ing the striking OF the Can't sand there
came a Mr. Thayer of Buffalo, who drilled
a well on what was known as the Gordon
farm about one mile from the Can't well,
and found oil in a sand POO feet below the
CAN'T sand That sand took the name Of
Gordon ana became famous. II was not,
however, till John MckeOwn had put up
over $500 in bonuses and spent altogether
about SljO,OOO that he got drop OF oil.
After that his returns were far more rapid
liliI ilAil Nitu Ills outlay anu ~ w amy
wealthy man. One of his wells, the Mar
tin No. >. came in at 5.O0 barrels per day
and was the biggest well of the field il Is
producing to-day about - barrels daily,
and its total output up TO date is estimated
at about $4,000 barrels. Charles Young,
Of Belment. Allen county, y. Y, was an
other pioneer in this field; his old
Smith" well situated about one mile and
half northeast of Can't No. was
a move in new direction and found
splendid pool in the Can't sand, starting
of at 600 barrels Some Wheeling people
got into the Washington territory in good
time and made money, and proiiting from
the experience Of those who had the nerve
TO 90 in in those days. The opening up Of
the Belmont field found a host Of anxious
ones ready TO invest The profits of some
in that field have been very gratifying to
them and their friends. and as the develop
ment goes ON others will profit, or have
q chance TO do so.
Washington was not slow 10 wake up
from the lethargic state in which the oil
movement found her and her improvement
has been wonderful Much of the profit
she has reaped can be in like manner
roapcd by Wheeling. If She will rouse her F.
self 10 the opening now presenting