The Portland daily press., 1890-08-15
THE PRESS.
FRIDAY MORNING, AUG. Is.
PETROLEUM. RISE.
Story Of the Discovery and Growth
Of the oil Fields.
[Pittsburg Dispatch.

[Pittsburg Dispatch.
Very few people are cogn1zant even
in western Pennsylvania of the rapldlty
of development in the petroleum bust
ness from the time, thirty 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 g. Eveleth, who had leased the Titus
vile oil springs in 1854 from Brewer,
Watson & Co., paying them $1,000 for
ninety mine year lease.
A few years before the land had been
traded to man named Chase for cow.
AT first Bissell g. Eveleth had trenches
dug, which filled with water and oil,
and this was pumped into watts. The
well drilled by Drake struck oil at
depth of CO., feet. II September it
pumped forty barrels day, which sold
at 80 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, well was struck at
the Buchanan farm, near Housewife, but
it was small one. Mr.. Harper states
that the first crude oil delivered in Pitts
burg was from the Albion well, ON the
Allegheny river, owned by Phillips, Frew
g. Co. This well made fifty barrels a
day. The oil sold at 80 cents gallon,
with the provision that the barrels be
returned. The machinery, supplies and
men necessary to drill the well 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 APP
pearance, but not many. The Hamil-
McClintock, two miles above Oil
City, started off at sixty gallons a min
ute, and was worth % cents gallon at
the wells. The Economics began to
rake in shekels at Tidioute, and refneries
began to spring up in various places.
Crude sold in this city at 60 cents gal
lon.
Royalty to land owners, now ranging
from one-eighth to one-fourth delivered
in pipe dimes, then ranged from one
fourth to three-fourths, and the oil was
furnished to the land owner in iron
hoped barrels, which ranged in price
from $3.50 to 1926 EACH This arrange
ment bankrupted some operators in 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
dissipated. In September three-quarters
of tie oil in barrels furnished by the
operators was paid for the lease of lot
seventy-five feet front at Titusville.
In 1861 the greatest wells ever struck
were brought in on Oil creek. One in
Butler county, ON the Marshall farm,
some years ago made larger flow at the
outset, but it did not hold out long. The
breaking out of the rebellion and conse-
quent pane Frustrated petroleum bust
ness in the early part of the year, but a
revival Of the 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, on the Tarr farm, was
struck Its first days production was
1000 barrels. The Empire was also flow
ing {, 800 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 well on the Tarr farm
was struck in December and made 5000
barrels day This well ruined the
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 Il 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 Il gallon Oh refined,
and meetings Of Producers were held to
protest. Titusville was then the center
for the producers. The cost of sending
Il barrel of oil to New York was $7.45,
and steamboats, charged So barrel for
bringing it from Oil City to Pittsburg.
Crude ranged in price this year from 10
cents in January to $225 per barrel in
December at wells Some people were
ruined and others made colossal fortunes
thereby, but the Standard hadn't been
born. and the surplus was only 100000
barrels in October. -Pittsburg Dispatch
A City In Miniature.