The morning news., 1891-08-27
oa1o's OIL GEYsER.
Flowing at the Rate of 10000 Bar
rels in TWeaty-Four Hours.

From the Cincinnati Conimerc a. Gazette.
ST. MARY's, o.. Aug. 7-Ohio has the
biggest oil well in the United States, if not
in the world, and, if permitted to flow its
full capacity, it would more than fill two
of the monster 35,OO0-barrel tanks every
twenty-four hours. This great oil geyser is
located IN Hancock county, just four miles
south OF the town OF North Baltimore,
The well has just been drilled in, and
when at depth of thirty-flve feet in the
sand strong gas pocket was struck, and
the well showed for gas producer of about
I,2oO,OOO cubic feet capacity. Gas was not
what was wanted, however, and the drill
was sent eight feet deeper, which made the
total depth in the sand forty-three feet,
where oil was found. The total depth of
the well is POS feet. When the pool was
struck the oil started flowing, aud a connec-
tion was made through two-inch line from
the casing head TO a 600-barrel tank, which
was filled with good, clean oil in precisely
ninety minutes. The company then learned
that they had drilled into a wonderful lake
OF oil, and il was also discovered that or
dinary tankage facilities were far from suf-
hclent. and WORK was at once begun on
another 600-barrel tank. At the same time
several clnkey pumps were started, and pipe
lines were laid. while connections were being
made to the main line.
On the afternoon of the same day it was
decided to take the tools from the hole, and
thousands OF people, having heard of the
gusher. Hooked in from all directions to see
the famous geyser opened up. At about 3
O'Clock the engine was started and the tools
were being gradually brought to the sur
face. The drillers were being drenched
with oil, which flowed all over the derrick.
When the tools were within few hundred
feet of the surface the rope commenced to
slack, and the drillers. after reversing their
engine, made for place of safety, as the
tools were being lifted from the we'll by the
heavy pressure Of the OIL 1t was thought
at the time that the rope had broken aud
the tools left in the hole, but the drill was
found sitting beside the casing in the rig.
AS soon as the tools were out solid column
of oil belched forth from the casing head
rising far above the derrick, where it spread
in all directions. There we're two 2-inch
lines connected on the easing
1t made as beautiful a sight as anV one
wished to see. and it thrilled the hearts of
the oil men who witnessed the sight with
delight to know that they had looked upon
what was probably the largest oil well ever
completed on the globe. An effort was
made to shut the well in, and eight men
worked for nearly two hours until they sue
ceeded in getting the well under control
Afterward i5 was turned into a o00-barrel
tank through a two-inch line, running the
tank over with roly oil in sixty-three
minutes. The well, at the rate it flowed
through the casing for the space OF time it
was opened, would in twenty-four hours
produce a good 10000 barrels of rolly oil
making nearly double the sizs of anv we'll
ever completed, not barring the Russian
wells.
The Ohio oil field now leads all in the
shape OF phenomenal geyser of oil equal
to volcano. Some several months ago a
cable was sent out from Russia stating that
a we'll with capacity OF 400, 900 barrels a
day had been opened up in the Baku field of
Russia. There was a mistake in the report,
as it was claimed by eyewitnesses to be good
for only 10000 barrels.