Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-02
SECRET0F THE WATER.
Oll From a Philadelphia Company'S
Well Let Run Into the River.
ANOTHER MENACE TO IT'S PURITY.
There Is Possibility of New Petroleum
Field at Verona.
J. M. BRUCE SUGGESTS ANOTHER CAUSE
MENACE TO IT'S PURITY.
BRUCE SUGGESTS ANOTHER CAUSE

Chief Bigelow has discovered what he
thinks is probably the real cause OF the
miserable condition of the water the people
of Pittsburg have been compelled to use
lately, and at the same time discovered
what may prove to be q new oil field. In
making an investigation yesterday, he
learned that the Philadelphia Company had
\lbeen drilling for gas in Penn township,
back OF Verona borough, and had struck oil.
According to the information he received,
heavy flow of oil was struck about ten days
ago, and the company, not having any use
for it, had allowed the oil to run into a
small creek, by which it was carried TO the
Allegheny river, a short distance above the
water works
1t was also stated that the Philadelphia
Company had endeavored successfully to
create the impression that the quantity of
oil found was very small. Scouts from
other companies had been out in large
numbers watching the drillers, but were
kept back by the men at work until the oil
flow was cased off few days ago. The
scouts were kept in ignorance of the guam
tity of oil found by the use of a pipe which
carried the wasting fluid down to the creek.
The Oil Is Less Noticeable.
The quality of the drinking water had
improved yesterday and the complaints
were not so numerous, except about the
hotels. Visitors from other cities have
been complaining considerably about the
water they have to drink and ba.he in, and
not a few have entirely refrained from the
use of it as beve Ee. But the fact that
the water containSless of the oil for the
past couple Of days supports Mr.. Bigelow's
latest theory.
Superintendent George Browne of the
Philadelphia Company, was seen yesterday
afternoon and admitted that the company
was operating in Penn township and had
struck flow of oil. He declined to say how
much or little, but intimated that the guam
tity was not great. 1--WE are drilling for
gas on the Hotellyn farm, a couple Of miles
south of Verona" he said, "and expect to
get some. The oil struck was cased off and
there is none flowing away from the well |
now. This company is after gas at present. |
After that is exhausted, if it ever is, we
will pay some attention to developing oil |
fields. We have only about seven acres in |
that neighborhood.
fnother Menace TO CITY Water.
An oil man was asked if there was anv |
likelihood of an oil field being developed |
near Verona but he said not. He says:
''The indications do not point TO oil in
quantity that would make it worth drilling
for in that section, but there may be oil dis
covered on the other side of the river with
in few miles of the city. If it is, the |
city's water supply will suffer, for wherever |
the oil is found salt water is almost invari-
ably found also, and that must be allowed to
run away. IT the Penn township field
should happen to be a producer the water
will be injured by the waste oil and salt
water"
John NJ. Bruce, the ice man, offers new
theory for the bad water, charging it to the
lubricating oil used on the pumps at the
water works. He says the engines condense
their steam and exhaust the product into the
pits from which the water is pumped, and
the oil used in the cylinders is volatilized
by the steam heat and thereby mingled with
the water.
81 have tasted it almost as often as I have
used city water" he said, land to remedy
the trouble the condensed steam should be
piped down to the river