Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-19
WANTWATER T0DRILL
Wells and Streams at Mcdonald De-
stroyed and Exhausted.
AN EXPERTS OPINION OF THE POOL.
Some Wells Completed Yesterday in the
Southwest Limits.
THE PRODUCERS AND THE PIPE LINES

consequently is without uQuOr lceuse'
The inhabitants, however, have never COM
planned of lack of liquor, as scarcely day
passes without a carload of beer
being shipped to the place. 1t is
water they want now. Water to drink,
water to use in cooking and loudest of all
the oil operators are crying for water to
use in their boilers. 1t is not a question OF
oil as it is of water. Water is almost as
valuable as petroleum. The oil escaping
from the wells has destroyed the springs
and brooks, and the salt water from
the oil wells has rendered useless
many of the water wells. Notwithstanding
the wealth it brings some of the old timers
among the natives look upon the oil as a
curse to their once fair land. To the oil
operator the lack of water means the loss
possibly of thousands of dollars, and in
several cases they have been compelled to
put down thousands of feet of pipe to
get water to their drilling wells. 1t is a
grievous question. The natives can aptly
quote: "Water, water everywhere and not
a drop to drink, while the operators muir
mur: "My shekels for drink of water. "
In consequence of the drouth, many of the
drilling wells have been shut down until
water wells can be drilled.
New Wells Complete1.
There were several good wells drilled into
the fifth sand yesterday in Mcdonald bor-
ough. The old wells which came in big are
still holding up their wonderful records.
There has been no break. One of the big
operators of the field said yesterday
in speaking of this fact: why should
they not hold up? Look at the immense
amount of territory each has to pull from.
1t is nearly four miles from the Wright
well, in southwest McCurdy, to the lower
end of the Mcdonald pool, and the big
wells scattered along this line are all
isolated. There is nothing near them to
hinde: their producing powers. On each
side of them up and down this line
they have from half mile TO mile of first
class oil sand, and it is only a conjecture
yet as to how fa7 the belt extends sideways.
This great field cannot be-compared to any
of the other white sand pools. Take Thorn
creek, Wildwood, or the rich Washington
county pool and here we had
big wells within few hundred
feet of each other and they would come in
three or four of them pulling from one little
rich spot they soon exhausted all of the oil
and gas and dropped to less than mediocre
producers.
Satisfied With Good Thing.
"The owners of the big wells in the Nc
Donald field, where they are fairly well pro-
tected, have been satisfied to let
well enough alone, and have not been
rushing things to puncture the shell in
every accessible spot, and thereby, perhaps.
kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
This is the wisest course, and in the long
run they will, no doubt, get more oil from
one of these big wells than from three or
four put down around it indiscriminately.
Each of the big ones is draining vast
amount of rock, and it would be the
height of folly to drill close to any one OF
them. If the belt should not be wide it is
not be more than a safe distance from one of
these on q 45-degree line. Within the next
30 days there will be at least 40 wells COM
pleted in the field, and l believe
yet to come. do not believe that there will
be any bigger wells than we have now. Tho
Mathews well, is probably the most remarka-
duced over 125, 900 barrels of oil in less than
three months, and shows no signs o; dimin-
ishing its enormous output. In fact, when
ever it changes it is for the better"
Extending to the Southwest
McDoNALD-W. P. Black s. Co.'s we'll on
the George lot is in the fifth sand, and good
for 40 barrels an hour. Their No. l, on the
Crooks lot, is also in the fifth, and making 20
barrels an hour. Both of these are south
west of the Z. P. Church lot well from |
was making IS barrels day from |
the Gordon sand and the Crooks lot 125 bar |
wells on the McNall, Springer and Jamison |
lots will get the Gordon sand to-day. McGeo |
Bros. & Co.'S well on the Smith lot is making |
lS5 barrels day, and will be shot Clark & |
Campbelrs well on the Sauters property, |
which is several feet in the fifth sand, |
is making about 200 barrels day. Shatfer |
& Co. were reported to have gotten 300 or |
400 barrel we'll on the hill west of the U. z. |
x.
SteeIes No. l on the Mevey was drilled q |
little and is making l25 barrels an hour.
Their No. 9 is down 1,O50 feet; No. is shut |
down at eco on account of the scarcity of |
water; No. 4 is 400 feet deep, and No. s is
spudding.
J. T. Sauters withdrew his suit against
brought to restrain them from drilling
through coal which he owned under an acre |
and a half of the Mevey farm Mr.. Sauters
IS the owner of the Nickel Plate mine. AS
of the withdrawal of the suit
Guckert & Steele have commenced spud-
ding in their No. Mevey Boviard. Seyfung
L Co.'S well is showing strong in the fifth
;and.
1t VIII Be Small Well.
McCURDY-Hoffman & Co.'s well on the
Moore farm was reported last night to be
rom 70 to Is feet in the fifth sand and good
or only 60 barrels day. This is "a disap-
1ointment to the owners as well as many of
5he leaseholders in the vicinity. 1t is only
bout 400 feet from the Forest Oil Company's
Wright farm well. In the extreme north
EASTERN part of the McCurdy field number
IF rigs have been built
Guffey & Galley have rig on the James |
Spear farm, three-fourths of a mile north
,ast of the schoolhouse lot well and east of
he old Groveton field. The Wheeling Gas
Company has n rig on the Samuel Phillips |
arm, about l,500 feet east of the school
louse and north of the Annie Adams No. l.
The Smith Farm Oil Company has rig up
he schoolhouse. The Philadelphia Gas
company is building a rig on the Aiken farm.
1t is ~ miles ahead of Developments in the
I'D McCurdy field, on a 45o line. Black &
Phillips, oDe-half mile northeast of the
Annie Adams No. 9. These are all in an ex-
ension to the northeast of the McCurdy
leld proper, and if any good will add big
cope of valuable territory to that field.
In Butler County.
CALLERY-Slagle, Lentz & Co.'s No. /, on
he Newton Garvin farm, is making $50 bar
els day, and their No. 2, on the same farm,
0 barrels an hour. They have made a loca-
ion for No. 3, on the Newton Garvin, and
re down 400 feet in their No. 2, on the Ben
amin Garvin. The Forest Oil Company's
20. Reichley is making l70 barrels u day, |
nd they are spudding in No. 2on the same
arm.
,ZELIENoPLE - Guckert & Steele's No. 2
tautfer is making 10 barrels an hour and
ney are building rig for No. 3.
What the Producers Want.
The following communication from the
Ion. David Kirk, of the McCalmont Oil
company, who is recognized as one of the
eading spirits in the Producers Protective |
fully explains itself:
o the Oil Editor of the Dispatch:
What the producers require is so reason
BILE that their demands have only to be
tated to be complied with. For the infor-
nation of all concerned, especially the pipe
me authorities, that they be prepared, l
ill state q hnut what the nrolucers want =,