Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-16
THE OIL SITUATION.
1t Is Certainly Perplexing As 1t
Stands at the Present Time.
TRANSFER THE PROBLEM STILL.
Predictions As to the Probable Longevity
of the Mcdonald Pool.
REPORTS FROM ALL THE OIL FIELDS

The question as to whether the patrons of
the Southwest Pipe Line Company shall
allow their oil to be run into the National
Transit lines has not yet been settled. AT
the meeting Monday night they came to no
definite conclusions. The chances are, how
ever, that they will submit to its
being done. There was a report in circula-
tion yesterday that the producers had passed
resolution to refuse to sign the paper
authorizing the Southwest people to run
Southwest oil into the National Transit
lines This was denied on every side. AL
though the operators who were present
at the meeting refused to say
just what action had been taken. They said
that no such resolution had been passed.
In talking on the subject last evening, one
of the well-known operators said: "What
alternative have we if we do not submit to
the Southwest Pipe Line Company's re-
quest? They say they are pressed
for tankage and simply ask to
transfer the surplus oil to the National
Transit. If we refuse, and the surplus goes
to waste, who is to blame but the producers
themselves? We, as an organization, have
no tankage, and very little as individuals.
Suppose in order to protect our interests as
well as their own they should use
the tanks of some other pipe line company
could we censure them. There are always
two sides to every question and my idea is
to look carefully at both sides of the fence
before you take the final leap.
Talk Is Still Cheap.
Talk is cheap now, as it always was, and
there is just as much of it in the present era
as there was 20 years ago. But talking will
not keep our oil in tanks where there are
none. For my part I am willing to let the
Southwest Pipe Line Company use any
tanks they please whether they belong to
them or to the Mikado of Japan.
Oil will not spoil by storing it in
any kind of q receptacle which will hold it.
As for the matter Of orders which the Ma
tional Transit Company will ask from the
producer who has Southwest oil in the latter
concerns lines, I can easily account
for it. The National Transit only
wishes to keep track of the Southwest
oil which it receives or delivers. 1t is do
ing this simply as matter of business. If
you get an order from the South Pipe Line
Company on the National Transit Company
to give you 1000 barrels of Southwest oil
I have not the slightest doubt
but that the National Transit
Company will give you the grade
of oil for which your order calls Producers
pretend to be scared and to believe that this
is one of the Standards tricks, but if it is it
is improbable on the face of it. If
it should turn out that the producers
are being fooled it will be one of the slick
est schemes which the great oil company
has yet put into execution.
Have No seaboard Line.
If the producers had q seaboard pipe line
of their own and sufficient tankage to take
care of the oil now being produced, the sit
uation would be entirely different.
The fact is they have neither of
these necessary requisites in the pipe line
any kind of a fight. There are plenty of
old-time and experienced operators who
predict with good show Of success, that
the bottom will drop out of the
field within the next
80 days, at least, and then
there will be rapid rise in the market. 1t
is a noticeable fact, however, that these
same men who are predicting such sudden
advance in prices are not buying any of the
55-cent oil which is now to be had. Granted
that the market may advance be-
fore 80 days, that does not change
the present condition of affairs. The situa-
tion as it stands now is to be looked in the
face, and the problem met and solved. Some
of the oil companies which are supposed to
be identified with the Standard are the
biggest producers in the field, and they
are not makiug any more
money than the Independent companies and
firms. 1t would be very foolish indeed for
the producers to allow themselves to be- |
lieve that they were to be tricked by let
ting their oil go iuto the National Transit |
lines, and thus clog up the lines from their
own wells"
Well News Yesterday.
MCDoNALD-There was scarcely anv
change in the gauges of the wells of this |
field yesterday except at the Mevey No. 1 |
of Guckert & Steel. 1t was drilled for |
few minutes late Monday night, and |
its production Immediately increased |
from 75 to 90 barrels an hour. 1t was pro-
ducing at the latter rate yesterday after |
noon. Their No. on the Mevey, is down |
300 feet; No. 8, 600, and No. is down |
about $50 feet. Garland & Hay g No. on the |
Miller farm is making about 100 barrels an |
hour. Their Nos. 8, and 8 on the same farm |
are each down about 1900 feet, and their
Nos. 6, Z and are from 300 to 600 feet deep. |
Another good well was added to the long |
list in this field yesterday. Kelly, Mayer
edge of the borough and |
about 800 feet southwest Of the
Q. P. church lot well was drilled into the |
sand yesterday morning and is making
from 25 to 80 barrels an hour. 1t is due
northwest of the Wheeling Gas Company's
Cook lot well about 500 feet. At last ac-
counts the well of Clark & Bannister
Brothers, on the Smith lot; and
Roland & Co. on the McLain lot were still
shut down on top of the fifth sand for lack
IF sufficient tankage before drilling in. The
Devonian Company's No. 2 on the Fugall
arm; their No. 1 on the Elliott farm; and
heir No. 2 on the j. II. Robb are
within a few days of the last sand
1uffey, Murphy and the Fisher Oil Com
ported to have been burned yesterday by
triking pocket of gas. They have started
o drill at their No. 2, on the Baldwin farm,
md at their No. on the Hutchinson farm.
They have a. rig up for No. 3, on the Wal
ace farm, and for No. 9, on the Morgan.
ieorge S. Martin & Co.'S No. on the
ieiser lot is down l, 700 feet, and their No
on the Druart property is drilling at 1850
eet. The phenomenal production of the
rells in this and the territory in the
lortheast is constant source of
pecuIation. The first question is,
How long will these big wells hold up to
heir present standard?'' and the next:
What will the second crop of wells be
ike-those that are completed within the
ext Is days?" 1t is scarcely necessary to
ay that well which averages 100 barrels
n hour for 80 or 60 days or rather
,hich will yield 1900 barrels in the first
Instance and 144, 200 in the second, will
rain a vast amount of rock, and the COM
leted well, which is within 20 rods of it.