Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-07
NO FAMINE In OIL.
Pessimistic Opinions Of Biologists
Haven't Proved True.
AS GREAT A FUTURE AS EVER.
Science Gets the Worst of 1t in Its Argu-
ment With the Drill.
CARLES PREDICTION TWO YEARS AGO
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE p1srAroH.i

NEW YORK, Feb. 6.-The oil crowd in
the Consolidated Stock and Petroleum Ex>
change was: discussing the geology of the oil
regions when the assertions were made tn at
no geologist had ever located an oil field,
and that no important field had ever been
developed that geologists had not pooh
poohed.
1t was stated in support of this assertion
that all the scientific gentlemen were against
the theory of oil being found away from tine
early developments on Oil creek; that when
little oil had been found near Lima the
State Geologist of Ohio made careful exam
nations, and finally gave it as his opinion
that no oil in any considerable quantity
would be found In the State, and that any
explorations would be a waste of time and
money. 1t was further said that geologists
were originally against the Bradford field,
but it should be rememb bered that the pro-
ducers were also against it. They were the
last to believe that Bradford would ever
amount to anything. and if the cheese
makers of Chautauqua and neighboring
counties had not come down on the new ter
ritory like wolves On the fold the Bradford
basin would undoubtedly remained undis-
turbed for some time later.
Didn't Believe in Black Stuff.
The producers who had been accustomed
to dealing with white sand pools could not
make themselves believe that the black
stuff which was being taken out of the ex-
perimental wells in Mexican county would
ever produce much oil. 1 remember when
the first package of this sand was sent down
to Oil City as sample. Some very wise
old producers would look at it, smile softly.
shake their heads and say it was "no good"
Jacob Shirk was one producer in particular
who was much amused at it, and Mr.. Shirk
was as good judge of those things as the
average.
THAT stuff is no good on earth, said
Mr.. Shirk, "nor in the waters beneath tn e
earth. If that's the best Bradford can do
there will not be many strings of tools
moved up there from Butler county"
And this was the verdict of nine producers
out of ten.
Imention this as sort of stand-off in
favor of the scientific gentlemen whom they
are now after. At the same time it has to
be confessed that the geologists have not
covered themselves with everlasting glory
in their petroleum representations. As
long as 10 or II years ago the late Henry
Wrigley, of Titusville, had figured it out
that all the oil was already pumped out of
the ground. or soon would be, and it would
not be long until the world would be left in
total darkness, 80 far as oil was concerned.
He advised great economy in the use of it,
and took decidedly gloomy view of the
situation generally.
Even Prof. CARL Was Panioky.
This recalls conversation had two years
ago with Prof. John F. CARL, who has so
long been connected with the Geological
Survey. Not only in his official capacity,
but as a resident of the oil country (Prof.
Carll lives in Pleasantville, Venango
county,, he has made a study of the geology
of the oil region, and is undoubtedly one of
the best informed men we have on this SUBJ
ject. As assistant geologist of the State his
official reports are invaluable to the trade
and have always been eagerly sought after,
both by producers and speculators. take
the liberty to reproduce here Prof. Carll's
views as expressed then and written out
few days later from notes taken at the time:
'In conversation with Prof. Carll he
expressed to the writer some rather sensa-
tlonal opinions regarding the future supply
of petroleum. Notwithstanding other views
are taken by producers, Prof. CARL says
the petroleum fields of Pennsylvania are
being rapidly drained, and at the present
rate of exhaustion it will not be many years
until the question of supplying the world
"For the past year." said Prof. CARL,
"the supply was 5000, 900 barrels short OF
the demand, as gauged by former years, and
every day the demand is more and the sup
ply much less. A few years ago the reverse
was the case. Stocks were piling up at the
rate of 2, 600, 900 barrels a month, or almost
that, and now they are being decreased at
the rate of, 900, 600 barrels month, and have
been for the past year. This shortage in the
supply includes the large production of the
Ohio fields, where extraordinary results have
been obtained in the way of large wells
There are now something like $4,000, 900
barrels of petroleum in tanks in the Ohio
field, but this was because Ohio oil was not
yet used extensively as an illuminant.
Very Dubious About Ohio.
Prof. CARL was asked his opinion regard
ing the probable extent of the Ohio
field, and said he believed it would be
found much less in extent than the trade
and the public generally believed.
"When this field comes to be entirely de-
fined" he said, sit is pretty sure to fall
very much below the expectations that we
now hold out for it..
When asked it he thought Ohio oil would
ever be successfully refined and enter the
market as competitor of the Pennsylvania
product, he said: 81 certainly hope So
Without this oil i cannot see where the
worlds supply is to come from, and it would
be very great hardship to the people if
they had to give up this cheap and popular
illuminant. Neither gas nor electricity, in
my Judgment can ever take place as
means of illumination for the masses. And
yet with the known fields being so rapidly
exhausted as they are, L look before many
years for great scarcity of petroleum."
Prof Carll will probably admit as he
looks over Wildwood and the other pools in
the southwest, which were then unknown,
that the great scarcity of petroleum has not
yet set in. The impression got from him
two years ago was that the oil famine was
even then beginning to close in on us and
nothing whatever could be done to ward it
off. The only peg that Prof. CARL left to
hang hope upon, as I remember it, was
that small pool or two might still be
opened up in Venungo, Butler or Warren
counties. Outside of this limited district
the prospect was gloomy.
A Yale Professors Report.
Since the earliest developments on Oil
creek the opinions of scientists have been
sought, but the information obtained from
them has not been of much practical value
TO producers The first scientist to invade
the oil country was Prof. Silliman, of Yale.
He came as early as 1856, and made an
elaborate report for George II. Bissell and
other capitalists interested with him. Prof.
Sllliman's report was more particularly de-
voted to the chemistry of petroleum.
Throughout many pages he wisely refrains
from telling Messrs. Bissell & Co. anything
about the quantity of oil they haye under
their property near Titusville, from which
his samples were taken.
And this, it seems, is the only safe ground
q flo - t,l- tInol