The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-15
OIL AND GAS In JAY COUNTY
A Section Where a Hole in the Ground
Is Certain TO Find One or the Other.
The Oil Territory Comprises Twenty Square
Miles, Yields 5000 Barrels q Day, and
Development Progresses Actively.

staff Correspondence of the indianapolis Journal
CAMDEN, Ind, Dec. H--This place, al
though located in one of the best sections
of the gas belt. has as yet derived but lit
tie advantage from the development Of
wells. Located thirteen miles from rail-
way facilities, manufacturers have not yet
been able to avail themselves of it's gas
flow because of the impossibiity of getting
their product 10 the market No advantage
has thus far accrued to the town from the
gas aside from that derived from local use
and the disposal made of it for fuel and
lighting purposes TO Decatur, Button and
other conveniently adjacent towns Much
gas lie struck here. but it is anchored or
confined in the well. TO be used when COCA
81 on calls for it,
At present the DEVELOPMENT of the oil
field is exciting q new interest among the
people. They feel that their gas is en- az
sured fact, and as soon as railroad facilities
can be obtained they will bring to Camden
the same advantages that have come to her
sister cities throughout the belt.
The oil In this vicinity has undoubtedly.
thus far, brought more capital into this
part of the belt than the gas. This field is
IN an infant state of development, and
whether or not the strike will prove q
large and permanent one il q question
which time alone can determine. The field
of oil. so far as ascertained. would appear
TO extend from Geneva. in Adams county,
to Montpelier, in Blaokford countr. = dis.
lance OF about twenty miles, with an av-
erage width of one mile.
This district 10 divided into two sections.
or pools" as they are locally called, the
narr1A, -22 -. l2---t. 49, -
here; the Updegraff. or second. division of
the workings is situated six miles north Of
this point The Camden division IL the
better developed. furnishing about one
half the product OF the belt The total
output of the entire oil section is about
i've thousand barrels per day. Or this
900 barrels are drawn from the Camden
deposit. the remainder being supplied by
the Updegraff pool and the remaining parts
Of the district.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
There are about three hundred wells al
ready driven in the belt. the larger num-
Der of which are located on the Camden
and Updegraff pools. 1t must not be sup
posed that each of these properties 10 q
producer. At least 25 Fer cent are dry
holes" A dry hole" let 1T be understood,
means n containing gas only. Total
failure of results never occurs. II the
seeker for oil fails to find it he 10 certain
TO obtain o fine flow of gas; which. if not
so Immediately profitable. is prospectively
valuable.
The average capital put into active op-
GRAFTON throughout the belt may be esti-
mated by the cost of sinking q well. the
price paid for leases. the payment of royal
ties. etc. The average cost of driving q
per year for lands, and give q royalty,
usually its equivalent in cash, of one-eiRhth
of the product. The cost of development
alone throughout the twenty square miles
of the district would approximate half .
million of dollars.
The product from the two principal pools
is piped to Montpelier, where il is tanked
and placed upon the market. The com-
panies operating here are the Buckeye Oil
Northern Indiana. and the Portland OH and
Gas Company. The latter mpan dis
covered the oil in the Capden field while
boring for gas.
There have been wells struck here whose
flow. for q few hours, ran at as high q rate
as nine hundred barrels per dsy. One well
here is active at three hundred barrels per
day, but this 10 far above the average. Ie
was reported some days ago that an eight
near Portland, but investigation proved
the report false.
RAILWAY FACILITIES NEEDED.
Development in the oil field IL actively
progressing. and the results. while not as
gratifying as could be desired, are never.
theless such as to inspire the utmost con-
fdence in the permanency and extent of
the deposit. Experts from the fields OF
Pennsylvania say the Indications are those
of q first-class oil field.
The great want of Jay county is railroad
facilitIes; and Just why q line has not long
ago been constructed through this part of
the belt is hard to understand Some OF
the best farmers in the State would become
tributary toa line through almost any part
the farms alone would be enormous 10 say
nothing of the merchandise. oil. maohin-
cry, and Manufacturers products. suppos-
ufacturing enterprises would be located
here. rs IA other towns of the gas belt. The
county has already voted bonds TO the
amount of $4,000 for a railroad.
An old road-bed from Union City
to Montpelier was constructed twenty
five years ago.. and could be util-
lied to advantage. The right of way
has, of course, lapsed. bat much of it has
been newly secured. and all of 1t may be.
With this condition of affairs prevailing, it
would seem that railway facilities may
soon be obtained.
The people realize that this 10 their only
disadvantage. and with this removed Jaw
county. as a gas field, would be second TO
none In the belt, and as an oil producer
would develop into q valuable and pro-
ductlve field. Z. 2. A.