Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-27
IT WAS 'STILLED HERE.
Another Authority Is Heard on the
First Barrel of Crude Oil.
CoALPORT, OHIO, PRODUCED IT.
The Oil Was Plugged cff Because 1t Hurt
the Salt Water Flow.
LETTERS QUOTED ON THE NEW THEORY


business here for the past As years, while in
conversation with reporter for The Dis
PATCH yesterday. SIT was in Coalport,
O., it was first found. Most of the people
of this great State will pitch into me for
saying this, as all seem to think that the
credit is due this State. But that cannot
be helped. 1 am an old resident of Penn
sylvania, but have proof of the matter.
'I have read with great pleasure the in
teresting statements of Judge Mellon and
| others in the Sunday DISPATCH as to
the first use cf petroleum. Most of the
gentlemen 1 am and was personally &C.
] quainted with I am one of the Oldest oil
4 men here, and permit me to give my expe-
rience as to the first distilling of the oil.
In doing so would not detract one iota of
justice due A. NJ. Kier. To him alone as a
man the world owes universal praise for his
interesting effort to harness petroleum and
make it universally helping to mankind. ."
Mr.. Cameron's story was told as follows:
His Story Of the Finding.
In 1851, while boring for salt at Coalport,
Meigs county, O., near Pomroy, the Coalport
Salt Company struck petroleum, OF rock oil
| as it was then called. The first oil ever dis
| titled for light was from that oil, in 1851, at
| $50 Liberty street, third floor. The oil flowed
| in great quantities, and run from the wells
| into the Ohio river, which was quite dis
| tance, and as they had no use for the stuff,
they hardly knew what disposition to make
o: it.
| They soon learned that sMr. Samuel Kier.
| of this city. was using oil as a medicine and
| they sent him can of it see II he could
make any use of it. 1t was very light in
gravity, black in color, and very combusti-
| BILE. He could do nothing with it. At that
time had contract to manufacture stove
| ware for Messrs. Pennock Mitchell at No.
| $40 Liberty street, on the third floor. / had
spent years of extra time trying to improve
| light, as lat and lard lamps were the only
things used at that time. The lamps that
Mr.. kier used were of my make. In 1874
| carried ON the business in Freeport. Pa,
making lamps there for miners in which TO
burn oil that was taken from the wells
| above that place. While at Pennock's, I
made still to distill resin, hoping to get
light from that, but it was not a success for
| illuminating.
Samuel Wickline worked for Mr.. Kier at
the time the oil was sent to him, and Wick
line told me OF tho circumstance. told
him to ask Mr. Kier to let me have it, and
the next evening he brought it to me. l
used a large cannon stove to heat my room,
which extended from Liberty street to Vir-
gin alley.
The Oil Promptly Exploded.
1 prepared my still to test the oil and
placed it on the stove. 1t soon began to
make q loud rumbling noise. I went to the
rear of the room, but upon hearing an explo-
sion, looked around and saw the oil had
scattered over the floor and walls and was
all on fire. did not want to raise an alarm,
so ran back, took my coat from the wall and
commenced battering it around and around,
until became exhausted. By that time the
oil had spent it's Iorce and died out. Had
known the nature OF it l would have let it
alone, as it will burn of and do no harm.
Not finding that effort n success, l nude
a nrina nd
put that in operation. 1t soon began to run
a clear liquid, as carbon oil, and it aston
ished me. 1 took some of the liQuidOand
what called the sediment in bottles down
stairs to show it to Messrs. Pennock and
Mitchell. l asked them what it was. They
pronounced one clear water and the other
tar. told them to dip piece of paper into
it and hold it to the fire. They did so, and
it bazed up beautifully. They became ex-
cited cited and asked is m me G %naS & 1t was; G brought
them where it came from. They asked me
to go to Ponroy, o., on the first boat and
secure it. i took samples in bottles, went
to the salt company's office in Pomroy and
showed my SAMPLES TO Mr.. Horton, then
manager of the salt company. He was de-
port to the wells, but they had plugged it
Off the day before, having no use for it, as it
spoiled the salt water. Mr. Kier heard of
my success. and came to me, examined the
oil and consulted with me as to the process
and the making OF his new still. He had a
small still, but 1t was stolen while he was
made his developments.
He Had the Proofs.
81 have here the copy of a letter." said Mr.
Cameron, (which wrote to the postmaster
at Pomoy, O., on August l7th, in order to
get proof of my statement" 1t reads as
follows:
Pardon me, a stranger, for troubling you
with these lines. There is a controversy
now as to who stilled the first petroleum, |
and where it came IRON. Away back in the |
forties oil was struck in quantities in one of |
the oil (salt) wells, owned by salt company |
in your place. The well, l think, was located |
below your town, at place called Coalport. |
1t was managed by an old gentleman, Mr.. |
Horton, and think the office was in your |
town. Some of the Oil was at that time sent |
to me at Pittsburg and 1 stilled it, taking |
some of the product to Mr.. Horton. He was |
delighted with it. We went to the |
and having no use for it, it was plugged off. |
Is Mr.. Horton living yer-he was fine |
gentleman7 If so, ASK him if he remembers |
the circumstances or If he can give me the |
'4Gs. That will enable me to settle one |
point in shilling. Ii Mr.. Horton is not liv- |
ing, perhaps some one OF the company can
give the information desired as to the /
str. king of the OIL at or about what time. |
Any information you can gather for me, or |
having someone correspond with me as re-
CARDS to 1t or on the subject Will be great |
L. o. CAMERON.
Another Interesting Document
Mr.. Cameron then handed the reporter a
copy of the answer he received, which was
from Edward Turnbull, to whom the post
master had handed the letter. The letter
is printed below:
PoMERoY. MEIGs COUNTY, o.
December 25, 1892.
MY DEAR SIR-Yours of the 18th instant
handed me yesterday by our postmaster.
In regard to your inquiry, will try and
give you the answer. The first salt well
boreu at the Conlport Salt COmpany's works |
was in the summer of 1851 In boring the
same they got oil, which flowed in such
Qu4Ln tity as to run into the Ohio river. con-
Timing for some time. This was prior to |
my being engaged with the salt company in |
the winter OF lS5I-'52. The second salt we'll |
the same. In June, 1852, Iiput the pump into
salt well No. 2, and on June 16 started to
pump the suit well. After pumping the
same for an hour or so the oil came very
profuselv. To stop the oil, as there was no
demand for the same, / took the pump out
at the depth OF $50 feet and shut out the oil.
Oil was Iound in some of the salt wells on
the Kanawha river in the 40's, but it was not
very plentiful. What have stated know
from my own experience at both places
Mr.. +. B. Horton has been dead Tor several
years. do not know of but one person liy-
ing now besides myself that had any business
with the works at that time. was engaged |
Is their manager in January, 1852 The first
salt well alluded to of the Coalport Salt
Company never showed any sign OF oil fter
starting TO pump salt water.
But Found No Oil
had hole bored only three feet from the
original to the depth of $50 feet but never
rot any oil. was with the said companv
Until May, 1854 II you wish any further |