Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-01-13

The first discoveries In the way OF oil
and gas were made by John Killmaster
five years ago last summer. Mr.. KILL
master was passing through a swampy
place In the woods and observed that the
surface Of pools Of water were agitated
by the frequent arising of bubbles.
Curiosity prompted him to apply light
ed match when the surface Of the pool OF
water became sheet Of flame, the bub-
bles, which proved to be gas, arising In
sufficient quantities to maintain q blaze
upon the surface for some time. For
time thereafter this phenomena was test
ed by inserting a cask or barrel prepared
with vent over places where bubbles
were seen to arise. The small escape
from the gas at the vent would 80 confine
1t that continuous blaze could be main
tanned in many places. At first this was
supposed to be the result Of the escape
of marsh gas. to which the low lands are
known to be impregnated. Later In the
same summer six-inch we'll was sunk
after considerable effort, with the crude
appliances at hand to a depth Of about
$40 feet when there suddenly arose to the
surface vast volume Of gas with suffici-
ent force to throw the boats Of the work
men seventy feet into the air. The odor
DcCdluo bO SIIOuk blidI uO Ono COulu To-
main inside the derrick but a few mo-
ments at time. Appliances were soon
arranged for making test of It's burning
qualities. From the well two-inch pipe
was conducted to the outside of the der
rick and a match applied. A blaze Of
fire fully twenty feet In length and eleven
feet in diameter could be regularly main
tanned. The force was such that the
gas could not ignite until It had reached
point three or four feet from tho end Of
the two inch pipe In use. The force OF
the flow of gas upon the six-inch pipe was
tested and found to be $50 pounds to the
square inch when the exit was coupled to
two-inch pipe. In the meantime small
quantities Of petroleum escaped upon the
water which was forced up by the gas.
After delay OF day or two the we'll was
continued deeper and the gas shut OF.
1t became necessary then to continue
work to pipe off vein OF water. The
we'll was too small for this and was
abandoned.
The next effort was made by sinking q
twelve-inch we'll. This was sunk to q
depth of about $50 feet when the work.
men got drunk one day and lost their
sinking bar which they were never able
to recover. Extensive preparations had
been made for Notification mass meet
ing when this well reached the gas vein,
and 1t was proposed to send up thous-
and or more balloons bearing descrip-
ton of the discovery. But we'll No. 2
ended where the drunken workmen lost
their sinking bar. Well No. 8 was four
inches In size and was calculated to DO
sunk to the gas vein only. This was
successfully done four years ago last
summer. From this well continuous
flow OF gas has been had at any time that
II was cleansed Of Its accumulation Of
mud and water which had never been
properly cased off. This flow continued
until year or so ago, when some mis-
chevious boys threw the sand pump into
the we'll and on top Of this threw rocks
and sticks. Up to this time the house Of
Chas. Killmaster was heated and lighted
by the gas from the we'll, only an exceed
ingly small percentage Of the flow being
utilized. The maximum force Of the
flow here was about eighty pounds to the
square inch, one-half pound to the square
inch being used for Mr.. Killmaster's pur-
poses. Thus stands apart No. 3.
About eighteen months ago we'll No.
was commenced. This was ten-inch
well and was started for oil. 1t passed
through the gas vein and down to bed
rock, distance of $50 feet, where for
lack OF funds work was stopped. Here
operations ceased until last week. 1t
might be stated particularly that the
writer upon two different occasions In
the beds of different creeks In this locali-
ty, has by forcing stick into the soft
ground in the bottom of creek to some
distance and then withdrawing 1t found
TINT oruda r,afrolarpn 1uo,rld Anat off nm
on the surface of the water until the hole
made by the stick had closed up. Shale
filled with petroleum has been found in
making excavations which burned as a
match was applied. These surface indi-
cations Of oil and gas are not confined to
Killmaster, but are present In surround
ing towns.
The present drilling operations are un-
der the orders of c. G. Hatch, who rep
resents syndicate Of Pennsylvania oil
operators. They have secured the leases
OF $4,000 acres in the township Of KILL
master, out Of $4,000 acres in the dis
trict.
The contract provides for sinking we'll
1900 feet deep, and the work has already
been commenced. "The last we'll sunk
will be utilized for the first one OF the
new operations" 1t is the intention to
invest $25, 900 in sinking wells.
II only gas is found 1t would prove Of
great benefit, because it could be piped
to this city and used for heating and
lighting houses and business places.
The first Of the Masonic club assembly