Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-31
OIL REVIEW FOR 1892.
General Decline in the Production
and Completed Wells.
M'DONALD THOROUGHLY TESTED.
SisterSVille Field and Low Prices Faturss
Of the Year.
DONALD THOROUGHLY TESTED.
MANY NEW PIPE LINES CONSTRUCTED

0eVelOpmenL OF Lne OlSLerSYllle pool
The Mcdonald field is already part of
the history of the oil country. It's best
days are over, its glory departed, but the
memory of its wonderful wells will never
be forgotten. Before they were brought in,
there was not man in the business who
would have believed that within IS miles
of Pittsburg oil wells would be found which
for days would produce over 10, 900 barrels
per diem.
There are now few, very few, who
imagine that such another pool, if any
exists, will ever be struck; although a we'll
informed geologist. who has engaged in the
oil producing business, stated, few days
ago, that there is liable to be immense
quantities of petroleum stored away in the
go miles below US which is supposed to
represent the earth's crust And it is not
at all improbable that with the improve
ment in oil well machinery and drilling
tools which is constantly being made,
it will be possible to drill twice or
three times the depth which they are able
to go now. Many more apparently 1mpos-
slD!e things have succeeded.
boroughs of Mcdonald and Oakdaie, and the
village OF Noblestown, EN- mbracin2 a region
six miles long, and from mile to two miles
wide, has produced nearly IL 900 900 barrels
OF crude oil from about 800 wells.
This is q wonderful output for so short q
time, but year ago there we're hundreds OF
men interested in that field who believed
that its production would be much larger
than it has since proven to be.
During the past year scores of wells have
been put down which demonstrated beyond
question that Mcdonald was the most
spotted pool ever opened
More Money Lost Than Made.
1t is for this reason that every man who
has been engaged in it is convinced, but
facts and figures are impossible to obtain,
that there has been third more money lost
in this field than has been taken out. Three
or four large firms and half q dozen indi-
viduals hit il rich, and wisely refralned
from too much drilling: but it is safe to say
terestet in wells in Mcdonald, got back as
much money as he put in
There was scarcely one Of the town lot
wells that was not divided up into sixteenths
or thirty-seconds; and people were heard
to boast OF being oil producers at that time
who only held asixty-fourth in a small we'll.
The prices charged for these shares were
ridiculous in the light of later deV elopments.
Two thousand dollars was frequently paid
for an eighth in we'll located on lot so
small that the boiler would have to be
placed on the lease of some other company.
Because there were few big gushers
struck in the field every man who held
lease, or could claim stick Of timber in a
rig, believed that he was destined to strike
q phenomenal well.
It was not always the tenderfeet who were
roped in or dropped their cash. Some of the
oldest heads in business suffered. This was
notably the case on the western horizon,
when the Fife well, and afterwaTd q good
one on the Walker, were struck.
Old Timers Fooled by the Fife.
Some old timers pounced on TO the farms
Sl,a
drilling. Scarcely one of them will pay for
itself.
During the fall of 1891 only the body of the
Mcdonald field was opened, while in 1892 all
of the spurs and extensions of the main
branch have been brought to light. This
was notably the case in the territory north
of 0akdale where the Wettengell wells
made over 100 barrels an hour for several
weeks.
Then the Gordon sand territory south of :
Wilson Grove was opened up by the well on
the Meise farm, and a paying pool was de-
Veloped. 1t is now supposed to be pretty
well defined.
Later the big wells on the Scott farms, To-
Gated about two and half miles southwest
of Mcdonald came in at nearly 100 barrels
an hour. They were five sanders and showed
conclusively that they were on an extension
OF the Mcdonald belt Numerous test wells
had previously been put down in that re-
gion, and although Knox Bros. & Co.'s No.
able before to strike the rich heart of the
pool. 1t is only now in its infancy, and
the half dozen wells which are
going down around the Woodland Oil Com
pany's and Knox Bros. & Co.'s wells on the
Scott ought to define the extent or it. How
far ir may extend to the southwest Is merely
a matter OF conjecture: Although there
have been some wells put down ahead they
cannot be taken as thorough tests.
Near Midway and Venice.
There is still some work being done around
Midway, but the sand is of such an uncer-
tain character and the probable production
so variable that no wells will be put down,
unless it is necessary to hold lease, until a
better price is paid for oil. IL is Gordon
territory.
Venice is still attracting some little atten-
ton, but not nearly so much as 1t did few
months ago. The operators in this locality,
which is about i've miles due south of Nc
Donald, have several chances for getting
back the money which they put into a well.
They are liable to get oil in the Gordon, gas
either oil or gas in the fifth sand. None OF
the oil wells so far developed have produced
over 100 barrels day, but some of the
gassers have been good ones.
and Oakdale few little spurs are found
which have excited considerable interest.
The first of these is the fifth sand pool south
of Noblestown, which was opened up by
Nc Murray property.
1t made from 81 TO IS barrels an hour for
some time, and led to considerable drilling
around it. Greenlee & Forst secured the
bulk OF the good property, and drilled about
fifteen wells in the locality.
A well which promised TO open up q nice
pool was the Forest Oil Company's No. on
the Gregg farm east of Oakdale. 1t made
over 30 barrels an hour, and on the strength
OF it half dozen wells were almost imme-
dtately put down by various parties. and the
viii ha lTy nj
the wells pay for themselves. Further drill
ing has about been abandoned in the neigh
borhood.
Later Fifth Sand Developments.
Then what may prove yet to be product
i've spot was opened below Oakdale By
the Forest Oil Company on the Sterling
property, and jennings Bros. on the SprouL
Both wells we're fifth sanders and came in
at from 25 to4O barrels an hour. In conse-
quence half a dozen wells are now drilling
in the locality of the SprG1l and Sterling
farms.
Frank Fertig recently completed q 400
barrel well half q mile south of Oakdale,
and there is now considerable activity in
that direction. There is no territory to drill
in the heart Of the Mcdonald field, as all
that is worth anything has been developed,
but on the edges and in the southwest there
is yet plenty of room for work
There is another part OF this Held which
has recently come into prominence. Al
though known as the McCurdy it is nothing
but an extension of the big wells which
were found near Mcdonald. McCurdy was
developed first by John N. Patterson and
was followed by Mcdonald. Within q few
weeks the Forest Oil Company drilled an old
well, No. 8 D. K. Clever, into the fifth sand,
and it started to flow 80 barrels an hour. It
Is northeast of the Mcdonald wells, and east
OF the old McCurdy district. A couple Of
wells have been put down n ortheast OF ft,
but they failed to get anything in the fifth
sand, and now it is believed the streak runs
east and west, or to the southwest. This