The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-08-31
ABOUT OIL WELLS.
Traces of a Prehistoric Race Who Know +,
About PETROLEUM.

Traces of a Prehistoric Race Who Knew
About Petroleum.
Thomas w. Phillips. Jr., son of the
Hon. Thomas Phillips. of New Castle,
Pa, was in Chicago a few days ago, and Il
Tribune reporter obtained from him some
interesting facts concerning oil. The
elder Phillips is the largest single oil pro-
Queer in the world, and there are very
few men who know more about it's history
than Phillips pere and Phillips fills.
Speaking of petroleum, the younger
nan said:-'The first mention of oil is IN
the Book OF Job, in which it is clearly
stated that the roc poured out rivers OF
oil. Herodotus speaks of oil springs 500
years before the Christian era. 1t has
been known in the world 200 years, and
the ruins of Ninevah and Babylon show
It's use as cement or mortar. In India.
China, Japan and other countries its
existence was known in ancient times.
70 come down to modern times mention
Is made or its existence on the border
line OF Pennsylvania and New York i'll
1929.
Before the year 1900 oil springs were
known to exist along the valley of Oil
Creek. The indians of hat section used
the oil for medicinal and other purposes.
Remains of wells and pits ure to be found
in tnat vicinity. Some of THESE have
been cribbe6, the timber showing the
marks of edged tools, and are sunk TO the
depth OF twenty feet or more. In these
pits and wells, which are now nearly all
filled up, trees several hundred years old
have been discovered growing. The In
dams do not know who dug these wells,
aud the presumption is that they were
dug by II prehistoric race.
"The fir-t oil company was formed in
New Haven, Conn, to operate for oil be-
L. Drake became the superintendent iu
1858. He conceived the idea OF drilling
tor oil n had greatldificulty in reaching
bed rock. He drove an iron pine thirty
six feel to the rock and hen drilled
through the pipe. August %, 1859, he
struck Of! at the depth Of ~sixty-nine and
one-half feet, and it yielded at first twen-
ty-ive barrels u day. The oil was sold at
ffty-tive cents a gallon. A great deal OF
excitement was created and thousands of
people fiocked to Oil Greek.
I'm 1860 and 1861 large flowing wells
were found, and large fortunes We're
made.
"There is no other substance from
which such a variety of products are
made. Petroleum has in 1t the seven
colors of the rainbow, as can be seen by
casting a small quantity on water exposed
TO the rays or the sun.
"These colors have been extracted
chiefly by French chemists. A great
many OF h new colors are derived from
petroleum.
MANY varieties of lubricating oils are
made from it. and it is dispensing with
animal fats, and will soon be the 1ubri-
cant of the world.
"Only 1000 barrels were produced in
1859; in 1860, 500. 900 barrels; in 1861, 2,OOO,-
QUO barrels; in 1862. 5000. 600; aud now
over 30. 100000 barrels are produced nm
nually along the foothills of the Alleghe-
ny Mountains. without including the
Ohio and Lima field. Colorado or Cali
fornia. 1t is estimated that the total
production OF petroleum in this country
uas been 500, 600, 900 barrels, and the value
of tue oil exported 81, 100, 900, 900. Oil is
third on our export iist.'-Chicago Til
buue.