Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-28
BLAZING OIL TANKS.
Lightning Strikes Two Big Iron
Tanks Near Washington.
$4,000. BARRELs ARE CONSUMED.
Good Wells in the Mcdonald Field Bring Up
the Production
REPORTS FROM TENNESSEE AND OHIO

The lightning was in frisky mood in the
oil fields Yesterday, and consequently old
General Average, the bogie man of the oil
producer, will get his work in before many
days
| Streaks of electricity cut the air
in the neighborhood of Washington
during the afternoon, and at 2:2O
O'Clock 10000 barrel tank on
the Hall farm, at Ewings station, came in
contact with a playful streak The oil in
the tank commemorate to burn, but by prompt
! action on the part of the employees the
flames were smothered.
Batfied, but not discouraged, the lightning
| jumped over to Meadow Lands, six miles
| north of Washington, where 90 tanks
belonging to the Southwest Pennsylva-
mia Pipe Line Company are locat d,
and tore hole in tank No. II. This tank
is capable of holding 50, 600 barrels, but it
contained only 1900 barrels yesterday.
The employees were not as successful in this
case as they had been at Ewing's, and the re-
suit was that the entire q, 900 barrels may
be consumed. 1t was burning 6ercely at a
late hour last evening.
A column of smoke, thicker and darker
than the darkest night, rolled and curled
and twisted into thousand phantastical
shapes as it assembled from the center of the
iron boundary. Occasionally flames from
the burning oil followed the smoke high in
the air.
AS the fire progressed the iron sides of
the tank melted, and, limp from the heat.
fell into the awful furnace. Thousands of
spectators hurried to the scene and gazed
upon the rare and curious scene in silent
wonder.
Strong and active workmen hastily threw
up an embankment around the doomed
tank, to prevent the burning oil, should it
escape, from igniting other tanks in the
vicinity
A rig on the Purdy farm, at Murdocks-
vile. was struck by lightning yesterday
afternoon.
The Storm in the Ohio Field.
The Lima operators are also losers by the
storm Late last evening the following
special was received by THE DISPATCH
from Lima:
was broken this afternoon by a terrific wind
and rain storm accompanied by severe
lightning which swept over the northern
portion of the oil fields with disastrous
effect, and 40 rigs are reported blown down.
The Manhattan Oil Company's mammoth
10, 000-barrel storage tank, located near
Cygnet, in Wood county, was struck by
lightning at 4 P. NJ, and at this hour is still
burning. There are about Z, 500 barrels of
oil in the tank, which will probably lie
total loss.
Good Wells at Mcdonald.
The calibre of the wells in the Mcdonald
field was much different yesterday from
those which have been reported for the past
week or two. They were all larger, and
consequently the production went up. 1t
jumped from 19, 900 to q, 500 barrels, an in
crease of $500.
There were three new wells added to the
list of those making 20 barrels an hour or
more. They are Forst & Greenlee's No. 6,
Marshall; their No 8, McMurray; and Jen-
nings, Guffey & Co. 5 No. Z on the Heron
farm. The No. McMurray is an cid well
but the others are both new ones
No. Z, on the Marshall, southeast of No
blestown, made as high as 112 barrels an
terday place its output at 20 barrels an
hour.
Jennings, Guffey & Co. 8 No. Heron is
located in the body of the famous Heron
pool: north of Noblestown, and when it
reached he fifth sand started off at Is bar
rels an hour.
j. M. Guffey & Co. s No. 2, on the Shane
farm, half a mile southwest of the old |
Meise well, and mile and a half south |
of Willow Grove, is in top of the Gordon |
sand. When it reached that formation it |
started to flow. and for a short time made
ten barrels an hour. There was no tankage |
at the we'll, and all the oil it put out was |
lost. Drilling was Immediately stopped !
and will not be commenced again until they I
get up sufficient tankage to take care of the I
oil. It is about l,5O0 feet west of south |
from their No. / Shane, which was very
light well. The Shane No. is the most |
southwesterly we'll in the Meise pool. +
Greenlee & Forst's No. on the Kirk |
farm, located 900 feet east and south from |
the Meise No. 1, is in the top of the Cor |
day morning and was shut down until the |
boiler can be moved back. 1t will then be |
drilled into the sand.
Only Fifty Feet Away and Dry.
The Forest Oil Company's No. 1 on the
Kate Shane farm, which adjoins the Kirk
on the southeastern side of the Meise pool,
will get the Gordon sand this week.
The Forests No. on the Campbell
heirs, mile and halt north of
was IL or Is feet in
the Fifth sand yesterday. 1t was
gassing heavily, but had no oil. The nom
productive nature OF this well is a COM
plete surprise, as it is only about so feet
from the Oakdale Gas Company's No. l on
the Robb acre, which is making 20 barrels
an hour.
The Royal Gas Company's No. on the
Ed Mcdonald property, in the lower part of
the field, is in the fifth and is making 90
barrels day. Their No. Ton the Mcdonald
Bros, farm, down near Primrose, is in the
Gordon, but is without showing of oil in
that formation.
The Wheeling Gas Company got bailer
out of its No. on the Robbins farm yes
terday, for which they have been fishing for
several days.
The well on the Mrs George farm, near
Primrose, belonging to unknown parties, is
in the Gordon and is reported to have
several hundred feet of oil in the hole.
s. s. Wilson's we'll on the Gibson five
acres, at Oakdale, is down 400 feet His
wildcat well In Wayne county, w. Va, is
down about 600 feet
The Kerr Oil Company's we'll on the
Whitten farm, at .Sistersyille, is due this
week.
Testing tho New MermilI Pool.
MERMILL, O.-The new Mermill pool is
gradually advancing to the north and the
look very favorable for connec-
tion with the once productive Bowling
Green pool. If connection is made with
this pool and with the Mungen Square Mile
pool, then it will be q field of but little
width but great length, extending from Oil
Center to Haskings.
o. A. Browning & Co. are drilling on No.
,, on the Dan Mercer tract, situated in Sec
ton 18, Portage township, Wood county.
This firm well M nm the centar of tho |