Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-20
WEST VIRGINIA OIL.
ROSY REPORTS CONE IN FROM ALL THE
FIELDS.
Production Steadily Climbing Up at Sislsrsvills.
The Doddridgs Writ and Peasants
Fields al Doing Well.

frst-class producing areas, and the in
dications are now, as for long time
past, that this State will be the centre
of interest for oil men for some years to
come. The Sistersvllle field, which the
REGISTER predicted over year ago
would reach the 10000 barrel day
mark. has passed that point, and now
has long lead over the much-vaunted
Mcdonald field, while there are graft
flying indications from Peasants, Writ
and Doddridge counties, as well as
from isolated wells in other districts.
The production at Sistersville has
made big jumps the last few days, and
those best conversant with the territory
look for a record of %, 600 barrels day
before many weeks have passed. For
the first fifteen days Of March the daily
production averaged 20,302 barrels,
which is a remarkable showing for a
Big Injun field. A member Of the firm
/ Of Murphy Bros, who have the Sails
bury farm, Just east of the town OF
Sistersville, says: There never was
field developed in when we have to ex
ercise so great care over the producers
as at Sistersville. More men are needed
on the leases than in any other field,
and the men have to be ready to turn
out al any time Of night to repair q
break down, or look after the numerous
troubles which are liablc TO occur. This
10 81 40 nj q
wells, where If veil is shut down for
few hours, Il may take day to get it
back to Is former production. Extra
engines are kept ready for use in case
9i g. breakdown"
In Peasants county leasing is very
active. The whole county is consider
ed in the oil belt, and that oil or gas
will be found in the "Big Injun" sand
through all the upper and back parts of
the county. The rush 10 secure terri
tory is something Unprecedented in that
vicinity ana the farmers are happy over
tue receipt of good rentals and bonuses
for their land.
Writ county, too. israpidly coming to
the front This was the pioneer oil
Geld of the State, and fortunes were
made aud lOStin the Burning Springs
region away back in the early CO.'S.
Those were the halcyon days of the
business, oil being worth so cents per
gallon In it's crude state, II was a shall
low pool and in a few years the place
was deserted.
1t would be odd that after all these
years that the territory should again
become productive. gentleman who
came from that section says that well
was drilled in on the D. A. Roberts
place recently which is being worked
as a mystery, though it is the common
rumor there that it is good for twenty
barrels a day. Nearly all the land sur
rounding it has been leased and there is
much interest manifested in the out
come. The Creston Oil Company's well
at Creston is going down rapidly, and
it is believed that 1t will be a producer
when drilled in. Much interest is also
conferred in this well, and IL it proves
good one there will be extensive devel-
opments in that territory.
The record at Sistersvlle shows q
down wells. There have been 341 wells
drilled in TO date in that field, and of
these but 20 were dry, leaving 315 pro-
ducing wells. These average GO bar
rels each per day. For the month of
February, % wells and three busters
were completed at Sistersville, and the
new production was 3,97O barrels. Com
pared with January there was decrease
of II wells, with an increase Of 755 bar
rels production. During January AZ
wells we're completed, including four
dry holes and the new production fig
ured 3,515 barrels. In December 36
wells were completed with 2.s25 barrels
new production. In November Sisters
vile completed AZ wells, including one
buster and the fresh production was
3.440 barrels. In August SO wells were
finished with 4,615 barrels production.
This was the greatest record, so far as
production is concerned of the year.
The January wells had an average yield
Of SIS barrels, while those Of February
averaged about 159 barrels, and those of
March 1O6 bblS. each. The November
wells had an average yield OF 81 bbls.
apiece The average OF the new wells
in October was Ga bills, while the
average of the September wells was but
20 bblS. The new wells in August av-
eraged l12 bbls. During July "a wells
were completed and six Of them were
dry. The new yield was 2, 440 bbls. or an
average Of 81 bbls. to the we'll. In June
the Of new wells added to the list aver
aged 156 bblS. each, while ten wells
were completed IN May with an aggre-
gate yield OF 745 bbls.
There were rigs and SO drilling wells
in operation at SisterSville at the close
OF February, as against % rigs and 40
wells drilling on January 81. On De-
cember 81, the field showed up so rigs
and drilling wells aud on October 81, 81.
The figures for the present month
promise TO break all previous records.
The boom continues pretty much all
over the courtyard territory is in great
demand.
The fact that DOddrldge county is
soon to be one Of the largest producing
oil fields is no longer doubted by any
one.
As we stated last week the Hoskinson
we'll has greatly revived the business
and heightened the field, and the fact
that the Buck Run well in the edge Of
Richie is believed to be a fairly good
one extends the field entirely across
the county the long way and takes in
good portion OF other country, The Hos
kinson No is believed to be the best
one yet found in the county, and per-
haps half dozen more will be drilled
OBJ the same lease In the next three
months, as the result OF a compromise
on the lease, the validity Of which was
in dispute.
The lease was originally taken by the
Mcmillan Co. in the fall OF 1850. and