Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-27


Charleston, Clendenin and Sutton rail-
road, twenty miles OF which is built
aud when completed will connect at
Sutton with the West Virginia and
Plttsburg railroad. You will then have
direct communication with Charleston,
the capital Of our State, and with the
rich valley of the Kanawha.
WEST vIReINIA's OIL FIELDS.
Prior to the war petroleum was dis
covered in this State on the Little Ka-
nawha river, and for some years there
after quite an extensive business was
done In its production in that locality.
But the field was soon exhausted, and
so no new developments followed for
several years. Recent developments
have proved, however, that there are
immense oil deposits in various sections,
and deeper drilling and developing
have been going on 10 such an extent
that West Virginia is now the third oil
producing State in the Uni0n, and from
the extent of the territory which is
demonstrated to be productive, ii bids
fair soon TO become the first. The de-
fined lines consist of several distinct
belts running in a northeast add south
west direction, and in each oil is found
IN the Big Injun, Gordon and other
sands.
The Increased development has been
very productive in the past two years,
and is contributing largely TO the pros
perity OF the people In the sections
where oil is found. To give an idea OF
the rapid growth of this buSiness-the
total oil output in the State In 1892 was
3,757,3I3 barrels, which sold at an aver
age price of Sc cents per barrel, making
THE AMOUNT REALIZED
from oil that year So, iO4 O96.43. In 1898
the total output had swelled 10 s,3s7,-
9S5 barrels, with an average price of
66 cents per barrel, or an amount OF
s., $50, O56. 90, an increase OF over 3,OOO,-
600 10 one year. The daily average
production during the month Of Janu-
airy. 1894, was 81, 900 barrels, which sold
at 81 cents per barrel, making average
daily sales amounting to SCI, $1,000. II
this daily production keeps up for the
year 1894, and IL is far more likely 10 In
crease than to stand still or decrease,
the oil production Of West Virginia this
year will run 10 nearly SS,000,OO0.
The number OF producing wells In the
State was 16S in 1892, there were 400
in 1898, and at the present rate OF de-
velOpment, will probably approximate
1000 in 1894.
This development, including pipe line
investments, has cost over Sl3,2SO,OO
and has contributed in great degree
TO the business prosperity aud advance
ment Of our State.
For much Of this development our
people are indebted to the South Penn
Oil Company, acorporation Of your own
State, which has invested millions OF
dollars and displayed great pluck and
energy in the pioneer work OF demon
strating the existence and capacity OF
West Virginia oil pools. II is the fore
most oil producer in the State, and pays
out monthly for labor, material, con-
struction and rentals, over $3.50, 600.
COAL AND COKE.
To the gentlemen OF this Chamber
who have, from their surroundings,
been accustomed TO form estimates Of
the value and magnitude OF coal de-
positS, perhaps my statements OF the
immensely of the coal beds Of West Vir-
ginia may not seem exaggerated, but 10
many an estimate of the wealth that
lays hidden in the mines Of the State
seems almost too fabulous TO be entitled
TO credence. A celebrated geologist
once said: The nations that rule the
earth are those that have iron and coal;
they are the worlds kings, and make
and u0make the worlds kings" Judged
by tails standard, West Virginia pos
sesses enough Of the king making sub
stances to dominate and control many
nations. In coal alone we have more
actual workable acreage than Penusyl-
vania or Great Britain, and one-thir-
teenth OF the whole deposit OF the
United States. 1t is homely aud quaint
saying that 1.-The proof the pudding is
the chewing Of the string" and the
same OF rule of proof is establishing the
value of these vast coal beds in popular
favor. Our coal and coke products
have passed the experimental test, and
the increasing regard in which they
are being received may be determined
from the rapdity with which our coal
fields are being purchased and deyel-
oped.
THE COAL PRODUCTION
had increased from 100000 long tons
lin round numberS) in 1850 TO 5000, 600
Ia 1890, but more rapid development
has been made since that time, as the
total output OF last year Appropriated
1000, coo tons, almost doubling the
production Of 1890 in three years. The
coke production has been prOportiOnate-
ly increased. In 1890 there were 121,
7l5 tons manufactured in WestVirginia:
In 1892 there were 1913, 449 tons. Not
WithStanding the mining Of coal
and the manufacturing OF coke
are industries of sucn recent deve-
opment, our State now ranks fourth
IN the production Of coal, and
second in the production of coke, being
next TO your State 10 coke manufacture,
and only led by PsnnsJ lvauia, Ohio and
Illinois In the mining of coal With the
opening Of new lines, and tbs extention
of present railroad facilities, these fig
ures of production will be largely in
creased within the next decade, as the
present development merely skirts the
vast area Of workable coal that will
soon be accessible for cheap aud easy
operation. The New River and Poca-
hontas vein, which is an exceedingly
fne coking coal, extends from the south
ern terminal Of the West Virginia aud
Pittsburg Railroad, on through the
counties Of Nicholas, Fayette, Raleigh,
Wyoming, Mercer aud Mcdowell in
three of which counties it is now being
extensively worked. and finds transport
tation 10 ready markets over the lines
Of the Chesapeake aud Ohio and Nor
folk and Western Railroads, east and
west. The coal region penetrated by