The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-27
FROM THE OIL FIELDS
AN OLD DRILLER COMPARES INDIANA
WITH OTHER PLACES.
Evidence of Renewed Activity i'm the
HOOsier TerritOry-Cudahy Pipe
Line Ready for Pumping.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.


HARTFORD CITY, Ind. Nov. cs.-s. F.
Karnes. an oil man of this city, who has prob
ably had a wider experience In the various oil
fields Of the world than any other man in the
business, relates some very interesting facts.
karnes has visited the fields of Russia. Rou-
mania, Sumatra, Java and Australia and has
made a study Of oil for many years. A little
over a year ago he returned from the Island OF
Java, where he had put in ten months in the
oil field drilling. He started from Pittsburg. Pa,
under the employ of the Oil Wen Supply Com.
pany. He said that in his Judgment the oil
field Of Java was superior in the point of pro.
duction to any that he had visited. He believes
il will be the field Of the world in the future.
Oil bubbles out of the ground at many places,
and wherever a hole was dug it would I'LL VI
with oil. During his ten months stay on the
island he drilled four wells and three were fine
producers, while the other contained oil. but not
in such largr quantities. iIe vas somewhat
handicapped. as the drilling outfit he had was
not what is required in that country. but what
is supposed to be perfection in this country
With the proper outfit and with the consent OF
the Dutch government. which is the most i'm
oped, said Mr.. karnes- He also says that leased
territory is not hard to get, and to those in,
terested in the oil trade OF America he would
say that a more productive field cannot be
found.
hdIIt ltIllc lltIt CClLl W VIZ MS oOls cA1
has since resided here. Oil men here claim the
Indiana field is fully as good as any other field
yet developed, and the wells cost less money than
in Ohio, West Virginia or the Eastern felds,
In this field ii is seldom that a we'll Is drilled
a thousand feet, while in the southeastern field
the average is about 300 feet. The wells In
this State are as good as jim any other, 50 far
as great gushers have been drilled In me STATE,
surprise the oil public by unearthing some won
derful gushers like the famous McMurray, Kirk
bride, HOLSTER, Mercer. Dukat and many Others
in the Ohio field. All of these gushers were
surrounded by light wells or dry holes. and il is
thought the great Indiana field is yet in its in
fancy.
Oil will be pumped through the new Cudahy
pipe line for the first time next week. Every
inch of pipe for the new line has been laid in
trenches and connected, and everything is almost
ready for the purchase of oil from Indiana pro-
ducers in competition with the gigantic Stand
ard. For a few days the Cudahys will carry
their own product exclusively, but will begin
buying in December, and their competition with
the Standard will not lower the price of oil. A
petition with the Cudahys will start the drill
to working like in former times, when Indiana
oil was at 81 per barrel.
Several important deals In oil territory have
interest to oil men. A deal was
Wednesday between G.. A. Mason. of Wells
county. and the Drummer Oil Company. of Fort
Wayne, and the latter transferred their leases
in Nottingham township. with six producing
wells. for the sum Of S., 600.
The controlling interest in the Citizens Gas
and Oil Company. at Montpelier. has been sold
their representative. T.. b. Phillips. a well-knowr
gas expert of Lima The stock purchased was
that on which Messrs. Derheimer, Shanklin and
Shoemaker. of Montpelier. held an option, and
White and Thomas ShrilL The purchasers owr
considerable gas property In the State.