Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-06-01
INTENSE ACTIVITY
Shown in the Liver West Virginia
and Ohio Fields.
Scores of Thousands of Acres Taken
Up in Leases on Both Sides of the
River, and Many Companies Pre-
pairing to Put Down Wells at
Once.
Special to the Register.

Special to the Register.
POMEROY. o.. May Throughput
Meigs and the adjoining counties both IN
this State and West Virginia there Is no
small excitement in the way of oil oooms.
Leases are being taken at score oil al
ferent points and wells are being put down
or finished in at least dozen instances
The operations are not sufficiently OF
local nature to create an opinion that the
ideas Of oil hereabouts are particularly
far fetched. IN additions to the local cap
ital represented in the work there is a
large amount of Pennsylvania and West
Virginia capital interested. and most OF
which has made successful efforts in the
Pennsylvania and upper West Virginia
fields. 1t has been the history of this
country also that in the drilling of salt
wells from the time of the first one sunk
fifty years ago, they have always found
oil in moderate quantities at the depth or
four or five hundred feet. The quality has
differed somewhat from a heavy lubricant
to a light lluminant, owing to the loca-
ton. but 1t has always been plainly
marked. The first well put down in this
county was placed In 1864 on the w. L.
Hayman farm, near Letart, o., by firm
from New York City. They stopped at GOO
feet with but a light showing. Later two
other wells are sunk on the Polsley
farm back of Letart. TO the depth of 500
feet. but practically without result. This
ened operations for a pediod of about
fifteen years. when a local company put
u, h. bnl han oh "a
dleport. Here a touching of oil was had
at a depth of 1850 feet but the work stop
ned at that. Across from Middeport,
Clifton, w. Va. firm put in well, reach
ing a depth of 1900 feet, and are producing
in small quantities a rather heavy. dark
coIored lubricant. This well was shot but
the results were insignificant. Four years
ago a we'll was sunk by Hartford W. Va.
parties near the Liverpool salt works
that city. and yielded in the neghborhood
of five barrels per day. A slack demand
rendered it Improbable for working and
il WAS later sold to the salt company.
deepered. and is now one of their best
salt wells. Still. these tests are not con-
sidered conclusive. and there will be a
number of wells put down in the territory
this summer.
The Pomeroy Oil and Gas Company is
another concern that has leases in that
region. though heretofore they have con-
fined their attention to Washington county,
thirteen miles above Marietta. where they
have two immense gassers. OF these the
largest is estimated as capable of putting
forth forth from four TO six million feet Of
gas per day. while the smaller will prob
ably be worth half as much. Both the
Standard Oil Company and the Henry Oil
Company have made them offers for these
wells, but so far a sale has not been made.
They will put i'm two wells this summer.
In the Carleton Hollow vicinity, back of
Kerr's run. in the upper city limits. the
Riddle Oil Company, of Pittsburg, is put
ting In we'll beginning the drilling last
Thursday night. One well by this company
reached a depth of 600 feet, when the tools
stuck and the well had to be abandoned.
There is great confidence in paying strike
here, as they will go. if necessary, TO the
Gordon sand. Their leasing in that vicin-
ity is also extensive.
Northwest of here in the Dexter neigh
borhood, there is considerable activity also.
The Belts Oil Company have put in two
wells. both practically busters. and are now
engaged upon third on the Mcknight
farm. The Belts people are from Gallipo
lis, and have plugged well near Cheshire,
in Callia county. that has never been COM
peted for reasons best known to them
selves They hold very extensive leases
and expect to keep ahead until find of
paying proportions is made.
In this field Columbus parties are also
largely interested and have placed two pro-
ducing wells. good each for from five to ten
barrels and are sinking another. Leases
have been extensively taken as we'll and