The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-02
This City Now Drawing Close to that
Territory for Its supply of
the Clean Fuel.
MAJ. C. T. DOXEY'S WARNING
GREAT WASTE OFF NATURAL GAS BY
THE DRILLERS FOR OIL.
Views of Situation by Messrs. Pearson
and yman of the Two Leading
indianapolis Companies.

andria over the discovery of an immense oil
field has caused some alarm in this city
as to The danger of Indianapolis's future
gas supply, which will probably be affected
by the pumping of great volumes of oil
from that territory. Unless the state law
governing the drilling of oil and gas wells
is vigorously enforced there will probably
be a wild waste of gas in obtaining the oil,
not to mention the diminution of gas by
taking the oil, which many biologists hold
to be the source of the gas. The Consum-
ers' Gas Trust and the Manufacturers COM
pany enter this Alexandria field to some
extent for their supply, the former COM
| pany having numerous leases in that local
ity. The Indianapolis Gas Company goes
within eleven miles of the Alexandria field,
having it's wells between Frankton and Ell
wood. Manager John r. Pearson stated
yesterday that the drilling for oil near
Alexandria would not be of immediate dam
ger to his company if the state geologist
and natural gas supervisor take prompt and
vigorous measures to see that the law Is
obeyed in regard to the casing of oil and
gas wells and that gas is not allowed to
blow more than two days after a we'll is
opened. All the Indianapolis companies
have had their eyes on the Alexandria field
and realized that in a year or more they
would be compelled to go there for the In
dianapolis supply.
AS long as the gas supply is very weak
the oil can be easily obtained, as it will
rise readily, the pressure of gas not being
sufficient to hold it down. In order to get
at the oil in many localities the SPECTATORS
and oil men have turned open their valves
and allowed millions OF cubic feet of gas
to escape into the air in order that the oil,
which pays them immediate return. may be
reached at once. When oil was discovered
recently several miles from Alexandria
there was the widest sensation i'll that
town, for the supply seemed almost mex
haustible. This single we'll, says ID. M.
Ransdell, who visited it the past week, is
pouring out the fluid at the rate of about
six hundred barrels a day, which is a great
output. Alexandria Is hlled with strangers
drawn there by the oil excitement, ana
ground is being leased in every direction.
Thirty or forty derricks are already up, and
the pounding of the machinery is heard day
ana night. 7rhe manufacturers at AleXan-
dria are alarmed lest the development OF
the oil territory will Danish the natufal gas,
which attracted the manufacturers TO the
town. Mai. G. Z. DoXey and others inter-
ested in the manufacturing plants there
have believed for some time that natural
gas was formed from the oil. and that the
| pumping of oil in great quantities Woulq de-
stroy the gas. Their present concern, now
ever, is that in getting at the oil the opera
tors will permit vast quantities OF gas TO
escape in order that the pressure may be
relieved and the oil come the more readily
to the surface.
the Journal yesterday what steps he had
taken to protect the gas supply sald ne
Alexandria last Tuesday after having a
talk with him and having instructed MIN 10
see that the law was obeyed by an me
drillers. The law, he says, PROVIDES thaI
both oil and gas wells shall be lncased
within two days of the appearance OF the
product. All oil men have the mechanlcal
contrivances for this purpose and there can
be no excuse tor their permitting the gas
or oil to escape; Mr.. BlatGnley swU Se1 nrs
was gradually decreasing and tn9t on
would be found under the gas. Mr.. Blatch-
lev has heard nothing further from Leecn.
Bement Lyman, of the Consumers Gas
Trust, said the rapid deVelopInenl Oh Ile
oil field at Alexandria would pc very o Am
aging to the Indianapolis fuel supply; me
Trusts feed lines come within i've miles OF
the Alexandria territory. Mr.. Lyman VIII
go to Alexandria tomorrow morning Inc
PAS nressllre has been steadily decreasing
during the last two years. 1t is now at Zo
pounds.
MAJOR DoXEY's VIEWS
Mai. C. r. Doxey, who is one OF the prom
inent oil and gas men in the State, views
the situation with some alarm. Said he
yesterday to the Journal:
For nearly two years I have felt very
confident that a great oil field would de-
yelop near Alexandria, or in the center or
the gas field. There has been SO much
little oi found in proportion to the gas
field have felt confident thai the main OIL
field had not been tapped, and it must lie
in the center of the gas held ana under
the gas" +bo da,o,onmert Of oil DESTROY
mo, sir, because the people will not have
it so. Up to this time the drilling for oil
has been outside of the gas field where
there is so very little gas, hence the de-
veloping of the oil wasted but little
gas. Therefore no one seriously objected,
| INT mhap thpU coma 10 Wadin2 in To the
center of the gas field and propose to let
the gas escape in order to get the oil,
lines and every good citizen will object to
this enormous waste of a valuable product.
Hence the Alexandria oil feid VIII become
Should oil wells be drilled at Alexandria,
and should the wells average a production
of fifty barrels a day. yielding a net pro-
duction of oil worth $50 a day, and waste
three million feet of gas from each well a
day. which is worth at least 10 cents a
thousand or $500 for the three million feet,
thus wasting $500 worth of valuable fuel to
procure $25 worth of oil, how long do you
suppose that the people of Indiana Will
stand this kind of wholesale destruction
of their property, especially when they are
backed up. with the present law The Leg
islature of Indiana. foreseeing just such a
state Of things as now exists in the vicinity
of Alexandria, has wisely provided by law
| against a reckless waste Of this boon that
has been given to the State in the way of
SECTION 1910 of the Revised Statutes of
llLG OA@I VI h1A&NAA - $500 1HNNt - EAAANAA
be unlawful for any person, firm or corpor-
alton having possession or drilling of any
natural gas or oil well, whether as a con-
tractor, owner, Jesse, agent or manager to
allow or permit the flow of gas or oil from
any such we'll to escape into the open air
without being confined within such Well or
proper pipes or other safe receptacles for
a longer period than two days next after
gas or oil shall have been struck in such
we'll; and thereafter all such gas or oil shall
be safely and securely confined in such
well, pipes or other safe and proper recep-
| tacles. The penalty for the violation of the
law is 5000 for each and every violation,
and a further penalty of 5000 for each ten
days during which such violation shall con-
tinue, and all such penalties shall be re-
coverable in the several action or actions in
the name of the State of Indiana. for the
use of the county in which such well shall
be located together will reasonable attOr-
neys' fees and costs of suit
FAITH IN THE GOVERNOR.
And even in the absence of any law, |
would have no fears of the gas being
wasted if Governor Mount is the man /
think he is, for the emergency would be so
great that he would certainly call a special
session of the Legislature to make a law
to prevent the waste of gas. The gas is
there in great quantities. The average well
will produce five million feet a day. and it
is going to stay there until it is used up in
ri ~ -