Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-28
OIL NEWS.
New Wells md observation-disclosures About
the Producing Wells

New Wells md Locations--Notes About
the Producing Wells.
The outlook in the Sistersville oil
field for the coming season is not as
rosy as the oil men would like and
the indications are that the worst is
to be feared, l. e.: that there is not a
great deal more oil in the confines of
Tyler county. There is still great
deal of territory in the county that
has not been thoroughly tested and
there may be some pools found that
will for a short time dazzle the oil
world, as was the case with the pools
on Middle Island creek, at Wick, Elk
Fork and in other parts Of the county,
and, like the pools mentioned they
will soon decline, and then the conun-
drum which now confronts the pro-
Queer: Where will we go neXt?" Will
once more be forcefully in evidence.
The operators and producers to
man recognize this state OF affairs, but
they cannot help matters in any way.
At the price oil is now quoted at 1t is
not policy for the operators to hunt
for new territory by drilling wild cat
wells. A we'll cannot be drilled in the
Injun Sand territory for less than So
600 and of course man would not
care to put that amount OF money
in hole unless it was located in close
proximity to territory that was pro-
ducing a large amount of oil.
The season this year appears to be
opening much later than it has for a
long time Usually by the first of the
present month work is being pushed
very rapidly in all parts of the field,
but this year, on account of the bad
roads, low price Of oil and the fact
that there is no new and interesting
Developments, there has been practic-
ally nothing of any moment done and
there probably will not be for some
time vet. There is not the least doubt
but that the past winter has been the
most quiet in the history of the oil
business in West Virginia. With the
exception of little work at Elk Fork
before the roads got bad early in the
winter and the small amount Of work
done in opening up the Frank pool at
Whisky Run, it might be said there
has been nothing.
The war scare will have tendency
to make things very bad in the oil
fields this summer in number OF
WAYS. In the first place, the price of
the cC1nUuOulty Will ouhCi SiN"' "
clines. despite the published interviews
from heads of the Standard Oil Com
pany to the effect that oil for foreign
countries is hauled in foreign vessels
and that the shipments abroad would
not be affected 1t will have been
noticed that Notwithstanding the as
surances given to the operators III the
interviews published at the dictation OF
Mr.. Rockefeller and his lieutenants.
that during the past week the nuld
started down the toboggan slide, ana
in three days was sent four cents
lower.
Some of the large operating compa-
MES in the Sistersville field during the
winter made elaborate plans for
operating during the spring and sum
mer. and for this purpose approprlat-
ed large sums of money, but now that
everything is looking so badly, II IS
not likely that the plans formulated
will be carried out, but instead they
will be greatly abbreviated, and n adj
dition to this all expenses Will be cur
tailed as much as possible. This, 1t IS
believed, will be absolutely necessary
as if is almost a certainty that II the
war scare continues for any length OF
time. oil will go away below where it
is now.
Oil City. Pa, April 27.-Credit bal
ances Tic: certificates closed at 1o1ac
bid for cash. Shipments, 9S,43l par
rolls. rms 1OO.697 barrels.