Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-10-05
OIL NEWS.
Continued from 18th Page.

oil is becoming more general each
year, which the production is con-
tinually declining, show very plain
" that the market should go up in
stead of down, as it did one day
during the last week. The State
of West Virginia produces more
than one-half of the high grade oil
of the present time, and the produc-
ton is falling off here right along in
territory which for productivess
has not been equalled for a great
many years. The writer will make
prediction that oil will start up
along the line in less than two
weeks, and that it will not stop un-
til it has reached a mark where it
will be possible for the operators
to go out drilling wild cat territory
without being in danger of break
ing up if they should not get wells
of better than so barrels day. AS
it is at present, they are compelled
to get large wells when drilling in
wildcat territory, for the very sim.
pie reason that small wells will not
pay at the price now being paid for
the crude product.
1t looks very much as though the
operators have been working to-
gether during the past year, judg-
ing from the way they have been
acting. Some times one almost be-
lieves they have a secret under
standing OF some kind in regard to
drilling with the market at such
figure. They have not been doing
ing any validating and they will
do very little this fall and winter
unless the price of the commodity
goes to point where it will be pos
sible for them to make some money
in so doing.
The territory over in Washing
ton county il the Elk Fork pool
which has been attracting great
deal of attention for some weeks is
still the magnet which draws the at
tention of a great many people.
The outlook in that section at the
present time is very bright for the
opening mp of a good pool and the
consensus of opinion seems to be
that one will be opened there. AS
matters stand at the present time
there is not pool in the world
which is producing from as many
different sands as is Elk Run and
there is no telling where they will
get the pay in the next we'll.
There is quite a lot Of new work
being started in all parts of
that field and during the next
twenty days there will be some i'm
portant wells drilled in over there.
The Carter Oil company which
has a large block of leases
in that section, has made the loca-
ton for a number of wells, for part
of which the rigs are now being
built and for the others the rig tim
bers are being put on the ground.
Cummings & Co., who opened
up the field have made several TO-
cations on their Smith lease and are
making preparations for building
the rigs. Shay & McMullen have
made the location for we'll on the
Bohlen lease, the rig for which is
being built now, and two locations
On the Schmeltzenbach, where the
timbers are being put on the ground
for the rigs.
All the wells that have been
drilled in over there so far have
been holding up in their production
in good shape. The wells are not
very large ones, but they are stay
ers and will last for long time.
The Little Muskingum Oil COM
pany started to spud today at their
No. on the Martha Thomas farm,
in the extreme northern part of the
field.
Treat & Crawford's No. I on the
Martha Thomas farm which was