The times., 1898-12-26
WEST VIRGINIA OIL CRAZE.
Sudden Fortunes brought to Owners
of Poor Iuud.

ParkerSburg, W. Va, Dec. 25.-West
Virginia is passing through an oil craze
at present. A stranger at one of the no.
tells anywhere hereabouts will hear nine
men out OF ten talking about the synclinal
and anti-clinal, salt sand and Berea grit,
gas pressure and leases. forty-five degree
line and royalties. and thousand and
one other things which are more or less
meaningless to him. What he does under
stand all reiates to oil. Some men and
women are growing rich, w2lile others are
losing everything In the rush for oil.
Nature. in this instance, has been most
velopment thus far has been on LANDS so
poor that the owners were put to it to
make a living. Rough and rocky hills
and sOilless creek bottoms. almost worth
less for farms. produce nine-tenths of the
oil in West Virginia, and hundreds of
farmers who n few months ago found 1t
difficult to raise the commoncst kind OF
food and pay for the cheapest of clothing
are today monthly depositors in the banks
of this city. Royalties and rentals are
being paid in sums ranging from a few
dollars up to thousands every month TO
farmers clad in rusty butternut and
ragged clothing. Drake farm was rented
six months ago for $50.
The man who leased the place lost con-
fidence in the territory before any develop
ment was made and offered it to an oil
| land speculator for $50. HIS offer was re-
fused by this speculator, hut was taken by
another. 4 few days ago the lease was
sold for sl00.O)0 and the owner of the land
| has an income from his royalties and rent
| ais of $1,000.
A year ago young farmer living near
| this city was head over ears in debt and
| was at last compelled to move to a farm
owned by his mother. fourteen miles
| north. in order to make a livelihood He
leased the land for oil purposes few
months ago and in less than sixty days
three paying wells We're struck on the
place. They were all good wells and the
| royalties amounted to almost an independ-
ent fortune
| The farmer paid his debts and put some
money into a bank and was about to start
| back yesterday, when he received the in
| telligence that another well-a gusher this
| time-had been struck on his farm. The
last well is considered the best shallow
| salt sand well in West Virginia. and is
| reported to be flowing 100 barrels an hour
| In a law office here there is notary pub
| lie who seldom had a dollar to spare The
lawyer received several months ago, in
| return for legal service, a twenty-acre
| lease OF farm twelve miles away. As a
| reward to the notary for little acts of
\ kindness the attorney gave him fourth
| interest. Last Tuesday a well was struck
en- the lease. and it is now quoted as q
| twenty y-barrel-an-hour well.
| Oil scouts are travelling all over this
region hunting for desirable properties.
| The scout keeps tab on all the wells pro-
| ducing or dry, for miles around. He
| thereby secures a knowledge through
which his employers, some wealthy firm
! or corporation, are enabled to get the
best-paying territory or to buy out good
| producing wells. Nearly every large oil
company has in its employ a number OF
| scouts.
Following the scout comes the leaser of
| lands. His business is to select what is
considered valuable territory for pros
| pecting and to secure leases, binding him
self to sink or begin a certain number
| of wells in certain number of days and
to pay certain monthly rental These
| leases are all plotted and offered for sale
| to the speculator or prospector. Some
| times it occurs that a lease is refused
as valueless and is given up when. per-
| haps within sixty days development in
its vicinity brings 1t within the produc-
| ing boundary and there is a rush for its
| possession. One prospector may offer
slO0 for it, and in less than twenty-four
| hours another may increase the bid to
81. 600 or even 5000. with a royalty of one
! eighth or one-fourth of the OIL