The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-19
WEEKLY OIL REVIEW.

The market. advancing with rapid
strides, has created the greatest an
xiety on the part OF some operators,
who dropped out during the depression
to get into line again. The question.
"Where can / get hold of some terri
tory?" is the most frequently heard,
and is not an easy one TO answer, and
the operator, who is sincerely In ear
nest, viii find the only possible way to
get the information will be to start out
and search for It, and there is little use
Of his beginning his investigation out
side Of West Virginia. or southeastern
Ohio. Another thing he will have to
bear in mind is, that he has some hard
work before him II he accompllshes his
purpose. He will find that others have
been there before him and they did not
tramp over the country with their eyes
closed. Experienced operators or their
representatives have been all over the
ground, and they have not overlooked
opportunities.
ment frequently brings outlying terri
tory that looked worthless at one stage
within the producing limits, and the OPP
orator must be on the ground and act
promptly II he wants slice OF 1t. II
takes more capital to engage In the
business now than formerly and unless
the would-bc operator has good lat
bank account he had better leave 1t
alone for, In a short time, few unsuc-
cessful ventures can make good sized
bank account look sick.
Occasionally one hears OF operators OF
small means making winning but
they are the exceptions. There is prac-
tIcally no room for the novice In the
business. while there are so many OF
large capital and experience watching
Developments. The price Of all kinds OF
material has advanced until 1t is now
double that OF year ago, and the land
owner refuses to lease when develop
ments come his way without receiving
a big bonus and rental consideration
about equal to te actual value OF the
land for agricultural purposes unless
operations begin within a stipulated
time.
The daily and monthly field reports
show n ynst amount OF work under
way In the lower southwest, but 1t is
located mainly In the old developments
or narrow extensions. The larger COM
panies that have kept the drill bounce
ing through all seasons are as much
perplexed ms the Individual or smaller
concerns TO know where to look Tor a
new pool. The larger companies have
been able TO hold In reserve some new
discovery awaiting the full develop
ment OF older pools. but II any COM
many. large or small, has any such
LnnvIedpc nj this time. II Is being care
fully guarded from the public.
In Harrison and DDddridge counties
in West virginia. In what has been des-
lgnated as the Wolf Summit ana Jar
ylgyIlle developments, there Is marked
activity. II has been more than year
sInca attention was called 10 the jar
visylIle country, but only In the past
re,v months hRs there been any great
activity. The wells nveraRe between
twenty and thirty barrels a day, and
the oil is found Mt depth OF from 2'bOO
10 $500 feet II can readily De seen
that the present market price OF CRUDE
IN none too high to make u prontRblo
10 operate that territory. the price ol
material IL a matter for serious c9hsin-
GRAFTON when operating OUTSIDE OF uht
shallow sand district
A vast amount OF territory, In both
west virginia and southeastern Ohio
has been drilled over in the past fouI
wears. and Elk Fork. In Tyler county
Inns been the only development 10 reach
daily output Of 10000 bQrTels mn
then for only the brlefcst period. Inc
narrow spur 10 the northeast or thal
pool has been under development tol
Eome months and that alone has kept u
from dropping out Of sight
The two deep sand developments ~