The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-10-17
MEEKLY a. REv5EW.

Not IN many months nave asst4 - -
opments attracted so much attention
as during the past week. There was q
general awakening along the line and
information was eagerly sought after.
The fact that reports, emanating from
various sources, with little reliability
for their basis, made the interest all the
greater on account of the conflicting
rumors.
The well to stir up the fraternity IN
the Eastern field was the Southern OIL
company's strike on the Camden tract,
near weston, Lewis county, W, Va. The
wen was drilled Into the sand early
Friday morning of the week before and
began to flow on the ground at rate
estimated at two hundred barrels
day. Later on, 1t drilled itself in and
increased It's production to between
four hundred and Ave hundred barrels
n day. Il was no wonder that operators
from all parts OF the country hurried to
the vicinity OF the new strike, located
full twelve niileB from any previous
production. II was thought that the
opportunity had come at last 10 get
back into the business It was found,
however, that the territory In the Vi
cInity OF the new well had been under
lense for some time and all the openings
were few and too remote from the new
fInd, one block Of 5000 acres, three
quarters OF mile from the Camden
we'll, was leased for 10000, and was the
only transaction In leasing OF any mag
nItude. The excitement that was at
white heat early in the week has cooled
down very much at the close, when II
was known that the decline Of the wen
was almost as rapid as Its rise. II IS
the generally accepted opinion that the
producing sand is the Big Injun forma-
ton and without any salt water. There
Is also a strong gas pressure and to this
cause is attributed the falling on to
less than thirty barrels a day. instead
Of holding up good and strong as when
first drilled in.
The location Of the well Is farther
east than any previous discovery In
West Virginia territory. The oil was
developed at depth Of 1,495 feet, and
II anything like field can be opened
up 1t will make cheap territory to oper-
ate, and with the new work now start
ing its status should not long be a
matter for conjecture.
There remains the possibility that
the we'll is only freak and nothing
better. or even as good may be found in
that locality. Some Of those who visit
ed the well and watched It's actions
came away attaching little Importance
to It's showing after 1t was four days
old. 1t viii have one result at any
rate. Operators Will push explorations
a., In
the past. There win be new era Of
Indicating in territory that has not
been looked on with favor in the past.
After a fruitless search extending
over more than a year in Harrison
county, Ohio. looking for u new pool,
success seems in sight Mt last and much
nearer the Scio pool than was expect
cd. Cain & Company drilled in n test
well on the Brinker farm located three
miles northeast OF Cadlz, that gives
more promise than anything that has
been found since the Scio pool was de-
veloped The new well made a forty
barrel flow In a few hours after 1t was
drilled In, but like all Beren grit wells
will have to be shot and put to pump
ing to determine its true calibre as a
producer. Judging the well by its In
ltial performance and compared with
the Scio well II should at least make q
forty or fifty barrel producer II as
good as that 1t would indicate n new
pool rather than an extension Of the old
CadIz development Of the Scio field. The
latter is fully ten miles to the north
west Of the BrinEer farm strike. and
the limits Of the producing sand to the
southwest In the direction Of the new
find have been quite well defined. Fu-
ture operations northeast OF Cndiz will
be watched with interest, and II
new pool is to be opened few months
Will show It's value. The great demand
for new territory has aroused the
greatest Interest IN this and the Cam
den strike.