The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1899-04-20
STANDARD OIL CO.
Trying to Break Into Our
Gas Fields.
MANY BELIEVE
That They are Back Of The Federal
Oil Company.

Oil Company.
There is a very strong supposi-
tioD hereabouts that the Standard
Oil Company is back of the Federal
Gas Company, who recently OBJ
tained lease of the old canal bed
for gas purposes.
This report is strengthened con-
siderably by the appearance in the
Sugar Grove field last week of one
of the Standard Oil Company's
principal agents and from the fact
that there seems to be AN unlimited
supply of wealth at the command
of the new enterprise.
On Friday eleven car loads of
drillers' supplies and tools passed
through this city and were carried
to the territory south of here.
This indicates that they are 60
ing at the work in earnest and pro-
pose to get as much out of the field
as they possibly can in the shortest
possible time.
In conversation with well
known oil and gas man Monday,
he seemed quite. positive that the
Standard people have entered the
Sugar Grove field and intend to
take the gas north.
"They are not dependent upon
Columbus" said he, "but as that
city is along their route, they would
not object to franchise, and they
would certainly make things hum
In the gas line, Lhould they get a
foothold there. AS an illustration
that Columbus is not their object
i've and final destination, it would
be rather foolish for them to invest
thousands Of dollars in sinking
wells and buying leases before they
had franchise. Generally, COM
, pany-makes themselves solid on
franchise and then they start in
with the improvements"
off the Standard people," contin-
ued the gas and oil man, "could
connect with their lines north Of
Columbus they could use all the
gas they could possibly obtain.
They have thousands of miles of
pipe connecting almost every town
in the North and, as the Indiana
fields are giving out, they are look
ing about to secure the supply from
another source"
Some of the local operators do
not place much stock in the report
that the Standard people are in any
way connected with the Federal
Company and think the latter or
ganizatlon is operating on their
own account. They think the
Standard people are able to fight
their own battles and If they want
ed to come into the Lancaster field
they would do so without attempt.
! ing to squeeze in under the protect
ing wing of another corporation or
organization.
A well drilled in few days ago
by Stretton & Marks for Mr.. A. j.
Mercer, near Macarthur, indicates
that this territory is more extern
sive than was generally supposed.
This new gusher is something like
40 miles from Lancaster, but well
was struck that equals almost any
that have been drilled in the Sugar
Grove field.
The Denman Brothers have the
contract for drilling the wells for
the Federal company and have two
now under way, the second having
been started on the Francisco farm
near Enterprise, on Monday. The
holes of these wells are the largest
drilled in this territory, being 6k
inches In diameter, while the ordi-
nary size is but Al inches. The
stem Of the drill used is 40 feet long
by inches in diameter.
The Sugar Grove field is destined
to become the greatest gas prcduc-
ing territory In the world and next
winter millions of homes will he
supplied with the precious fuel that
has been dormant far down in the
subterranean passages of the earth.
J-Iancasfar EaUla