The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-11-08

| In lle matter Ol COKE tudluldCbuTe
this state maintains its place as Sec
ond only to the State OF Pennsylvania.
During the past three years were man
ufactured 1000, 900 tons OF coke.
Many new coke ovens are under way
of construction and 1t would be a din
cult matter TO state what position the
State will occupy as coke producer
| five years hence.
OIL AND GAS.
The first well was drilled for oil in
West Virginia in 1S59-6o. Since that
time there have been hundreds OF wells
drilled, varying from few hundred
TO 5000 feet deep, From them there
has been produced to date about So,
600, 900 barrels. The banner year of
Oil production was during the past
year, when the quantity produced
amounted to $4,000, 600 or 1900, 600
barrels OF white sand oil. During the
developments the facilities for drilling
were not so we'll suited for their pur-
pose as they are now and the progress
was less rapid. AT present the exper-
fences of thirty-tive years enables
drilling to be carried on in "a very ag
gressiye manner, and 1t is questio n
If our output of oil grows much larger
unless some new large pool be discoy-
cred or some of the present pools be-
come extended in their development
in profitable way. This statement
is based on the idea that the Standard
Oil Co., which controls oil develop
ments will hold us down to their re-
quirements as they only allow deyel-
opments to be made as their interests
demand.
In 1891 the state Of Pennsylvania
Iproduced over thirteen times as much
oil as did West Virginia. In 1898
West Virginia produced 1903, 600
and Pennsylvania 10, 232, 600 barrels
Of white sand oil.
Since 1891 the production Of Penn
sylvania has Increased over 80 percent
and in the same time West Virginia
has increased over 500 percent This
state bids fair to lead all the states
hereafter in point of oil production
Indeed, | think there is no question a.
to the correctness Of this statement
AT present there is great activity H.
the eastern extension of what is calico
the "Cairo" field in West Virginia.
which may be looked upon as a fell
with promising future. Practically
all the oil produced in the state Is
known as the .white sand" having d
paratine base, which is the best OF ali
natural oils.
AS productions decrease in adjoin
ing states the natural course of oil
seeking capital will be to extend the
present boundaries of the oil pools of
this state but with what results the
drill only will reveal because oil has
never been definitely located except
by actual test.
| Gas is not the least of our natural
resources. The state of West Virginia
produces a greater volume Of natural
gas than any other state. Fully $780,,
| 900, 900 cubic feet is a small part of
the daily flow of gas from the West
Virginia wells.
A large portion of the natural gas
consumed in Pittsburg comes from
West Virginia wells. There is little
possibility of the gas supply exceeding
the present production since it is not
considered to be inexhaustible. Ours
will be the fate of other states in this
respect and few decades doubtless
will show the ''gas period" TO have
seen its best days at the closing of
the nineteenth century. At least this
is believed by our best informed geol
Ogists.
At present there are only few
towns and cities west of the central
part of the state which do not utilize
gas as source of heat, both for man
ufacturing and domestic purposes.
This state is the first to have utilized
gas for manufacturing purposes.
Burning Springs on the Great Kanaw-
ha river so long viewed as curiosity
was no more than the natural escape
of gas from the strata Of the earth.
This burning spring" was first dis
covered by President Washington and
warrant was placed upon it by him
in 1854 and he owned the property for
nearly fifty years.
Natural gas was 1rst used under the
evaporating vats of salt furnaces on
the Great Kanewha river in Kanawha
county. The large volume Of gas
which goes to waste in this state in
sections suitable for manufacturing
purposes should be strong incentive
for capitalists to come to the "Moun-
tain State" where an abundance OF gas
may be had at a cost much less than
the expense of solid fuel in the form
of coal or wood, or indeed any other
sort of fuel.
have SAID nothing in this article
ia regard to timber. All | now wish
to say is that we have over 80, 900, 900
acres of virgin forests, covering all
classes of hard and soft wood. No
state in my judgment, can offer oppor-
tunfties to lumbermen equal to the
State of West Virginia. And while
we do not profess to be a great farm
ing country, yet our soil is rich, thu
climate is good and farming is profit
able. Our location as to the great |
markets of the east and north is sc
satisfactory that farmers and stock. |
holders can make no mistake by inves
tigating the advantages which Yves
Virginia offers to these industries.
G. w. ATKINSON.