Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-11-20
IMMENSE SUPPLY.
Gas Supply of This State will
Continue.

the Sand Fork gusher territory Lewis
county, W. Va, brings forth the
startling but interesting fact that
dozens OF roaring gas wells are held in
check In the same section because OF
the present abundance. that over
1000 acres OF developed gas terri
tory in that one county alone lies vir-
gin for the distant future aud that we
will enjoy the luxury OF natural gas
for an unlimited period--20, 80 and
probably according to the highest au-
thority on natural gas in the world ].
G. Mcdowell OF the Philadelphia Gas
Company the gas will be had as long as
there Is petroleum to be found, and no
one can tell when the end will be In
sight.
1t Is not more than ten years ago
that consumers Of natural gas were
advised to be careful OF the precious
fuel as in few years they would be
forced To return To the smoky bituml-
nous fuel in which the Pittsburg Sec
tion is so lavishly rich. But the years
have gone by aud now the greatest
supply or the natural In the history
OF the industry is In sight in territory
Of which Pittsburg is the only impor-
tant natural outlet.
In fact, so great Is the abundance
just now that great roaring gassers
are held in check, fortunes of opera
tors are tied up in plugged holes in
the rich hills OF West Virginia and no
one can say that any demand for
them will be felt within the next 10
years. And in that time probably 20
times as many wells will be found in
The persistent search for petroleum.
All this seems wonderful when Ii Is
known that the Philadelphia Com
pany Is just now supplying consumers
with 100, 600, 900 cubic feet OF gas a
day and they are making Pittsburg
mills operate with 10000, 900 cubic
feet day alone, and that during Oe-
tober over 1850, 200, 900 cubic feet
were consumed in the great industrial
plants that are keeping Pittsburg so
busy.
Colonel James M. Guifey who has
80, 600 or 10000 acres OF oil and gas
territory within a reasonable distance
OF the Copley and Turner gushers,
alone has ten roaring gas wells in that
section. Each of these will produce,
when opened, from 5000, 900 to TO-
900, 600 cubic feet of gas every day,
and they are just as liable to last five.
ten or twenty years after they are re-
leased as they are one year. Each has
a rnpl mr. NJ Tn0 fr 400
pounds and volume in addition that
makes them wonderful.
The South Penn Oil Company has
four or five wells OF the same caliber
in the same district and Theodore N.
Barnsdall, has five or six in Lewis
county. All are OF the same wonder
full volume and rock pressure; which
insures an unlimited flow through the
pipe lines to the Smoky City without
the assistance Of pumping stations.
Ii this were not enough, the South
Penn Oil Company has thousands Of
acres near the Gusfey tracts, has four
or five great gassers in the Fink dis
trict, In Harrison county, that are
now closed In for want Of market,
and the Philadelphia company has
35, 900 acres in Wetzel county, which
is literally roaring with billions Of
feet OF gas held by the rocky cham
bers. The Philadelphia Company
draws large supplies from this latter
field, but it has been content for sew
eral years with 30 big wells, only 10
or IL of which 1t has connected with
its pipe lines at any one time.
Throughout the rich West Virginia
hills, where the oil operators drill is
now so active, it is the same story,
and those who groaned at the thought
years ago OF being compelled to carry
coal, poke the fire, carry away the
ashes, and pay the exorbitant laundry
bfffs; can now turn over and dream Of
the comfort and plenty the future has
In store.
In Greene county, the field is still
virgin, as far as the inexhaustible gas
supply is concerned, and only the 9TH
er day the Philadelphia Company
brought ia a well that produces from
5000, 900 TO 10, 600, 600 cubic feet OF gas
every day at rock pressure Of 1000
pounds and acres and acres lie near 1t
that the drill has not yet disturbed.
1t is not probable that these wells in
the West Virginia district will be
needed for ten years, and during all
that time immense fortunes will be
inactive through little plugs in the
ground. And yet ia Pittsbnrg 40, 900
domestic consumers are drawing their
fuel from the present supply of one
company, 5000 having been added
since last year alone, and the increas-
ing number of mills constantly operat-
ing are mounting up the record OF
consumption month by month 80 per
cent more than last year alone. This
winter will witness the most pheDom-
email consumption OF gas in Pittsburg
ever experienced, yet the operators