The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-20
THE OIL OUTLOOK
THE PRODUCTION MUST BE
 STIMULATED.
Plenty of Producing Wells But Nc Gushers-Dealsrs Look to Two States New for High Grade
 Illimiuant.

1Ao NOtI0WiMk URSGSua &iDRSeSA @ANsAs Alexandria, Ind. recently appeared In The Cincinnati Enquirer:
 Indiana oii-field men are jubilsnt over the increase in prlcs of Indiana oil to the Unprecedented figure of &.0k per barrel. The operators are confident that the top has not yet been reached. The Novem- Der demand exceeded production over s200 900 barrels and the total shipments from the two States--Indiana and ohio- for that month reached 2.4H.oAs barrels. The runs from the wells in the two States was but 2.112122 barrels. Pennsylvania was drawn on in addition tor 5oo.o0o bar rels.
 That these figures have set the Stan dard oil Company to pondering over the future is plainly evident. and the oil men here say that that concern has raised the price to stimulate production. Despite the fact that the number of producing wells has multiplied many times in the last few years the big wells are thing of the past. Although winter has hindered drilling somewhat, and made it miserable work, yet with the increased pay of the drlllers, the work will go on. as there is still much undrilled territory yet ia the State.
 Falling Short.
 The West Virginia field Is falling shert,
 
 concerned. and all eyes are turned to the two States, Indiana and Ohio, for that class of ell now. The coal strike has boomed the oil market, and brought out many ways of burning oil fuel, which will result in the producers and pipeline com panies bidding oil out of the reach of fuel purposes Every available rig and strin9 of tools that can be manned is at work in the Alexandria, Marion ana Geneva Qndiana) fields. but with them all going reserve stocks VIII nave to pc aracvn on for . supply to meet the in- creased demand for time, at least, ame on the common theory of supply and de- mand Indiana oil may go to N-So per par rel before winter is over.
 Expert oil men say that in Indiana less than 3,O0e. GO barrels of Indiana oil fs in stock. unrefined. while in the last year the Indiana heid has contributed to the refineries fer immediate use 27e,yO sar- rels This means a large amount or cspi- tai brought into the State. and nearly all of which has again been invested by the operators for leases. strings of tools. rigs and machinery, etc, for the "oil habit" like the gambling habit. leads a man on with expectations until he either breaks the game or is broken, ana IS rarely satisfied to quit with moderate winnings
 Alexandria Field.
 In the Alexandria fold alone two deals have been made recently whereby an operator in each instance closed out les se for an enormous sum. the two deals aRsregating $150. 900. which sum the sei- Ter at once tied up in new leases ana machinery with which to develop It. Tne wages paid in Indiana the last year ana inc royalties which the farmers have Hs- nnA-AtRhth or inc pross produce) have reached the enorm- ous sum of SC, ,s5e. .22S. .s6. or an average per month of s605,11l. which Is divided among not to exceed ten counties, the three Madison, Grant and Adams, get ting the major portion. with bIackkoro, Randoiph, Delaware coming in for quite A sum each This money goes Tar toward making up the general prosperity or tne country at large in these sections the farmers dividing 1t between the mer- chants and substantial improvements on his farm, while the drillers and oil well men themselves are great spenders' ana leave A trail of money wherever they go.
 The cities have profited much by 1t in many cases. The farmers with oil royal ties have come to town to live In state or else have put up Substantial business bIocks Alexandria has had dozen such cases within the past year.
 The shipments of oil since January l. 1902. have reached io.slo.4n barrels. for which has been paid g. .ss1.s4; this Tor Indiana alone. This Is the amount that the pipe lines have received Tor the OH; with an additional 20 cents per barrel for nineaRe fees. This brings the total receipts for eleven months of this year up to $11. .O57 ,9SS.A
 This sum. large as 1t appears, is less than half the amount inc refiner gets for the oil when 1t Is nut m the market in it's various forms which inclued parafflne. greases, gasoline and a dozen other by-products, the az gregate total value of which will almost equal that of the main product, renneo petroleum of commerce.
 The oil fields have almost become worthless for farming purposes. being occupied by derricks, filtered with pipe tanks and other tools, the fences des- troved. the farms criss-crossed with aItches and blockaded with power rods numping wells from all over 40-acre tract from a central point, while the roads have suffered even more. All over Madison County the highways are cut up with ditches, in many instances un- ellAd the roads rendered almost impasss able from heavy hauling. while the small streams have been spoiled for farm pur- poses and the pastorage of cattle made impossible by the, salt water and OH refuse from wels, and after the oil era IS nassed the territory will require years of work and the expenditure Of many S~;lars to nut 1t back into first-class farm ine condition again, but the owners figure that they are getting many times it's market value per year in royalues' and that there is nothing lost if 1t Is never reclaimed for farms