Milford chronicle., 1904-02-19
THE OIL REGIONS OF NORTHERN
PENNSYLVANIA.
CBY J. V. X, wELLsl

To any one brought up in Delaware, ard
never having seen the mountainous parts OF
our wonderful country, would be astonished
to ride over the Pennsylvania and Erie rail-
road. For hundreds of mi es you see nothing
out mountains, and high hills with NO farm
Ing lands TO vary the scenery, except occa-
sionally asmall garden patch. Some times
4 Tor miles no houses are seen along the line of
the railroad. At Kane, 500 miles from Phila-
delphis, left the Pennsylvania railroad and
took the B B. 4 X, which runs to Bradford,
about forty miles distance. We soon found
we were in the famous oil region by seeing
The derricks everywher
These eerricks are generally seventy two
feet high, and are about five hundred feet
apart each way. The first oil wells that were
bored vas by Col. Drake at Titusville, in 1853.
About twenty years ago they commenced
boring wells in McKeOn county, through
which the b. b. & X. road runs. The first
wells were flowing wells, producing from 200
to 200 barrels per day, but as the mum Der in
creased, he pressure being less. they ceased
10 flow. Then they were obliged to put in
hoilers, which are connected to each well by
iron pipes and at each well is an engine TO
drive. the pump. A boiler furnishes steam
each oil by boring from 1900 to l5lO feet. At
Cyclone (where we remained for "A month and
a halD they have to bore 2OOO to 22OO feet to
rt ach oil, as the elevation is about 800 feet /
higher than at Bradford, which is sixteen
miles distance by rail, and only eleven miles |
by wagon road. They never find out until 1
they strike a dark sand which is saturated |
with oil,
They then bore twenty or thirty feet in this /
sand, then taking out the drill put down pin
ing, which is from five 10 eight inches in di.
ameter These have 10 be cleaned out at diff
ferent times, hence the use Of the high tow
ers to draw out their cleaning apparatus.
There are another set OF pipeslfrom each well
to tanks that hold about 25O barrels The oil.
when pumped, brings the producer 81 IS per
barrel. The oil Refining Co.. of Bayonne, n.
j., laid pipe from BayOnne through the oil
region, and eachltank is connected with this
main pipe. When any tank is full their in
spector is notified TO gauge the oil. Then If
is run in the main pire and forced through it
by the aid Of a powerful engine on its way to
ilde wafer,
The wells produce from one-half barrel to
i've barrels per day. When boring for oil
they find occasionally well that has great
pressure Of gas. These are tubed and con-
geyed where wanted for fuel, for the innum-
erable number of boilers. Almost every one
uses 1t to lie ht and Beat houses No wood or
'oal is used there. There are in McKeon
;oHnty between five and six thousand oil
wells. They also extend into New York
state. 1t costs from lO1O to sl.2OO to bore,
oipe, and put in an engine to each well.
The men who attend TO the pumps, have
'harge of from ten to twenty-five pumps.
they pump one at time, then pass to an
'ther. They get $50 per month with no lost
ime-unless they are sick or absent for a
ength Oftime. Besides these there are car
'enters, we'll cleaners, gauPers bosses and
ub-bosses, who get from s75 to sIOO per
month.
At the time the oil excitement struck this
Ountry, there was but one family who lived
Tithin miles Of Cyclone. The country around
ere is owned in large tracts of many thous-
nd acres by families who will not sell, but
Ease the land to oil companies with the Oil I
rivileges and to cut all the wood they wish.
10 farming is done around here the surface
eng htlly and the rock near the surfaee
This new industry brought to this section
good class Of citizens. They are generally
Intelligent and favor good schools. II is a
license town, so all who want LIQUOR must
D to Bradford for it and carry their jugs.
II any one wishes to try boring for oil in
lis sectioD,I have a sample the sand. This
VIII furnish them, so they may know when
ley reach oil.