The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1904-06-03

Interesting Facts and Figures About
Those of the States Of Ohio
and Indiana.

Ohio continued during 1902 to main
tain first place among the oil-produc-
ing stateS, although its production
was considerably less than that of tha
preceding year. 1t supplied almost
80 per cent. of the total production OF
the Appalachian and the Lima-Indi-
ana fields, and almost &c per cent. OF
the entire production of the United
States in 1902. For hat year the
output was 21,O14,231 barrels, which
was 633, 1852 barrels less thai in 1901, a
decline of only three per cent. Owing
to a higher range of values, the prod
uct sold for the average price of 0.9S8
cents a barrel, or $40, 757, 1853, a gain of
$233, 1888 over 1901. That represents
an increase of 4 cents a barrel. The
above figures are taken from Mr.. +.
H. ELEPHANTS report on the produc-
ton of petroleum in 1902, published
by the United States geological survey
as part of its annual volume on min
eral resources.
Ohio is moi merely the greatest oil
producer among The states; it has
the additional distinction of producing
two well-defined grades of petroleum
from two distinct geological horizons,
one in the southeastern part of the
state, the other in the northwestern
part.
The geological conditions in the
southeastern part of the state are
similar to those existing in western
Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and
the petroleum producing formations
belong to the Appalachian group, of
which it is a part. The strata pro-
ducing petroleum are sandstone5~
capped by slate or shale, which vary
in thickness from 5 to 80 feet. In the
northwestern part of the state the
production is entirely from n horI-
zon, the Trenton limestone, a geologic
than the sa~ndstones in the southeast,
and which is separated from them by
several thousand feet of strata.
Ohio was the first state in the union
to demonstrate the possibilities of the
Trenton limestone as a producer of
petroleum in commercial quantities.
The famous Cincinnati Arch" has
lifted the Trenton limestone forma-
ton into a great, broad swell. On
and neal the crest of this, natural gas
is found, and farther down the TANKS
petroleum has accumulated. This
reservoir has proved to be highly pro-
ductive in the last 20 years, and has
supplied a large part of the worlds
demands. The Trenton rock petroleum
is of dark color and is impregnated
with sulphureted hydrogen. Its un-
pleasant odor and other characters
tics have made it less valuable for re-
fning purposes than the product of tho
s~andstones, and for many years it was
used only as fuel. Within the last few
years it has been successfully refined.
A process has been discovered whereby
the odor is removed, and the greater
part of the product is now converted
into first-class Illuminating oil.
AS a producer of Lima oil, Ohio has
a formidable rival in Indiana. That
state has for several years been stead
lily charging the area of her produc-
tive territory and increasing her out
put of Trenton rock oil, but the year
1902 proved a record breaker. More
wells were completed hen than in
any previous year, and the amount of
production aud the sum realized
it were larger than during any
other year in the history of the petro-
leum industry. The aggregate pro-
of Indiana for 1902 was $780,
S96 barrels, valued at S6,526, 622, as
compared with 5,757,0S6 barrels, valued
at $4,S22, S26, in 1901. The number OF
drilled in 1902 was nearly double
number completed in 1900, and only
Is per cent. of these were dry holes.
The amount of oil produced in Indiana
n 1902 was double that produced in
1898, lille valuation increased nearly
300 per cent.