The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-15

oil WE'LL near Titusville, Pa, In August,
1883, he little dreamed of the vast store
houses OF wealth he had opened up to
the world or the manifold benefits he
WAS Initiating for humanity. nor. did he
dream of the Standard OIL Company, or
conceive the possibility of n John y.
Rockefeller. The Drake well pumped,
about fifteen barrels n day from a depth
OF slxty-flve feet and Its product was
sold from $500 TO 5000 a barrel. while
In, recent years wells 1T Beaumont.
Texas. were estimated rs flowing at the
rate OF 10000 barrels n day with q price
4 for the oil as low as two cents bar
rel Beaumont is no% practically dead,
whilst some of the wells first drilled in
the Pennsylvania and Ohio fields, are
still classed among the producers
Tho history OF petroleum reads like
n romance. with occasional clemtns of
tragedy At first, 1t was y wild spec
ulation. a plaything for the gamblers,
yet By gradual process of evolution it
has become . legitimate and success
full business. giving employment to hun
dreds OF thousands of men and provid-
ing sus,enance and comfort for an nn-
told multitude, beside upbullding colossal
fortunes for those who were wise IN
their day and generation and were able
The Pennsylvania field was developed
In various sections until at ono time 1t
yielded over 100000 barrels day, Then
came Ohio. California. Kentucky West
Virginia, Indiana, Kansas, Colorado, Okla
homa. Indian Territory, Texas and ] sou-
isiana. with n recently opened field IN
Illinois and some fairly well-defined pros
poets in Missouri. The total produc-
ton to-day is approximately 100000 bar
No., u ynf . tc nat
the demands from consumption, with
the result that the principal buyer the
Standard, Is invading Russia-havins
loaned money to the Gear in return for
concessions In Baku field and It Is
compelled to draw on its reserve stock
OF crude In order to supply the want for
refined.
Each of these fields has its distinct
characteristics. The best burning oils
are refined from the Pennsylvania pro-
duct, whilst the Colorado yield Is almost
a natural lubricant and commands the
highest price. California, Texas and
louisiana oils have an asphaltum base
and are difficult to treat but the other
oils. generally speaking, have paraffine
base and are rich In the two most val
liable products of dstillation. nepthns,
and lubricants The Ohio field has the
largest daily production. or about 75,OD
barrels day, and has the additional
advantage of being territory which is
hest described as STE: tht is, tho field
is we'll defined and within known lines
the drilling OF a we'll is reasonably GER
tain to be followed by n strike, 'rhe
wells are not gushers, but steady ana
consistent bumpers, and a number or
those drilled twenty years age arc still
adding their daily quota to the output
The Business of Producing.
Tho drilling outfit for a new we'll con-
teen to twenty-five horse power, n der
rick, walkng-beam, sand-pump. hull
wheel tools, and cable; the tools weigh
about 1900 pounds and the cable has Il
length In accordance with the estimated
depth of the we'll. which may run to
$500 feet, The we'll Itself Is circular
hole with a diameter, generally, of eight
inches and this hole is drilled through
the rock until the lower veins of water
are struck, when these veins are cased
off with piping five and fivc-eights inches
In diameter, with casing cap attached
to the lower joint of the pipe for tho
purpose Of shutting off the water. The
operation of drilling is then continued
through the solid rock until the oil sand
Is struck, the result being either q glsh-t
er, a gasser or pumper OF q varying
capacity according to the thickness and
richness of the sand, Quite often, the
we'll is "shot" in order to increase the
flow In other words, torpedo, with
nitro-glycerine as an explosive force, Is
lowered into the we'll and then fired, en-
larging the hole at the bottom and OPEN
Ing I'M the sand II the well Is pum-
per, tubing ofFt%o-inches diameter with
a check valve at the lower jontvwhich
is also perforated in order to permit the
inflow Of the Oils lowered into the
we'll, while the pumping Is done by
means OF sucker-rods fastened together
by Joints and straps. The oil Is then
pumped to the surface and run into the
tank, when 1t Is practically ready for
the buyer. who is always on hand and
ready with the cash,
4 When a territory has been sufficiently