Evening star., 1920-01-10
THOUSANDS TAKE
CHANCES FOR GAS
IN SMOKE HOLLOW
New Field at McKeesport
Scene of Lively Gamble
in 200 Wells.

PITTSBURGH. January Spout
ing natural gas at the rate of almost
100, 900. 600 cubic feet a day, the Sna e
Hollow field which is not yet four
months old, already has made large
number of persons comfortably rlch.
while some thousands of others are
anXiously awaiting the outcome OF
their subterranean gamble in more
than 200 wells. where the drills are
Kept going day and night.
The development. which became APP
parent when a strong flow of gas blew
the top off derrick September ~
last. covers no more than 100 acres OF
town lots in the outskirts of the
thriving little city of eesport'
sixteen miles from Pittsburgh. Eff
forts are being made by important oil
and gas interests to extend the field.
If these test wells. now being drilled,
come in gushers. an important addi-
tion to the gas-producirg territory of
found. If they are busters" geolo-
giSts say. il will not be long until
Snake Hollow will be a thing of the
past and dreams of wealth be MOTH
ing more than memory.
Rock pressure. the measure of nat
ural gas at the well. was 500 pounds
to the square inch when the first Well
came in. This pressure. experts say.
has now been reduced to 500 pounds.
indicating that already the field is be-
ginning to decline. However, there
are some twenty good wells in the
field. and every well which reaches
the Speechley sand. where the gas is
found. comes in IL gusher, good for
5.oGo.000 to 10000, 600 cubic feet. This
cannot last. for the wells are drilled
so close together that the pool will
be exhausted very soon, unless it is
found to extend over "A much wider
area than that now producing
But while il lasts Snake Hollow is
taking on all the features of A boom
district where fortunes are made over
night. Steep hillside lots which six
months ago could have been bought
leases covering spaces not big enough
10 hold IA drilling equipment have
brought half that sum.
Churches Get Into the Game
Churches have leased their back
yards, and schools have given over
their Fairgrounds to the driller for
a consideration. In one instance the
township board of education leased
a school property. getting $1,000 down
might find. The lease of an amuse-
ment park was sold for S16O.O0O. A
year ago the land. surface and all
that might be under it could have
been bought for $500 an acre
The amount of money already in
NNSlcu III tHS hcIu II Pldttu Dy
ers at s20,000,000. This is due to the
high cost of everything. from drilling,
which reaches about $4,000 a well, to
commissions of stock statesmen who
are handling the securities of the 10
companies now on the market.
The most profitable concerns how
ever. are close corporations, and some
of their shareholders have been paid
many times over the amount of the
original investment.
The gas-bearing sand is from 5000
feet to $500 feet below the surface
with the average well 300 feet deep
Pipe lines have been laid to some of
the most important holes. and work
is being rushed. day and night, on
others. There is everywhere in the
field feverish desire to get the gas
out and the money in with the least
possible delay, and while some people
are getting some money, experts
agree that a whole lot of investors
and SPECTATORS are going to be dis
appointed.