The Washington herald., 1920-02-29
NATIONAL MARKETS
Real Estate

and after no less than ten unsuc-
cessful attempts. continued their
experimental operations. After
much unsuccessful drilling in what
was then known as the Lingo field,
they began operations in Snake
Hollow early in 1918. This location
is in the very heart OF the previous
ly abandoned district. A well was
sunk within a few hundred feet Of
an Elizabeth sand we'll which had
produced gas with gradually slack
ening pressure for twenty-eight
years. Gas was encountered at g.
200 feet and a second fow at 2,4O0
feet. Operations were thence trans
ferred to Long Run. whore another
well came in at the fifty-foot sand.
in the meantime, the Philadelphia
company had brought In a well on
top of the Speechley sand one mile
up the Hollow. Brendel and Foster
(June, 191S). then moved to the
Virgins base and also drilled down
to Speechley. bringing in two and
half million foot well. Thus in
spired and enthused, they began op-
erations on a larger scale. The cry
stallized sand was found to be more
productive than any ever touched In
the history of gas prospecting. They
believed that at last they were on
the verge of bringing In q remark
able new field.
The next attempt justified their
beliefs, for in moving to the loca-
tion of tho Jumbo Baby. q well was
tapped which compensated them for
their years Of labor. A three and a
half f-million flow was struck on
August .23, 1919, on top OF the
Speechley sand. 1t was decided to
cast geological precedent aside and
drill through the Speechley, with
results that astounded the world.
As the steel bits sunk deeper into
the crystal sand the first flow sud-
denly disappeared. At last 1t was
pierced. So great was the pressure
of the gas pocket below that the
tools were blown high into the air.
and the hole belched forth q wealth
of natural gas with a roar that
brought the sleepy copperheads
from their hiding places in Snake
Hollow.
A Gigantic Gaaser.
Hoxr by hour the fiow increased
until it "gauged" on up to the mi
Iraculous flow of 65.000,00o feet, Q
[ gusher. This proved beyond ques-
tion that under the old abandoned
McKeesport field there was a strata
of gas sand that would supply the
community with light and heat for
/ years to come
The Peoples Gas Company. sorely
| in need of the newly discovered vol
ume of natural gas, was quick TO
respond and to solve the problem OF
laying mains over the rough ter
| rain, despite the fact that there
were neither men nor equipmen
available at the time. Crews were
hurriedly moved from all quarters
| of the old gas fields in strings OF
speeding automobiles. Old-timt
drillers and roustabouts were re-en-
listed to help harness the Jumbo
Baby and connect her with the
mains. The field crews of Foster
and Brendel were meanwhile
pressed into service, every man in
the organization doing his bit to-
| ward laying the new gas lines over
the rough Pennsylvania country
The old field took on the appearance
| of a bee hive and such was the en-
thusiasm and diligence of all con-
cerned that never in Pennsylvania 5
history was a line covering such a
distance laid in early so short a
time.
Upon completion OF the line the
monster gusher had to be hridled
Everything was made ready for
placing the nipple in Jig time. This
last operation, however. was a peril
Gus one. but the hazardous feat was
~ ,nf
dent. 1t was then found necessary
, to run in a second eight-inch line.
This was completed shortly. The
oversupply of gas beating against
the rocks showed that even then
there was a tremendous surplus
making it certain that this was the
greatest gas field ever discovered.
Thus was solved part of the prob
lem of Americas future gas supply,
The discovery placed Pennsylvania
once more on the gas and oil map
of the country and made McKees-
port a magic by-word.
Influx of Oil and Gas Operators.
McKeesport now presents a typi-
Lcal boom town aspect. Thousands
of oil drillers, contractors. boom
followers and all gradations of the
soldier of fortune type have fiocked
to the city from all parts of the
United States. Incidental to this
| worldwide fame that has come to
! McKeesport almost over night, a Sc
rious problem has been presented to
the municipality-that of feeding
and housing the men who have come
to develop her newly found natural
resource.